About Us

Michael Cox, Chief Executive, Theatre Director & Producer

Michael trained at Mountview Theatre School in London before embarking on a successful career in repertory theatre working in some of the largest theatres in the UK. Starting off as an actor, he transitioned into directing and subsequently becoming an essential member of the executive production team, producing popular shows which filled theatres across the country. 

During the following years he moved into sharing his experiences with performing arts students studying in FE colleges, creating one of the largest departments in the North of England. He has also written a number of BA Hons Degree programmes for the performing arts space in association with Hull University. Throughout this time he continued to direct both professional and large scale amateur productions. Over the latter years he built a large business which offered online training programmes across different sectors of the workplace allowing people to study and develop their career pathways through a flexible online platform.

Michael is the owner and founder of Theatre Skills Online and looks forward to utilising his vast network of professionals to develop high quality online theatre based programmes to support the continued development of thousands of amateur and professional actors around the UK and the world.

Richard Long, Actor & Course Tutor

Richard spent three years training at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School towards the end of the golden period of the world renowned institution. The classical vocal and acting technique training he received from the holy trinity of Rudi Shelley, Nat Brenner and Francis Thomas enabled him to work at the top end of the theatre industry. Despite changing times and the predominance of naturalistic film and TV performance styles, the foundation of the vocal and acting techniques Richard has developed from his training into his teaching are still the basis for an actor successfully working in a 4-night amateur run to a year performing in the West End.

Credits include: Work at The Royal Shakespeare Co and the National Theatre. Other theatre: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and By Jeeves in The West End, most of the number one touring venues and repertory theatres in the UK. Major venues in the US, New Zealand and Japan including The Kennedy Centre, Washington DC. He was fortunate enough to work with many of this country’s top luminaries including several occasions with Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Adrian Noble and Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber. Richard holds the honour of being the first actor to speak in Alan Ayckbourn’s new Steven Joseph Theatre in Scarborough. Film and TV includes An Ungentlemanly Act awarded Best Film by BAFTA, London's Burning, several tv comedies and many embarrassing adverts often including cleaning products or alcohol.