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Who is Fiona Harrison?

CURRICULUM VITAE

Artiste: FIONA HARRISON, a classically trained soprano, actress, dancer and comedienne.
Vocal Range: Bottom A to Top F above Top C
Languages: German, Italian, Latin, French & Japanese.
Playing Age: 30 – 35
Equity Number: M00135181 (Full member)
Nationality: British.
Professional Representation: Edgar Paul Spence at Time to Book: 2, Weston Avenue, Leighton Buzzard, Beds. LU7 4QY Telephone: 01525 377 889: Mobile: 07710 509829
Web site: www.timetobook.freeserve.co.uk
E-mail: paul@timetobook.freeserve.co.uk

BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Born in Yorkshire, Fiona began her theatrical career at an early age by attending local dancing classes. At five years old Fiona moved to Bedfordshire where she completed her education and performing arts studies. She embarked on her classical singing training at the age of sixteen under the watchful eye and ear of Pamela Pritchard of the Royal Academy of Music, London.

Since those early days Fiona has proved herself time and time again to be an outstandingly talented and multi-faceted entertainer, averaging around 300 performances each year from the Isle of Wight to the Outer Hebrides and all points in between.. She not only possesses a fine, powerful soprano voice, but also has a rare gift for comedy and dance, with which she is able to charm the most hard-bitten audience.

Her amazing repertoire ranges from Operatic and Semi-classical concerts, to her several one-woman musicals, which leave the audiences cheering and pleading for more. Fiona is able to tailor-make her shows to suit any type of audiences. She can bring the house down with an aria from Grand Opera one moment, then amaze the audience by switching effortlessly to Rock and Roll. Very, very few classically trained sopranos can do this as convincingly as Fiona Harrison.

Apart from Fiona's obvious singing talents, she also performs her own stand-up comedy shows, one of which is entitled "Talking Live" in the Joyce Grenfell style. Due to popular demand, Fiona developed for 1999 a new Joyce Grenfell show called "George - Don't do That". This show includes many of the famous sketches and songs, and remain very popular.

Fiona also specialises in Music Hall and nostalgic 1940's War Time shows, which she performs in full costume. The choice of ATS or WRENS uniform is available for the War Time tribute shows and Fiona has repeatedly been the special guest of the Lakeland Heritage Organisation, The Royal British Legion, and various Masonic Lodges throughout the country. So popular was Fiona’s ATS 1940’s Show, it was developed into a theatre show - "We'll Meet Again", and has since been a huge success selling in theatres throughout the country.

All of Fiona's music has been especially written and arranged with full four to eighteen-piece band parts for larger venues. If needs be, Fiona is able to work fully self-contained with her own stereo sound system and backing tracks for the smaller venues. (Please note - working live with musicians is preferred and all band parts can be split and used in any combination of musical line up.)

RECENT TIMELINE

During 1997 Fiona was invited to sing in Japan where she enjoyed a very successful six-month season. During this time Fiona learnt to sing in Japanese and performed in one of Japan’s prestigious venues

In 1998, Fiona had the pleasure of working with "The George Thorby - Glenn Miller style Orchestra", in "Moonlight Serenade" and later in the season starred in "You Are My Hearts Delight" with Opera South East. "You Are My Hearts Delight" was staged at the famous De la Warr Pavilion in Bexhill, and received outstanding press and television coverage. Fiona was also invited to perform in Woburn during November, where she played to a packed house. On this occasion Fiona included some new monologues, which had been especially written for her. In all, she gave 272 performances of several shows, including 39 in December.

1999 also proved to be another busy year for Fiona, introducing her first two major one-woman shows. "We'll Meet Again", featured her in ATS uniform presenting wartime favourites and her "Millenium Spectacular Show" featuring a hundred years of song and 12 truly stunning costume changes.

High-lights of the year included singing operatic arias at All Saints Church in Bedfordshire and staging her "Millennium Spectacular Show" at various theatres and private functions around the country. She gave over 280 performances including 43 in December.

2000 took off with an astoundingly busy diary for Fiona, including "Top of the Bill" in many theatres all around the country. For example, she had six repeat bookings at the De La Warr Pavilion in Bexhill.

