About Us...
Peter Hunt (BA MA ACTING) (Principal)
Peter has acted professionally from an early age and completed his Actor training at top London Drama School 'Arts Ed'. His TV & Film credits include 'Coronation Street', 'Hollyoaks', 'Videopolis', 'Be Aware', 'A&E' & 'Wilmot'. Peter recently played Gary in BBC 3 sitcom 'The Gemma Factor'.
His Theatre Credits include the UK premier of Ciaran McConville's 'Lay your Sleeping Head', 'Eight', 'As You Like It', 'Romeo & Juliet', 'A Duty of Care', 'Friendly Fire', 'Company' , 'The Play That Killed Me', 'God Wept and The Devil Laughed', and most recently 'The Lonely Clouds' for The Lowry Theatre, Manchester. He has worked at some of the finest regional Theatres including 'Stephen Joseph Theatre - Scarborough', 'The Lawrence Batley Theatre - Huddersfield' & 'The Nottingham Playhouse'.
Having graduated with a degree in Film & TV production Peter has also worked behind the camera on programmes such as 'Where the Heart is' (ITV), 'Shameless' (C4), and 'The Innocence Project' (BBC). In 2006 Peter spent a year working for ITV Drama Manchester organising and co-ordinating top dramas including 'Mobile', 'Cold Blood' and the popular 'Blue Murder' starring Caroline Quentin.
Experiencing both sides of the camera has also led Peter to work in Casting, both as and agent and casting assistant. During his time as an assistant he helped out on castings for 'Where The Heart Is', 'Coronation Street', 'Casualty', 'Doctors', 'Eastenders', 'Holby City', 'Judge John Deed' and 'Waking the Dead'. He has also worked with agents in London's West End and has helped manage the careers of various leading artists. Having returned to the North, Peter continued working as an agent and helped provide artists of different ages to productions such as 'Emmerdale', 'Heartbeat', 'Shameless', 'Casualty 1909', 'Britain's Fattest Man', 'Coronation Street' and 'The Street'. He has also provided artists to commercials including 'KFC', 'Pataks', 'Cadburys', 'Nike', 'Clear Shampoo' and 'Flora'.
Peter was chosen as one of the assistants to help cast additional roles in the Manchester filming of Guy Ritchie's Warner Brother's movie 'Sherlock Holmes'.
Peter also teaches 'Acting for TV & Fiilm' as part of the BA and MA Acting course for top UK Drama school ALRA (Academy of Live & Recorded Arts) at their Manchester base.
Erin Shanagher (BA) (Tutor)
Erin studied at Salford University where she gained her BA in Media and Performance. She has also studied at Mountview and RADA undertaking various workshops.
Having had success as a working actress, Erin was invited back to Salford University to tutor on the course she once studied and has been doing so for 4 years. She was also invited to Huddersfield University last year to do the same.
Erin has a one woman show ‘Yesterday When I Was Young’ which she has toured nationally and won Awards including ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best new comer’. The success of this show is now being brought to the Big Screen in 2012.
Other Theatre credits include; ‘The Laramie Project’ (National Tour) ‘Epilogue’ (The Lowry) ‘Kennedy’s Children’ (Royal Exchange) and ‘Village Voices’.
TV credits include; ‘The Street’ (ITV) ‘Mobile’ (ITV) ‘Bedlam’ (LIVING) ‘Shameless’ (CH4) ‘Coronation Street’ (ITV) ‘Emmerdale’ (ITV) ‘The Royal Today’ (ITV) ‘Goldplated’ (CH4) ‘Drop Dead Gorgeous’ (CH4) ‘River City’ (BBC) ‘Hollyoaks’ (CH4) and ‘The Great Fire’ (CH4).
Erin returns to ActUpNorth having recently filmed a lead role in new sky/HBO series 'Hit and Miss'.
David Crowley (BA MA Acting) (Tutor)
Having graduated from the University of Huddersfield with a degree in Theatre Studies David went on to study his MA in Acting at London Drama School 'ArtsEd'.
David most recently played the role of Lewis in the wold premier of 'God Wept and the Devil Laughed' at the Lowry Theatre Manchester.
Other credits include 'The Outsiders' and 'Micheal and Mum' both for the Theatre Royal Margate. 'Elves and the Shoemaker' Hard Graft Theatre Co, 'The Play That Killed Me', 'God Wept and the Devil Laughed' both for the Lowry Theatre. His film and TV credits include 'Coronation Street' (ITV), 'The British Music Experience' (Eight Ball Productions), 'Pomegreat' Tim Heatherington, 'Moving On' (ITV Taps), 'Abigail' (Brown Cow), 'How to Get Over Death' (Rockland Pictures), 'The Border' (London Film School).
David has assisted Casting Directors with various castings with students from ActUpNorth.
As well as with at ActUpNorth David also teaches Acting technique at various establishments including 'ALRA' (Academy of Live and Recorded Arts - Manchester).
Lucy Lowe (MA Acting) (Tutor)
Lucy has been acting for many years and completed her MA in Acting at 'Arts Ed'. She was recently seen playing the role of Amber Jones in 'Emmerdale'. Other TV credits include 'Married, Single, Other' (ITV).
In late 2010 Lucy appeared in the BBC film 'Worried About the Boy' and recently finished new Brit feature film 'Hard Shoulder' due for release later this year. Her other film credits include 'Debbie' for Crow's Nest Films and brit film 'Clubbed'.
Her theatre credits include 'Blood Wedding', 'Ghosts Alive', 'Disorderly Women', 'Death & The Ploughman', 'Mad Forrest' and 'Eight'.
Lucy has just returned to ActUpNorth from touring the UK in the stage version of 'Columbo'.
GUEST TUTORS
In addition to our usual tutors, every few weeks classes are taken by guest and industry professionals. These include specialists in each field as well as various Casting Directors, Producers, Directors and Agents. The past few weeks, for example has seen us work with Directors from programmes such as 'Courtroom', 'Coronation Street', 'Emmerdale', 'Eastenders', 'Casualty', 'Hoby City', 'Doctors', 'Moving On' and 'Hollyoaks' . We have worked with Casting Directors that have cast programmes covering ITV, BBC, CBBC and Channel 4 with credits such as 'The Bill', 'Red Riding', 'Waterloo Road', 'The Gemma Factor', 'Lunch Monkeys', 'Coronation Street' and 'Emmerdale'. With more guest tutors lined up for 2012, it looks like an exciting few months for our students.
