Meet our Patrons

Jenny Cooke OBE LM

Patron

We are proud to announce Jenny Cooke OBE LM as Patron to DCPA

With a distinguished career in BBC Radio 4 and television drama, as the founder and former CEO of Music Theatre 4 Youth (Ireland), and as the current Cultural Manager for Rock Choir(Ireland), Jenny is proud to serve as a patron of DCPA.

Her extensive experience in both the professional industry and in nurturing young talent across Ireland makes her an ideal mentor and Patron for DCPA.

We are honoured to have Jenny supporting and inspiring our community

John Barr

John made his West End Debut at the age of 12 in Lionel Bart’s ‘Oliver’ at the Albery Theatre. Since then, he has had a career spanning over 45 years in the Theatre, TV, Radio, Film, Cabaret, Concerts, Workshops, Pantomimes, and Recordings – including Original Cast Albums and five solo albums.

TRAINING: Sylvia Young Theatre School

THEATRE:

Lionel Bart in It’s a Fine Life – a show written especially for John (The Hippodrome London 2014, and subsequent UK Tours from 2015 to 2025), Barry Bronze in Rehab the Musical (Neon194 2024, & Playground Theatre 2022), Bull Connor in King The Musical (Hackney Empire), Uncle Ernie in The Who’s Tommy (Greenwich Theatre), Principal Singer in Rhythm of Life (The St. James Theatre, Studio), Fogg in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (ENO), Ed Kleban in A Class Act (The Landor Theatre) for which he was nominated for Best Male Performance at the Offie Awards and Broadwayworld.com 2013/14, Tateh in Ragtime (The Landor Theatre), Charles Guiteau in Sondheim's Assassins (The Union Theatre) for which he was nominated for Best Male Performance at the Offie Awards 2010, Greta in Martin Sherman's Bent (The Landor Theatre), Maisie in Diamond (The Kings Head Theatre), Dr. Thomas Parker in Batboy the Musical (West Yorkshire Playhouse, and Shaftesbury Theatre), Ragtime (Piccadilly Theatre), Original Cast Member of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love – directed by Trever Nunn (Prince of Wales Theatre), Hey, Mr Producer (Lyceum Theatre), Feuilly in Les Misérables (Palace Theatre), Red Bishop & Gran/Wolf in The Boy Who Fell into a Book - directed by Alan Ayckbourn (The Stephen Joseph Theatre), Wilbur Turnblad in Hairspray (Curve Theatre, Leicester), Amos Hart in Chicago (The Plenary Hall, Kuala Lumpur), Skimbleshanks in Cats (Larnaca Municipal Amphitheatre, Cyprus), David in Company (Derby Playhouse), Koko in The Mikado and Njegus in The Merry Widow (both for Opera Della Luna), Harry in Flora The Red Menace and Snoopy in Snoopy The Musical (both at The Cambridge Arts Theatre), Tenor in Berlin to Broadway – A Kurt Weill Revue (The Water Rats), Artist V in Cowardy Custard (Theatr Clwyd), Cliff in In The Midnight Hour (York Theatre Royal), Che in Evita – directed by Hal Prince (Opera House, Manchester), and Tobias Ragg in Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd (Watermill Theatre, Newbury).

FILM: Convict 5 in Les Misérables – The Movie dir. by Tom Hooper (Working Title, 2012), Kenny Star in The Catch dir. Adam Jarrell (Primley Road Productions, 2013), Do Not Disturb – Shut Eye dir. Michael Haussman (2017), Fred/Grandpa in The Pensioners and Dad in Phishing both dir. Jack Heller (Heller Productions, 2025).

TELEVISION: Taboo (Hardy Son & Baker, BBC1 - 2016), The Bill (ITV), The Purple People Eater (Dramarama Series - ITV) Pebble Mill at One (BBC1), The 1987 Royal Variety Show (ITV), and Wednesday at Eight (Thames TV) John Barr

RADIO: Principal cast member for BBC Radio 2’s Musical Series: Simon in Jesus Christ Superstar with Roger Daltrey, Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me, Kate with Julia Migenes, Motel in Fiddler On The Roof with Anthony Newley, Paul in A Chorus Line with Donna McKechnie & David Soul. John was also a regular guest on Songs from the Shows and Friday Night Is Music Night also on BBC Radio 2. He played the Young Roy Hudd in Like They’ve Never Been Gone (BBC Radio 4).