Her millenium spectacular show developed into "From Cobbles to Rock" (a title that proved to have less audience appeal than the show deserved) and then it metamorphosed into "Putting on the Ritz", which quickly became a firm favourite.

Meanwhile Fiona presented her wartime "We'll Meet Again" show (this time introducing Barty, the singing lamp-post) at the world famous Leeds City Variety Music Hall Theatre, followed by many other theatres. It proved an instant and enduring success. By the year end Fiona had completed a record 300 performances, including 45 in December.

2001 proved to be another record breaking year for Fiona, after a tour of Scotland and the Isles in Spring, and again in the Autumn. Other tours included much of the south coast, the Lake District, and the northern counties.

In November, she debuted her new show "Down Paradise Row" - specially written for her by her manager Paul Spence - at the Swan Theatre, High Wycombe. In December, she gave 36 different performances, in a round trip of 2,800 miles. This brought the year's total up to 307 performances.

Despite this heavy workload, Fiona also found time to record a 16-track 1940's album, based on her "We'll Meet Again" show - a very popular purchase after her theatre performances..

2002: January was reserved for recording Fiona's second new 16-track album "So Deep is the Night".

Fiona had the honour of opening the new Imperial War Museum, Trafford Park Manchester, in June and the "Poppython Appeal" during October at the Royal British Legion, Blackpool.

Many major theatres rebooked Fiona's four theatre shows and hundreds of private engagements and cabarets were contracted, taking her from Torquay to the Shetland Islands, and totalling 300-plus performances, including 39 in December.

2003: Began with a inundation of work, as Fiona was cast as leading lady in the new production, specially written for her: "How HOVIS won the War". The show's premier commenced on VE day in Orkney, where the action takes place. It proved another winner

Her tours included the Shetland Islands, Orkneys, Scotland, the Northern counties, the Midlands, the South Coast and most of the Home Counties. By October, she had already appeared in over 20 different theatres.

Whether the venue is a theatre, holiday centre, hotel or a stately home, Fiona has the talent to amaze her audience with her perfect pitch, perfect timing, stunning costumes, and an infectious sense of fun.

THEATRE CREDITS:

CHILD ROLES:
Clara, Coppelia - Artful Dodger, Oliver - Frau Gretel, Dracula Spectacular

ADULT ROLES:
Nell Gwynne, Sir Christopher
Grace Farrell, Annie
Gigi, Gigi
Eliza Doolittle, Pygmalion
Jane, Salad Days
Ruth, Suddenly at Home
Mabel, Pirates of Penzance
Beatrice, Much ado About Nothing
Gloravina, Vanity Fair
Mrs. De Winter, Rebecca
Magnolia, Show Boat
Casilda, The Gondoliers
Cinderella, Cinderella
Wendy, We’ll Meet Again
Rose O'Brannegan, Down Paradise Row
HOVIS, How HOVIS Won the War

CONCERT CREDITS:

Magic of the Musicals -
Theatre in the Forest, Cumbria, September, 1996
Park House, Tyringham, April, 1999
United Servicemen’s Club, Pinner, March, 2000

Moonlight Serenade - George Thorby Orchestra
The Victoria Hall, Hertfordshire, February, 1998

You Are My Hearts Delight - Opera South East,
The De La Warr Pavilion, East Sussex, May, 1998

A Night at The Opera
Bexhill, East Sussex, October, 1998

A Nightingale Sang
Maryland College, Woburn, November, 1998

George -Don't Do That|
Highgate Literary, and Scientific Institution, December, 1998
Eaves Hall Country Club, Clitheroe, January, 2000
Eaves Hall Country Club, Clitheroe, January, 2001

We'll Meet Again (Cabaret version)
The Freemantle Organisation, Aylesbury, February,1999
The Lauristan Christian Centre, Hastings, April, 1999
Rattan & Rush, Cumbria, November, 1999 (etc, +)
Rattan & Rush, Cumbria, June 2000
The Queens Hotel, Bournemouth, RASC Reunion, September, 2000
Private Function, Eastbourne, September, 2000
The National Trust, Beaconsfield, December, 2000

