Eileen joined DMTC in 1982 for the title role in “Mame” and has since performed in a wide range of parts including Kate in “Kiss Me Kate”, Lalume in “Kismet”, Mrs. Lovett in “Sweeney Todd”, Desiree in “A Little Night Music”, the Witch in “Into the Woods”, the Duchess in “Me and My Girl” and Grushinskaya in “Grand Hotel”. Most recently she portrayed the evil Mrs. Lovett in “Sweeney Todd” for DMTC for the second time. Eileen has also appeared in several of our concerts and directed our production of “The Wizard of Oz”.
She has performed extensively with many other societies in the region, particularly at the New Tyne Theatre and the Theatre Royal in Newcastle. She was a founder/director of the New Tyne Theatre and for many years appeared in leading roles, her favourite being Rose in “Gypsy”. She was a member of Newcastle Live Theatre Company and has been a drama tutor for Hild/Bede College in Durham as well as the Marron Stage School in Newcastle.
As a cabaret performer she is also in great demand. Eileen has appeared frequently on television and film, she has had several plays written for her, she is a professional children’s story teller and also manages to fit some directing into her busy schedule.
Eileen is overjoyed to have been given the chance to play Norma Desmond in the northern amateur premiere production of “Sunset Boulevard“. She said, “It is a great privilege to be able to portray such an iconic part. It is also a joy to be able to sing some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s wonderful melodies. I think that our audiences are in for a real treat.”