RECORDINGS: John has recorded 5 Solo CD’s: A Small Affair, In Whatever Time We Have, A Different Corner, Anything Can Happen, and All I Am (all available on iTunes and Spotify). Original Cast recordings include: Batboy: The Musical, Matador, Aspects of Love, Godspell (Studio Cast Album – conducted by Stephen Schwartz), Oscar, Dracula, Les Misérables – the Complete Symphonic Recording, Save the Children, Scrapbook, and Jason Carr’s Listen Up.

CABARET: John has presented original cabaret performances at prestigious venues in major international cities, including London, New York, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Washington D.C., Chicago, Sydney, Venice, Switzerland and Denmark, and as a guest artist aboard the QE..

PANTOMIME: Dame Nanny Fanny in Robin Hood (Queens Theatre, Hornchurch - 2019/20), Dame Dotty in Jack & The Beanstalk (Queens Theatre, Hornchurch), King Rat in Dick Whittington (The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury) for which he won Best Pantomime Villain of the Year – 2016/17, Sarah the Cook in Dick Whittington (Ferneham Hall), King Rat in Dick Whittington (Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield), Widow Twankey in Aladdin (Milton Keynes Theatre), Dandini in Cinderella (Capitol Theatre, Horsham), Ugly Sister in Cinderella (Churchill Theatre, Bromley), Ugly Sister in Cinderella (Richmond Theatre), Snowman in Jack & The Beanstalk (Hackney Empire), Josh the Jester in Sleeping Beauty (The Paul Robeson Theatre), Jack in Jack & The Beanstalk (Greenwich Theatre), Dame ‘Debut’ Christabel Crusoe in Robinson Crusoe (Corn Exchange, Newbury), Buttons in Cinderella (Corn Exchange, Newbury), Aladdin in Aladdin (Eden Court Theatre, Inverness), Slap in Mother Goose (Horsham Arts Centre), and Peter Pan in Peter Pan (Hawth Theatre, Crawley).

ONLINE: Featured Singer on the 50th Anniversary of Stephen Schwartz’s Hit Musical Godspell (BroadwayHD) - Singing ‘On the Willows’ with Jenna Russell & Sally Ann Triplet. Several charity concerts, including The LVE Charity Christmas Concert, hosting with Samantha Womack and as a featured vocalist, and a Gender-swapped concert with Leicester College of Performing Arts (where John is a Patron) to raise money for Curve theatre during the 2020 Covid-19 crisis.

SOCIAL MEDIA: @JohnBarrUK

Ryan Jenkins

"It is an absolute honour to be Patron of the DCPA— a new and exciting training ground for emerging talent — celebrating not only exceptional ability, but the dedication, discipline and passion that define our industry, I look forward to supporting everyone journey into the arts"

Ryan Jenkins is a world-renowned choreographer and teacher, recognised for his work across television, theatre, and live events at the highest level of the industry.

In 2026, he launched the National Performance Awards, a pioneering audition-based training platform designed to bridge the gap between training and the professional industry.

www.nationalperformanceawards.co.uk/

He is currently part of the creative team on Britain's Got Talent, working alongside Simon Cowell, and has choreographed for the hit UK television series Dance Mums. He was also invited by the UK Government to represent Great Britain as Creative Director and Choreographer for British National Day at the Milan Expo.

Ryan’s performance credits include leading roles in the West End, performing in Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake and as part of the original London cast of Wicked, working alongside Idina Menzel and Kerry Ellis. He also appeared in Grease (Choreographed by Arlene Phillips), the feature film The Phantom of the Opera, and Cabaret, and was a Top 10 finalist on the BBC series So You Think You Can Dance.

His television work includes The Greatest Dancer for Syco and Fremantle Media (BBC), alongside a wide range of high-profile commercial projects. Ryan has choreographed major live events for global brands including British Airways, King (Candy Crush), Puma, Red Bull Formula 1, and Samsung.

He is also the Director of the Elite Associates programme at the Acosta Dance Centre, where he works closely with emerging talent, helping to shape and mentor the next generation of professional performers.

In 2026, he was awarded Business Choreographer of the Year, recognising both his creative excellence and impact within the industry. His choreography for the music video The Blossom and the Mountain has received over 10 international film festival awards.

 

Ryan has taught at over 200 academies internationally, including Bird College, LIPA (Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts), Urdang Academy, London Studio Centre, Stella Mann College, Mandy Ellen Performing Arts, Rare Studio, Pineapple Dance Studios, Studio 68, and Pineapple Performing Arts School. He is also a guest lecturer at universities across the UK and has taught at the International Dance Teachers Convention.

Alongside his professional work, Ryan runs successful associates programmes across Scotland and All Ireland, providing high-level training and mentorship for aspiring dancers.
Website: www.ryanjenkins-associates.com

 Instagram: @realryanjenkins