We'll Meet Again (Theatre Show with 'Barty' The Singing Lamp Post!)
Leighton Buzzard Theatre (Sell Out), May/Nov. 2000 (Mat. & Evening)
De La Warr Pavilion, East Sussex, July/Aug 2000 (Mat. & Evening)
The Leeds City Varieties Theatre, September, 2000 (Matinee)
The Wycombe Swan Town Hall Theatre, February, 2001 (Mat. & Evening)
The Lowther Pavilion, Lytham St. Ann’s, May, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Grand Theatre, Lancaster, May, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Falkirk Town Hall, Stirling, May, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Sir John Wilson Town Hall, Airdrie, May, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline, May, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Pickaquoy Arts Centre, Orkney, May, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Marina Theatre, Lyme Regis, Dorset, June, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Winter Garden, Eastbourne, Sussex, July, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Station Theatre, Hayling Island, Hants, July, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, Sussex, July, 2001 (Mat & Evening)
The Madina Theatre, Newport, Isle of Wight, July, 2001 (Evening)
The Priestly Centre For the Arts, Bradford, August, 2001.(Mat. & Evening)
De La Warr Pavilion, East Sussex, September, 2001 (Mat. & Evening)
The Ryan Centre, Stranraer, Scotland, November, 2001 (Evening)
The Wycombe Swan Town Hall, High Wycombe, February, 2002 (Mat. & Evening)
The Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, May, 2002
The Viking Gar Theatre, Largs, June, 2002
The Old Well Theatre, Moffat, June, 2002
The Festival Theatre, Pitlochry, June, 2002
The Brewery Arts Centre, Kendal, June, 2002
The Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne, April/May/June/July/Aug/Sept, 2002
The Babbacombe Theatre, Torquay, September, 2002
Rothes Halls, Glen Rothes, Scotland, November, 2002

The Millennium Spectacular
Library Theatre, Leighton Buzzard, November, 1998
The United Ex-Servicemen's Club, Pinner, December, 1999
Private New Year function, Hambleden, December, 1999
Private Function, Aylesbury, January, 2000

From Cobbles to Rock (Theatre Show.)
The Court Theatre, Pendley Manor, Herts, February 12th & 13th, 2000
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, Sussex, June, 2000
The Raven Theatre, Linslade, Beds, April, 2001
The Marina Theatre, Lyme Regis Dorset, July, 2001
The Priestly Centre For the Arts, Bradford, August, 2001.
Iver Heath Centre (Private Function), December, 2001
The Pickaquoy Arts Centre, Orkney, March, 2002 (Mat. & Evening)
The Station Theatre, Hayling Island, April, 2002.
The Ryan Centre, Stranraer, September, 2002

Three Divas in "Oh my Beloved Father"
De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, Sussex, November, 2000

Down Paradise Row
The De La Warr Pavilion, Bexhill, Sussex, July, 2001
The Lowther Pavilion, Lytham St. Ann’s, August, 2001
The Priestly Centre For the Arts, Bradford, August, 2001
The Wycombe Swan Town Hall, High Wycombe, November, 2001
The Pickaquoy Arts Centre, Orkney, March, 2002 (Mat. & Evening)
Library Theatre, Leighton Buzzard, May, 2002.
Falkirk Town Hall, June, 2002
Sir John Wilson Town Hall, Airdrie, June, 2002
The Grand Theatre, Lancaster, June, 2002
The Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, July, 2002
Carnegie Hall, Dunfermline, Scotland, October, 2002

How HOVIS Won the War
The Pickaquoy Arts Centre, Orkney, May, 2003
The Garrison Theatre, Shetland, May, 2003.
The Royal Hippodrome, Eastbourne, June, 2003
The Viking Gar Theatre, Largs, Scotland, June, 2003
Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Scotland, June, 2003
The Old Well Theatre, Moffat, Scotland, June, 2003
The Ryan Centre, Stranraer, Scotland, June, 2003
Rothes Halls, Glen Rothes, Scotland, June, 2003
Falkirk Town Hall Scotland, June, 2003.

ADDITONAL THEATRE CREDITS: include
The Hal Roch Show, Central Pier, Blackpool
The Paul Robeson Theatre, Hounslow
The Michells Theatre, Glasgow
The Civic Theatre, Rotherham

RADIO CREDITS:
'Pygmalion' on BBC Radio Bedfordshire
Jingles for Mike Toolan on B.RM.B. Radio Birmingham
Power FM, Southampton
Capital Radio, London
Piccadilly Radio, Manchester
BBC Three Counties Radio
The Eddie Grabham Show BBC Three Counties Radio
BBC Radio Orkney
BBC Radio Shetland
Hartland Radio Scotland

TELEVISION CREDITS:
Meridian Tonight, BBC South, Carlton Television.

