Jo Noel-Hartley (artistic director)

Jo moved from her native Australia to the UK after graduating with an Honours Degree in Music from the Elder Conservatorium, South Australia, where she also studied Acting. She has since worked professionally in the music and entertainment industry for the past 18 years, working on TV shows such as Fame Academy, German Pop Idol, Big Brother, Little Britian and more recently the BBC's The One and Only.

During her career as a composer, musician and singing coach she has worked with artists including Sting, M People, Shania Twain, Lionel Ritchie, Spice Girls, Mel B, Damage and currently trains and directs West End singers.

She has been directing shows for the past 19 years and has written 6 musicals, and has 2 training CD's. Jo's disciplined and honest approach has given her an excellent reputation for being able to get the best out of people through her passion and drive for excellence, evident in the quality of work she produces.

Mark Hartley (general manager/producer)

Mark studied trumpet at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, as one of the first students to study a combined Classical and Jazz performance course in the UK. Since graduation Mark has worked as a professional musician, as a composer for the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, taught music at the Purcell School and Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Worked as a Producer and Production Designer with Armstrong Arts in London, touring shows around the UK and into London. Recently he has successfuly managed several performing arts schools for 16 – 19 year-olds.

Production credits include: Miss Julie (UK Tour & London); Trainspotting (UK Tour); The Railway Children (UK Tour); The Illustrated Games People Play (London & UK Tour).  Before leaving to set up Spark-Media, Mark worked on casting for three large-scale touring shows – Into the Woods, Romeo and Juliet, and The Comedians. With his own company Spark-Media, Mark's productions include; Noah (The Old Fire Station, Oxford); Fantastic Mr Fox (Civic Centre, Aylesbury); Big Fluffy Slippers (The Elgiva Theatre, Chesham); The BFG (Civic Centre, Aylesbury). 

Mark also works as an educational consultant in vocational and work-related education in the creative arts and media. He is currently working on his fifth writing project for the UK's largest educational publishers Pearsons.