Alumni

Sean Connor

Sean joined GAA at six years old. He was involved in multiple productions during that time. Since graduating from New College Lanarkshire Sean has appeared in feature films such as Anna and the Apocalypse and Schemers. He also appeared in BBC productions One of Us, Still Game, and Trust Me. Sean is currently playing series regular Dylan in River City.

"I think the length of time I ended up staying at GAA Speaks volumes for just how great the place is. I learned so many things growing up with some truly talented people. I got to work with people I admire every day and I definitely feel like my time at GAA has had a deeply positive effect on the actor I am today."

Finlay MacMillian

After attending Glasgow Acting Academy, Finlay made his tv debut as series regular Mark in River City. From there he moved onto BBC's Waterloo Road where he played the part of Dale. In 2016 Finlay stared in Tim Burton's hit film Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children playing Enoch. He currently plays the role of Sebastian in Disney Channels Penny on M.A.R.S.

Alana Jackson

Since attending GAA, Alana went on to study on the BA Acting course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating in 2020. Pre covid, she was due to appear in the Sam Wanamaker festival at the Globe theatre in London. Since graduating (during a difficult year for our industry), her credits include: The Living Newspaper (Royal Court), Mary&Ada Set The World To Rights (Oran Mor), Scot Squad (BBC Comedy unit). She is due to appear in Vanishing Point theatre company’s touring production of The Metamorphosis which has been rescheduled for spring 2022!

“I am so grateful for my time at Glasgow Acting Academy! From the classes to the rehearsals/productions I was involved in, I have so many happy memories! GAA strikes the perfect balance of pushing their students to reach their potential whilst creating an encouraging and fun atmosphere. My classes at GAA used to be my favourite days of the week! The training allowed me to develop skills that I will carry with me throughout my career. If you are looking to pursue a career in acting, I can’t recommend GAA enough!"

Connor Curren

Connor Curren’s theatre credits include, Curious incident of the dog in the night time (national theatre) lady Windermere’s Fan, Jane Wenham: The witch of Walkern ( Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) Blackout (NT New Connections/GAA) He is currently working on a new adaptation of the origin story of Dodger. (BBC/NBCUniversal) and has appeared in Two Doors Down (BBC)

“I joined GAA in 2011 at 15 years old mainly to build confidence and it has since became the starting point for my love for acting and performance. From the get go I was welcomed into a warm and welcoming atmosphere and was challenged and encouraged by the work we did here, and the friends I made whilst attending are still mates for life to this day! The training here will not only help develop you as a person but also -as it did for me - can help kindle a lifelong passion for the arts, and I can safely say that without going here I wouldn’t be doing what I was doing today. So no matter what you decide to do later in life, the experiences you will have here at GAA will no doubt make it a second home in no time!"

Murray Alford

Murray is based in Australia working in the production department on major TV shows and Hollywood movies. His credits include working on "I'm a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!", "Kong: Skull Island", "Thor: Ragnarok", "Pirates of the Carabian: Dead Men Tell no Tales"

"Glasgow acting academy taught me the etiquette and professional conduct required to work in the film industry. I would not be where I am now if it had not been for the skills I learned there. They were instrumental in shaping me into the person I am today. I can not thank GAA enough for the confidence, social skills and life lessons I acquired while there. Not to mention the life long friends(family) I made."

James Clements

James Clements is an interdisciplinary theatre maker and actor based between New York and Scotland. His techniques merge voice, movement and text to create socio-cultural dialogues on stage and between creatives. Clements has worked with a diverse range of artists, including Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Kate Whoriskey, and the Talking Band, and has appeared at venues including La MaMa, IRT, and WOW Café Theatre. Clements has been on the creative team for projects at Lincoln Center LCT3, the Public Theatre, and the American Theatre of Actors, and his original plays have been performed in cities across the United States, Canada and the United Kingdom. Critics have described them as “intricate and compelling" (BroadwayWorld) and "tense and provocative” (The Providence Journal). His latest play, The Diana Tapes, will open Off-Broadway at HERE Arts Center in May 2018, followed by a transfer to London's Stockwell Playhouse. He is an affiliated instructor for Drama at NYU Tisch School of the Arts and Co-Artistic Director of What Will the Neighbors Say? A theatre company with a mission to provoke questions through untold stories. In 2015, Clements received a grant from Donn Russell of the Peg Sandvoort Foundation for the development of new work.

