Method
Charisma
& Life
Creativity
Guy Masterson - Biography
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image: Nux Photography (2021)
Guy Masterson
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Born Guy Mastroianni in 1961 in Hampstead, London to a Welsh mother and an Italian-American father.
Education:
Hadley Wood Primary, London, UK (1965-72)
Christ's Hospital School, Horsham UK (1972-79)
University of Wales, Cardiff, UK (1979-82)
[BSc Joint Honours, Biochem/Chem]
UCLA School of Drama, Los Angeles USA (1985-86)
LAMDA, London (1989-90)
Professional:
Hotel & Restaurant Management (Hilton Hotels & Black Angus Corp 1982-85)
Carpenter: (Anderson Company, Distinctive Interiors, The Rockers 1985-88)
Professional Actor 1986 to present
Theatre Director/Writer 1993 to present
Theatre Producer/Presenter 1994 to present
Creative, Executive & Confidence Coach 2010 to present.
Married to Brigitta and father to Indigo & Tallulah
My Professional Journey​
I obtained a Joint Honours degree (Magna Cum Laude) in Biochemistry and Chemistry from Cardiff University in 1982. After a period in Hotel and Restaurant Management until 1985, I trained in Drama at UCLA. My first acting role was the lead in an obscure Hollywood musical THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF WAIVER in 1986 which ran for nearly a year. After involvement in several small productions, I acquired my American Equity Card in THE CARETAKER at the Los Angeles Theater Centre (LATC) in 1988.
I returned to London in 1989 to study Classical Theatre at LAMDA, after which I created my first solo performance in 1991, THE BOY'S OWN STORY, which I toured around the U.K. for 3 years.
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In 1993, I spent nine months at the Theatre Royal Haymarket in London's West End in CYRANO DE BERGERAC with Robert Lindsay, during which I created my 'breakthrough' solo performance of UNDER MILK WOOD by Dylan Thomas. I took this to my first Edinburgh Festival in 1994, and have since performed it over 2000 times all around the world over 28 years.
In 1995, I adapted George Orwell's ANIMAL FARM for solo performance and gave over 1500 performances globally until 2013. These two classic shows played in rep at The Arts Theatre in London's West End in 1997.
I started presenting other artistes in 1996, and have since produced, presented, directed and/or written and/or performed in over 150 productions at the Edinburgh Festival. My company, Theatre Tours International, has become the most highly awarded independent presenter there over 27 consecutive years (excluding Covid 19!). I also originated Edinburgh Fringe's three biggest grossing theatre hits: 12 ANGRY MEN in 2003 (with Bill Bailey); ONE FLEW OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST in 2004 (with Christian Slater & Mackenzie Crook); and THE ODD COUPLE in 2005 (with Bill Bailey & Alan Davies). My production of '12 Angry Men' was remounted in Australia & New Zealand, won 4 major awards, and currently holds the Australian box office record for touring drama.
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My 2009 production of MORECAMBE - which I also directed - transferred to the Duchess Theatre, West End and won the Olivier Award for Best Entertainment in 2010, plus a nomination for the performer.
In 2013 I directed Samsung's showcase product launch SAMSUNG UNPACKED at Tempodrom in Berlin which was simulcast to over 10 million viewers worldwide.
My most recent success, THE SHARK IS BROKEN (the backstage story of 'Jaws') which I originally presented & directed for Edinburgh '19 transferred to the Ambassadors, West End, in October 2021 to great acclaim.
As a solo performer, I have been fortunate enough receive many accolades for the 11 solo shows I've done. As a director, I particularly enjoy drawing out effective powerful performances from my actors. As a producer, I aim to create commercially viable works for domestic and international consumption. I am also a playwright, screenwriter, dramaturg, performance coach, executive coach, business mentor, life coach & confidence coach and particularly interested in the concepts of Presence and Charisma.
for further info about
Guy Masterson's creative career:
www.guymasterson.com
for further info about
Guy Masterson's theatre company:
www.theatretoursinternational.com
My Story​
I was lucky... to be raised in a home full of love and music. My mother was a singer, my father a violinist and conductor. My siblings and I were taught music from an early age yet, for some inexplicable reason, I specialised in sciences at school! They say, "Hindsight is 20-20 Vision", but someone really should have taken me by the scruff of the neck and talked some sense into me! I excelled in English and was always among the first to be asked to read Shakespeare or poetry out loud in class, but, given that my life has been on the stage for the last 40 years, it is quite ironic I didn't get involved in theatre until I was about 15... I played the dead body in Stoppard's "The Real Inspector Hound", for which I received my first glowing review... "Mastroianni was a convincing corpse." It was not quite enough to convince me to ditch the sciences!
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Of course, a life in the arts is not always plain sailing... In 1992, after particularly cruel and unfair financial setback with my first London show - I suffered a severe bout of depression, but fortunately, with the love and support of my family and some very dear friends, I managed to find my way out of the morass and reset.
I started writing about my experience, which metamorphosed into a self-help manual for struggling actors provisionally entitled, "The Actor's Psyche", but soon became too busy to finish it, but the protracted 30 year delay enabled me to evolve a practical approach to my work and life which I have distilled down to some universal applications and an attitude to creativity and confidence which I call the The Guy Masterson Method. Taking advantage of the unexpected theatre blackout enforced by the Covid Lockdowns, I have intend to publish a book soon.
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I believe my Methodology can be of help to anyone. Its tenets are fundamentally universal, though I am gearing them towards creativity and the role self-belief plays in the processes. It is my desire to share it - to help others to achieve their creative dreams and life's desires in any pursuit, not just those of us in creative professions...
I have always believed where there is a will there is a way... and I want to help others find it.
I hope that The Guy Masterson Method can be of service to you in your life and/or whatever profession you're in. I am confident I can help you become even better at it!
Guy Masterson