About Us

Centre City Music Theatre is New Zealand’s premier musical theatre school. CCMT provides an environment of the highest quality tuition and support for the advancement of musical theatre drama, dance and singing skills.

The School operates at ACG Senior College, with the public performances being held in a professional theatre in Auckland central. The School commences in early January, thereby not conflicting with students’ academic commitments.

The school enlists tutors of the highest calibre across a range of musical drama disciplines, including singing, acting, speech and dancing. Each year tutors are carefully selected from New Zealand and abroad. The quality of the tutors reflects the standards of excellence that the school aspires to. The pricing structure enables the school to be within reach of as wide a base of students as possible and is considered nominal for the tuition offered.

The school is aimed at students who have already made a start in any of the three main disciplines of acting, dance and singing. Enrolments are sought nationwide with the age ranging from 8 to 80. Typically we receive students from singing, dance and drama teachers and or from schools where students are demonstrating strong natural talent.

Patron of the School

Janice Webb

Janice began her teaching career at Wellington Teacher’s College. During that time she sang on the national programme’s “Broadcast to Schools” and made many recordings. Janice continued her primary teaching while also performing leading roles in Opera, Operetta, Musicals and Oratorios before “retiring” after thirty years teaching to dedicate herself to fulltime vocal training. She conducted many Auckland Primary School Festivals.

Over the past twenty years her singing pupils have been consistently successful at competitions throughout New Zealand and have gained entry to performance degree courses throughout Australia and the United Kingdom.

Janice teaches singing in Auckland and each month produces a “showcase” where her pupils have the opportunity to develop their stagecraft and work with other talented performers and directors. She is devoted to musical theatre and her students are performing professionally all over the world. In 1999, 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2007 Janice was a tutor at the New Zealand National Singing School.

Janice was Director of the school for the 2006 programme.

The Board

The school exists as a registered charitable society and is administered by a Board. Aside from governance responsibilities Board members also focus on fund raising, securing enrolments and generally promoting the school.

Kathy Parker

Kathy Parker began her teaching career thirty years ago and has taught Primary and Secondary school as well as spending six years lecturing in the University of Waikato in English, Drama and Film. More recently, she became the principal of ACG Senior College and has continued to foster the Arts within the College. During the past twenty years, Kathy has also been heavily involved in theatre, especially Hamilton Operatic Society, where she played many leading roles under the directorship of Robert Alderton. She has a real interest in Drama and Music and this venture is a way in which she can add to the wider Auckland community and provide opportunities for youth outside of her College.

Robbie Franco

Robbie grew up in a musical family in South Africa, with a concert pianist mother and an Italian father with a fine operatic tenor voice. He was introduced to the wonders of music, theatre, singing and dance as a very young child and the “love affair” has continued ever since. With a background in Psychology and Creative Education, Robbie is deeply committed to assisting youth in developing and fulfilling their creative potential and to this end has served on the Board of Management of The Democratic School (overseas). He has extensive International Business Experience in the Real Estate and Organisational Consulting fields.

Linda Fox

Linda is a partner in a small legal practice on the fringe of Auckland's CBD. She has lectured and examined in New Zealand Law Society courses and has enjoyed a wide range of legal work since the mid 1970s. She has convened Law Society committees and presented seminars on a variety of topics.

Linda has not participated in anything in the arts since school. She 'lives and loves' the arts vicariously through her sons who are devotees of musical theatre. Both Linda’s sons have attended all previous music theatre summer schools and watching them grow artistically and in confidence has been incredibly rewarding. The wonderfully dedicated and inspiring team behind the summer schools has instilled in her a wish to contribute something in return, even if it is only appropriate legal documentation and structure!

William McKegg

William has had a career in the entertainment industry having worked in commercial roles for a subsidiary of US listed media giant Liberty Media Group and famous theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber’s company, The Really Useful Group. Since his return to New Zealand William has founded and is Chief Executive of Lion Rock Ventures Limited, a company focused on acquiring and commercialising entertainment intellectual properties in international markets.

Doris Riegel

Doris arrived in New Zealand in 2006 bringing with her a wealth of talent and experience, most recently serving as Executive Director for a Performing Arts Center outside of Boston. Doris’ involvement and leadership in the arts, and in community service began in her youth and included activities such as sponsoring events and fund raisers for local charities and organisations. Doris has a Bachelors degree in Psychology from Bradford College and a Masters in Education from Indiana University. Doris worked for many years in university student services at a number of leading US Universities and has a very strong interest in developing leadership in young people. Doris’ involvement in music, theatre and performance has deepened significantly as her daughters have become passionate about the performing arts.