Lewis Foley

Since leaving Glasgow acting academy, Lewis went on to train at one of the best dance schools in Europe, Doreen Bird College in London under a DaDA scholarship. Since graduating in 2015, Lewis has performed on stages all around the world. His training at GAA and Bird has seen him perform with the likes of Kerry Ellis and Ria Jones in West End Woman The Concert, and also dance for the Royal family at the VE Day 2015 performance. His other theatre credits include Joe Malarkey in Face The Music (Original London company.) Eugene and understudy Doody in Grease The Musical which toured Finland and Sweden. Ensemble dancer in Rainbow Rocks The Musical International Arena Tour, which toured South East Asia. And most recently danced and understudied two leads in Norwich Theatre Royal's annual pantomime, Sleeping Beauty, which was voted the 6th best panto in the UK 2017 (The Stage.) Without the fundamental training at GAA, Lewis wouldn't be able to do what he loves for a living and couldn't be more thankful for everything they've done for him, and continue to do for others.

Aodhan Gallagher

Aodhan began his training at the Tisch School of the Arts, NYU in New York City in 2015, straight after leaving Glasgow Acting Academy. Since joining the school's Dramatic Writing department, he has written several scripts for theatre, film and television that have received in-class workshops and have been staged and performed at GAA when he returned home for the summer. He's had the opportunity to be trained by Pulitzer Prize Nominee writers and professionals in the industry, who have helped him hone his craft and reach his full potential. On top of his writing, he has also used the experience of being at Tisch to train as an actor as well. In 2016, he was accepted into the Tisch Open Arts Acting Studio, where he was taught by some of New York's top acting coaches and has used what he's learned from the studio to perform in plays on NYU's campus. This year, Aodhan was also accepted into NYU's Acting Program in Berlin, where he will be studying a course called Brecht, Stanislavski and Beyond, which is an intensive studio that focuses on training young actors to blend naturalistic styles of performances with the less conventional styles in order to enhance their stage presence. Aodhan frequently comes back to GAA to work with the students and pass on what he has learned. No matter what, GAA is what ignited his interest in writing and performing so it will always hold a special place in his heart.

Ryan John Mackay

In 2016 Ryan was accepted into Frantic Assembly's Ignition company. From then he has continued to work with the company. After graduating with a degree in Acting and Performance he then went on to perform in productions such as Blackout at the Lyceum Theatre, The Gorbals Vampire at the Citizens Theatre. Ryan is currently in the cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in London west end.

"I wouldn't be where I am today if it wasn't for GAA. It gave me the opportunity to grow, create and perform. It taught me the ins and out and what it means to work in this industry. GAA is somewhere I'll never forget."

Michelle Donnelly

After GAA, Michelle attended Motherwell college (NCL) where she gained her BA in Acting, she then continued her studies at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Her recent credits include Channel 4 ‘Sparks’, BBC Scotland ‘Muted’ and Film ‘A Calm Sea Sways’ which seen her winning Best Actress at TMBT Film Festival in America and nominated for Best Actress at the Scottish Film Festival. Her past credits include BBC ‘The Romance Class’ BBC ‘Case Histories’ CBBC ‘Half Moon Investigations’ ‘Healey’s House’ (Raindance winner best film 2017) ‘The Rule of Thumb’ (shortlisted Scottish BAFTA Best new comer) And BBC Burnistoun. Her previous theatre credits include Jackie in ‘Jack and the beanstalk’ at The Adam Smith Theatre and Tiger Lily/Mrs Darling in ‘Peter Pan’ at Motherwell Theatre.

"I joined GAA when I was 13 to try and gain some confidence, after a few classes I realised how much I loved performing and it became such a passion of mine and I decided to take my passion further and progress it into a career. My favourite parts whilst at GAA were Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Adela in The House of Bernarda Alba, I felt that both parts were challenging in their own way and I still remember them to this day! I am so thankful I joined GAA all those years ago as it gave me so many opportunities and I have so many great memories to cherish!"

