About Mitzi You've heard of the Swedish Nightingale: now meet the Dawlish Canary! Nicola Howard lives in Dawlish, Devon, and has been described as "a cabaret singer of extraordinary character and experience". Her incarnation as Mitzi Maybe dates from 2003, but she brings to this role a versatile background in song, dance and drama, having trained in Barcelona, Paris, Denmark and, most recently, Brazil. Mitzi's performance work is also informed by her work as a teacher. She runs theatre workshops for children and for adults and is a member of The Actor's Centre in London. Recent performance experience: 2003: A Dreamer's Dozen for the Exeter Festival and Sing a Song of Christmas for FORCE cancer charity, solo programmes performed by Mitzi. 2004: Won the Rosebowl at the Devon Performing Arts Festival. Lifetime - solo dance for oratorio work by David Haines. 2005: Lotte Lenya Competition for Singers, New York. Flappers, Vamps and Sweet Young Things - cabaret performance with direction from Neil Jenkins. Cafe Prague at the Komedia Club, Brighton, guest of Barb Jungr. 2006: Dance of the Gods - organiser and starring role in performance event inspired by Brazilian ethnic dance. Mitzi Maybe Goes Global! - two-hander show with comic poet Lily Neal, Exeter Autumn festival and other venues in Devon. 2007: Sugar - performance with Springtide Music Theatre, one in a set of six modern operas by David Haines. Beach cabaret - Coryton Cove, Dawlish.The Good Time Girls - further show with Lily Neal aka Sally Scrumptious, performing around Devon, direction from Neil Jenkins. Cheese n Crackers cabaret evening, Battersea Barge.

	Performance training 2002: Clown - course at L'Espai de L'Actor, Barcelona, with Simon Edwards and Marian Masoliver 2004: Bloody Ambition - course with The Common Players, Bristol. The Echo of Silence - workshop with Julia Varley, Odin Teatret, Exeter. The Creative Actor/Passionate Nature courses at L'Espai de l'Actor. ISTA - Seville, Spain. Grant from Woodward Trust to work with local traveller children. 2005: Comedy workshop with Logan Murray, Exeter. Corporeal mime workshop with Tom Leabhart, Paris. AGELESS - workshop with Odin Teatret creating performances for Holstebro Festuge, Denmark. 2006: The Dance of the Orixas - workshop with Augusto Omolu, Odin Teatret on tour. Seminario Orixas - workshop with Augusto Omolu, Salvador da Bahia, Brasil. 2007: Scholarship student at Ardingly International Summer School. Other recent work experience: 2002: Set up Kenton Kaotics theatre group, receiving a grant from Awards For All. Co-wrote a musical play, Punch and Judy, with composer David Haines. Set up Mamhead ManiACTs theatre group for teenagers; wrote The Blue Light. Ran mime and clowning workshops in Wiltshire, with children aged 12 - 14, funded by Splash! Worked on drama project with children from primary schools at Hennock, Doddiscombsleigh and Christow; wrote Too Good Island, funded by Tarka Country Millennium Awards scheme. 2003: Co-wrote Nativity with The Mamhead ManiACTs using funds from Awards for All. 2004: Grant from Awards for All to link Theatre clubs at Kenton and Christow Primary Schools in a performance project - wrote Trifle Traffic. Work at Dawlish Community College with year 10 pupils, working on voice and movement for Lifetime science oratorio. Grant from Unltd to work with Kenton Kaotics on a version of Macbeth. 2006: Grant from Awards for All to work with Kenton Kaotics on an interpretation of The Tempest. Grant from Local Network Fund to work with Kenton Kaotics on a performance, Kenton Kandelmas, to include a mumming play, Morris dancing and a lantern lit procession. " Set up theatre arts group in Dawlish, STORMFORCE. Received funding from Awards for All to run a theatre project on the theme of witches. Learning Support Assistant at Kenton Primary School, linked to classes in Key Stages 1 and 2. Tutor for New Horizons, drama for adults with learning difficulties. Playscheme supervisor for Exeter University Guild of Students and for Devon County Council. Drama tutor in HM Prison, Exeter. Project adminstrator for LIFETIME science oratorio, funded by Arts Council and Awards for All. Poetry workshop leader for Speak a Poem and the Torbay Festival. Admissible compliments: "We all like your platform manner when you calm down and don't giggle! You have such a fresh spontaneity and you look great" - Betty Mulcahy, Speak a Poem "I will always remember your sweet voice singing and calling me in its proudly English accent among the confusion of endless days" - Manolo Muoio, AGELESS "Nicola, the best drama queen in the world" - Amy Hohl and Saffie, Kenton Primary School "Redoubtable one" - David Haines