salon [ˈsælɒn]

A salon is a gathering of intellectual, social, political, and cultural elites under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host, partly to amuse one another and partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation.

collective [kəˈlɛktɪv]

A collective is a group of entities that share or are motivated by at least one common issue or interest, or work together on a specific project(s) to achieve a common objective.

the salon: collective

[thˈee ˈsælɒn: kəˈlɛktɪv]

began through simple meetings bringing skilled artists of varied backgrounds together. Conversation, debates and the sharing of work was the aim; musicians played, actors read, artists showed their work. A natural progression from drawing room to public forum began to emerge, and we are now roaming around the tinterweb and putting our work out there.

OUR COLLECTIVE VISION

the salon: collective are a group of multi-disciplinary artists; actors, filmmakers, teachers, directors, writers, dancers, musicians, illustrators, artists and producers who have a deeply shared philosophy of empowerment through partnership and love of craft.

Our ethos is based on generous collaboration between artisic disciplines, sharing skills and developing the growth of artistic potential through the production of truthful, ground breaking live events, theatre, film & online activity.

Our passion is to be of service to all audiences. Remote or immediate we strive to create intimate, creative, fun and honest relationships with our audience.

Based on the templates of New York’s LAByrinth Theatre Company (Currently led by playwright Stephen Adley Guirgis, formerly Philip Seymour Hoffman) and David Mamet’s Atlantic Theatre Company, we aim to create a spiritually profitable collaborative. Members of our collective have been selected as apprentices for both of these inspirational and successful theatre companies.

It is our deep hope and desire to offer our audience a chance to experience something extraordinary, something that, within the context of their own lives, will hold significance. We take great pleasure in the artistic process, a pleasure which we intend to be infectious.

We believe in providing an accessible, non-elitist, valuable experience for our audience. Be they by-standers in the street, web browsers or theatregoers, an audience is an artist’s vital witness without which our work would not come to fruition.

team salon

artistic director – dominic kelly

organisational director – lizzie conrad hughes

company secretary/treasurer – dewi hughes

organisational secretary – laura nicosia

visual impact manager – kim hardy

creative consultants – lliana bird, esmeralda condez ruiz, daniel horrigan

the salon:collective founders BIOGRAPHIES

Gabriella Santinelli –

DIRECTOR< WRITER< TEACHER<ACTOR< SINGER

Gaby Santinelli trained as an actress with David Mamet and William H. Macy in the Practical Aesthetics Workshop, with the Atlantic Theater Company. Based on her work there, and with Meisner Technique teachers Tom Radcliffe and Martin Barter, Gaby has developed a unique method of Text Analysis, incorporating both essential ingredients: the intellectual head and the emotinal heart.

This water-tight system can be applied to any script the actor is preparing, from tv commercials to feature films or theatre.

Please visit www.bagend.net/gaby for teaching testimonials and directorial reviews.

Dominic Kelly –

DIRECTOR < TEACHER < ACTOR < PRODUCER < PHOTOGRAPHER

Dominic Kelly worked as an actor for four years and as a PA to Scottish actor, Alan Cumming, organising amongst many things, his wedding. During this he discovered The Actors Temple where he trained in the Meisner Technique. Later he became their Creative Director. He worked as their Assistant Producer and created an artistic community called Create.It.Yourself, resulting in many ideas becoming short films and plays. He has been teaching the Meisner Technique for five years, and works as a performance coach and director. During his teaching, Dominic has developed a unique method of creating work based on the technique.

Joanne Dixon –

PRODUCER < FILMMAKER < ACTOR

Joanne has been working in the entertainment business within feature films, TV drama, factual entertainment/documentaries and promotional/corporate videos for eight years. She has worked in across a variety of roles in the production team so understands the true needs of a production. Most recently she has production managed an international documentary for ITV, ‘Martin Clunes: Man To Manta’, and line produced the UK feature film ‘Ghosted’, starring John Lynch and Art Malik.

Other credits have also seen Joanne co-ordinating and producing film and television productions such as ‘Doc Martin’, ‘Baseline’, ‘William & Mary’, ‘Apocalypto’, ‘The Academy’ as well as numerous promos & corporate videos including: ‘BMW’, ‘Closer Magazine’, ‘Halfords’, ‘NHS’ and ‘Goldman Sachs’.