Chloe Hodgson

Chloe attended Glasgow Acting Academy from the age of 11-16. She was involved in numerous productions as well as participating in many Musical Theatre/Acting Classes at GAA. Following this, she has gone on to graduate with a BA in Musical Theatre from New College Lanarkshire.

This year Chloe has been cast as ‘Britney’ in “Britney and the Beast” (Insideout Theatre Productions) at Lanark Memorial Hall and East Kilbride Village Theatre. Furthermore, she has been cast as ‘Bernadette’ in “Orphans” (National Theatre of Scotland, Directed by Cora Bissett) where she will be touring Scotland in 2022.

“I will always be grateful for the Glasgow Acting Acting. As well as making lifelong friends, it gave me the confidence and confirmation I needed to pursue a career in the performing arts industry. The support and training I received was incredible, providing me with the essential skills required to enter the industry. The tutors always went above and beyond, encouraging me to constantly push myself. I cannot recommend this place enough to anyone considering a career in the industry, looking to grow confidence or just to meet the most wonderful people. GAA will always have a special place in my heart.”

Bailey Newsome

Bailey is a 22 year old actor from Glasgow. He graduated from the Royal Conservatoire Of Scotland in 2019. Since then he has worked with Dundee Rep, The Citizens theatre and BBC Scotland.

Bailey is currently working with Saltire Sky Theatre Company and will tour their production of “1902” around the UK and ireland in 2022. Theatre Credits: Middletown, Philistines, Julius Caesar, Strucken moon, Wilf and The Whale, The Breathing House and San Diego (All RCS) Humbug! (RCS/Citizens Theatre) Tay Bridge, A-Z of Dundee, Oor Wullie: The Musical, A potted Christmas Carol and A wee swatch of Oor Wullie (All Dundee Rep) 1902 (Saltire Sky/LME) Film and TV credits: The Field of Blood (BBC Scotland) The sunny and Scot Squad (The comedy unit) Saved (Creative Scotland).

“I’ve had an absolute blast working on all sorts of shows since graduating in 2019 but absolutely none of it would be possible without GAA. I attended classes at GAA from 2010 until 2016. In those 6 years not only did I begin to learn the skills that are needed but I also developed friendships with people that will last a lifetime. GAA is a warm, kind place that is open to anyone and everyone. Many of my friends from GAA are now doing incredible things and I’m so proud of them all. I would say that even if you don’t wish to pursue a career in the arts, you would still gain so much from a place like GAA. What it has done for people’s confidence and social skills is fantastic. I loved every second of my time at GAA and would recommend it to anyone who is looking for a career in the arts or to anyone who is looking to try something new and get out their comfort zone. GAA is the place to be!"

Cindy Awor

Cindy Awor graduated from Edinburgh Napier University with a BA (Hons) in Stage and Screen Acting in 2022. She was then selected for the Citizens Theatre 2022 Graduate Actor Scheme.

Stage credits include: Red Riding Hood, The Comedy of Errors (Citizens Theatre); VS09 (New Celts Productions).

Screen credits include: First Footing, Haggis (BBC Scotland); Dog Squad (CBeebies); Candy (Blazing Griffin)

Cindy is currently in rehearsals for Moonset by Maryam Hamidi. The show will be performed at Tron Theatre and Traverse Theatre in February this year.

Gabrielle Monica Hughes

Gabrielle Monica Hughes (she/her) is an actor, singer and creative from Glasgow. Gabby graduated from New College Lanarkshire, earlier this year, with a First Class Degree in Acting with Creative Enterprise.

She landed the role of “Nadia” in BBC Comedy’s “Two Doors Down Christmas Special”. Gabby has just finished touring around Scotland with Jordan & Skinner’s production of “The Time Machine : A Radical Feminist Retelling.”

I attended GAA for a lot of my childhood and always felt supported and inspired by the teaching that they offer. From a young age I always knew I wanted to perform and having the opportunity to do that with GAA was extremely encouraging and the skills I learned there allowed me to pursue my professional career. I owe so much to Glasgow Acting Academy, so much of finding out who I am as a performer, and as a person came from my time at GAA. I’m lucky enough to have made friends for life and get so excited to continuously support the glorious work they do for the Scottish Industry.