Meet the team

Pamela Leighton-Bilik (Director)

Pamela puts the “PB” into PB Theatricals. She is a veteran educator (Drama, English, Chorus, Special Education), graduated from the Interlochen (Michigan) Arts Academy. She earned a B.A. magnum cum laude from Ithica College (New York) and an M.A. in communication Arts and Theatre from the University of Maryland. An international Gilbert & Sullivan director, Pamela is a founder and stage director of PB Theatricals. She is a teaching/directing artist for ArtStream, a Washington D.C.-area based non-profit theatre organisation for performers with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Additionally, Pamela is a freelance vocal coach and speech/language arts tutor in the Washington D.C. metro area and the UK. She also conducts acting and public speaking workshops in the US and the UK

Rebecca Anderson (Musical Director)

Rebecca is a Scottish conductor and mezzo-soprano. Working across Scotland and the North of England, Rebecca has musically directed a number of fully-staged operettas including ‘The Mikado’ at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, and ‘HMS Pinafore’ in St Andrews. She has previously held the position of Conducting Fellow for the Edinburgh Royal Choral Union and has worked with Sian Edwards and Alice Farnham as part of the Sorell Conducting Programme.

As a mezzo-soprano Rebecca is an experienced concert and stage performer. Recent opera credits have included: Lady Bertram ‘Mansfield Park’; Lapak ‘The Cunning Little Vixen’; Soeur Anne de la Croix ‘Dialogues des Carmelites’; and Noémie ‘Cendrillon’. In June 2023 she will perform at the Wigmore Hall as part of the RNCM’s 50^th anniversary celebrations, and in July she will be part of the Young Artist Programme for Buxton International Festival.

Initially, Rebecca studied geography at the University of St Andrews and then worked in meteorology before moving to Manchester to complete an MMus at the Royal Northern College of Music (2019-21). She then worked as the President of the Students’ Union (2021-22) and has recently completed the Postgraduate Diploma in Advanced Studies at the RNCM.

Martin Thiselton (Assistant Musical Director)

Martin is delighted to be joining PB Theatricals this year.  Based in Sheffield he is a rehearsal pianist for Hallam Choral Society and Stannington Mixed Choir.  In his younger years he was MD for Fiddler on the Roof at Durham University, a viola player in Durham University Light Opera Group, and also in the Dore Gilbert and Sullivan Society.  He was MD for productions with Sheffield College including Westside Story and The Caucasian Chalk Circle.  He has also helped with Barnsley Youth Theatre.

Martin has written compositions for Sheffield Philharmonic Orchestra, Sheffield Youth Orchestra and also wrote a piece for the Trinity Grade 8 Keyboard syllabus.  He is also keen on creating music with Logic and Soundtrap.

thisdotmusic.com

James Gillett (Accompanist)
Originally from Grimsby, James is a Manchester based pianist and conductor. He is currently in his final year as a Masters repetiteur student at the Royal Northern College of Music.

In 2020, James graduated from the University of Manchester with a first class music degree. It was at University that James’ interest in conducting, and later opera, was developed and cultivated. Recent operatic engagements have included Fortepiano Continuo player for RNCM’s production of Mozart, Le Nozze di Figaro, Young Artist Conductor for Waterperry Opera Festival, and musical director/project curator for Manchester Contemporary Youth Opera at Tête-à-Tête.

Although currently dedicating much of his time to operatic repertoire, James is a strong advocate for community music making. He is currently musical director of Oldham Symphony Orchestra and Abney Orchestra, and has previously worked with a range of choirs in Manchester and the surrounding area on an ad hoc basis.

Whilst much of James’ work is in performing existing repertoire, James is also involved in Manchester’s new music scene. Since 2019 he has enjoyed working with Manchester composers to workshop and perform their works, a process which he believes vital to the future of classical music. Most recently James has been fortunate in working as repetiteur for the world premier of Anna Appleby’s opera *Drought*, performed by the BBC Philharmonic in October 2022.

jamesgillett.co.uk