CABARET CREDITS: include:
The Carlton Highland Hotel, Edinburgh
The Gutterman Centre, Aylesbury
Rothay Manor Country House Hotel, Ambleside:
The Grange Hotel, Grange-Over–Sands, Cumbria
Sand Bay Holiday Village, Somerset, Pontins
The Sands Hotel, Prestatin (Pontins)
Corton Holiday Village, Suffolk, (Warner)
Lakeside Village, Hayling Island (Warner)
Chilton House, Chilton
The Metropole Hotel, Blackpool (Butlins)
Riviera Holiday Village, Weymouth (Pontins)
Seacroft Holiday Village, Suffolk (Pontins)
Norton Grange Holiday Village, Isle of Wight (Warner)
The Palm Court Hotel, Blackpool
The Grand Hotel, Scarborough (Butlins)
Lathbury Manor, Lathbury
The Grand Hotel Llandudno (Butlins)
Eaves Hall Country Club, Clitheroe
Royal British Legion, Birmingham
Bournville Club, Birmingham
The Eidsforth Hotel, Morecambe
The Grand Hotel, Morecambe
Feltham Ex Servicemen's Club, Feltham
NCB Club, Tredegar, South Wales
Percival Social Club, Enfield
Blackpool Royal British Legion, Blackpool

Coast and Country:
Inn on The Green, Paignton
Leyland Motors Club, Leyland
The Tuesday Club, Weedon
Royal British Legion, Liverpool
Tyseley Working Men's Club, Birmingham
The Queens Hotel, Bournemouth
Wonderwest World, Ayr (Butlins)
The Lake Side Hotel, Windermere
The Grosvenor Hotel, Morecambe
The Bexhill Beach Club, Bexhill
Bembridge Coast Hotel, Isle of Wight (Warner)
Maids Moreton Hall, Buckingham
The Anglo Swiss Hotel, Bournemouth
The Cumberland Hotel, Bournemouth.
The Mc.Minn Centre, Chesham
The BayView Court Hotel, Bournemouth
Ealing No. One Club, London
The Stackist Hotel, Bournemouth:
Gerards Cross Golf Club:
Radnage Royal British Legion:
Saint Andrews Hall, Richings Park, Iver, Bucks.
Great Barford Hall, Bedford.
The British Legion Hall, Farnborough.
Chesham Bois Manor, Bucks

PRESS QUOTATIONS:

'The range of voice and control required for The Laughing Song from Die Fledermaus was most impressive'
Barbara Champion - The Stage

'A sweet, clear voice, which soared through operatic arias singing them beautifully'
Susan Greenhaigh- Evening Gazette, Blackpool

'Harrison works with intelligence, good timing and humour'
Barbara Champion - The Stage

'She quickly won the heart of her audience and captivated everyone with a variety of songs and Joyce Grenfell type sketches"
M. Sharpe- Buckingham Advertiser:

"Fiona's Pitch is perfect"
Robin Duke The Stage and Television Today

"Lovely personality, a stickler for presentation. Spends time on preparation and when on stage - sets the room alight'
John Scoff- Club Entertainment News, Birmingham

'Able to sing in six languages, she offered Puccini's 'O’ Mio Babbino Caro' in Italian and 'Vilia' in German, such items displaying considerable acting ability'
Barbara Champion- The Stage

'The repertoire was varied, including Schubert's Ave Maria, of which I cannot remember a more perfect rendition'
Peter Stiener - The Leighton Observer

'The audience rose to their feet and gave Fiona a standing ovation'
Judith Baker - Bucks Free Press

'A Musical show that would have starred some one like Garland'
Phil Hewitt - West Sussex Gazette

'Harrison has a lovely trained voice, a wide range, concise diction, clarity and stamina... with her quality backing tracks she sings especially pleasing versions of many songs'
Barbara Champion - The Stage review July 02

Fiona Harrison is 'Top of the Bill' at major theatres throughout the country; many contracts are already signed for 2008/09