Julia Montgomery-Brown –

ACTOR < WRITER < PHOTOGRAPHER

Julia Montgomery Brown was acting in the US until she recently moved to London in order to get married. Back in New York City she trained at the William Esper Studio under Maggie Flanigan. She started working regularly in commercials and has, to date, principled in over 75 spots. She has appeared Off-Broadway in Couple in the Kitchen and Primetime. Her film credits include Two if by Sea, Bad Moon, Wedding Daze, Manhattan by Numbers, Irreparable and most recently, W.E., directed by Madonna. On the television front she has appeared in the Sopranos, Law and Order, UK, Friends till the End, The Guiding Light, The Single Guy, The Late Show with David Letterman and most recently I Shouldn’t Be Alive for the Discovery Channel. In addition, Julia started JMB Photography as her desire to take what she knew in front of a camera and try to help others   from the other side of it. She had a very successful childrens business that naturally developed into headshots. While here in London she re-trained at the Actors Temple, with Tom Radcliffe. She is part of a playwrighting workshop with Bernard Kops and is writing a play based on her experiences here in London. It illuminates the cultural differences between Americans and British in a comedy that is set in a country house in Sussex. Julia is also an ambassador for The Prince’s Trust. She works in their youth program helping troubled kids with their presentation skills and building their confidence. She directed the 100th Team presentation which included skits, songs, scenes and dances. Finally, she is thrilled to have just started rehearsals for an upcoming production of Hamlet, directed by Tom Radcliffe.

Lucy Bruegger –

ACTOR < MOVEMENT

Lucy Bruegger trained at Drama Centre specialising in European classical acting; during her training she spent time at The Globe discovering the delights, challenges and complexes of performing in the open air space.  She also trained at the prestigious Vakhtangov Institute in Moscow, where she specialised in acting the Russian great Chekhov and Dostoyevsky as well as undergoing rigourous physical training under internationally renowned Russian master movement teacher Andrei Droznin . On graduating she embarked on a 6 month tour of India playing Maria in ‘Twelfth Night’. Other credits include Hebee in ‘Gallithea’ at the Bridewell theatre and ‘Check Mate’ at the Colchester Mercury Theatre and most recently she finished filming the feature film ‘Dead Crazy’. Other work includes voice-over work for the UN and regular voice for radio dramas with the Wireless Theatre Company. Lucy’s other great love is yoga, which she discovered many years ago on a trip to India. This led her to train with Max Strom in America and she has gone on to teach adults, children and actors across the globe. She combines the use of breath and movement to strengthen, heal and open the body and has developed yoga and movement training specifically orientated to actors and the ability use our bodies as vessels for story telling.

Andrea Luka Zimmerman  -

FILM MAKER

Andrea explores the grey zones between public and private memory. Working at the intersection between documentary and fiction, her practice explores the production of history and everyday life within it. She is currently completing Prisoner Of War [85mins, 2011], which is about a special-forces commander whose life inspired the Rambo films. Her recent short film The Ramp [5min, 2010] won 1st prize at reeelhealthstories (judges Ken Loach and David Morrissey). In collaboration with Lasse Johansson she made the public art installation i am here on the façade of a building on the Haggerston estate [2009-2012] and the book Estate [Myrdle Court Press, 2010]. www.fugitiveimages.org.uk

Lasse Johansson -

FILM MAKER

Since graduating from Chelsea College of Art in 2001he works with film, photography and installation in order to explore issues around the everyday and the formation of place, with special interest in public spaces and the identities they give rise to. Recent and current works include the short film Bruce & I [2010] looking at issues of health and access to health care in the UK. In collaboration with Andrea Luka Zimmerman he made the public art installation i am here [2008] and the book Estate [2010]. Lasse and Andrea are currently developing The Beginning is the End, a feature length film set on an east London housing estate. www.fugitiveimages.org.uk

Olivia Altaras -

DESIGNER

Libby Altaras graduated from the University of Leeds with a bachelor of arts in History of Art and English.  Since then she has worked extensively in the arts, and has been involved with various theatre, fashion, film and art projects. As a freelance designer Libby has worked closely with the award winning theatre company Punchdrunk. Libby is also involved with the Cambodian NGO Documentation Cambodia, and has produced and co-curated the touring exhibition Cambodia: Reflections of The Khmer Rouge, which was recently housed at the London School of Economics.