JENNI SIMMONDS
actor. singer. coach.
hello
I'm Jenni. With acting that is 'subtle, nuanced and sophisticated', and a singing voice that's 'an absolute treat' (thanks London Theatre1 and LondonPubTheatre), I love what I do and I have immense gratitude for the places my work takes me.
Career highlights to date:
2018 - Professional debut. Following four first-place wins at the International Gilbert & Sullivan Festival, Jenni was invited to join the innovative and award-winning Forbear! Theatre in their production of The Sorcerer. 2019 - Principal debut, as Archibald Grosvenor in Forbear!’s UK tour of Patience - the first ever female performer to play the role. 2024 - Lead vocalist for TUI/Seachefs aboard Mein Schiff 6, sailing from Italy to Singapore. Jenni had her own solo cabaret show onboard, as well as appearing as a soloist in main-stage productions. She also choreographed numbers for the seasonal shows. 2025 - Péas-Bal in Forbear!’s London Pub Theatre Award-winning production of The Mikado. Set in a fantasy-inspired world, the re-imagined production garnered rave reviews and later transferred to Forbear!'s sister company in New York City, Utopia Opera, where Jenni made her off-Broadway debut in the same role. 2026 - The Mikado nominated for Best Production at the Off West End Awards.
acting coaching for singers
what
I offer coaching sessions for singers (16+) wishing to build on their connection with acting through sung and/or spoken text.
As singers we are often just given blocking, with little or no character direction, and are therefore left to discover for ourselves how to 'act' in the scene beyond the absolute basics. This may lead to a lack of confidence in your acting abilities, vulnerability around showing emotion, or feeling afraid to make bold choices.
Developing your impulses and creating your own emotional cues can elevate your storytelling, and your confidence as an actor, greatly. If you feel excited about accessing more presence, depth and connection within your performances then I would love to work with you!
Please get in touch via the contact form.
where
On Zoom
or
In person - West Berkshire, UK. Free on-street parking always available. The studio is a 10 minute bus journey or a 25 minute walk from Tilehurst station.
how much
Solo session
One person
One hour
£55
Covers any one of the following:
Introduction to acting through song - Bring a song from a musical or opera that you love and let's get you connected to it on a whole other level.
Singing through text - Insightful work on a single song or aria, preparing it for performance.
Monologue - As above, but working on solo spoken text within the book/libretto. I'll teach you a workable method to ensure your spoken performance is as memorable as your singing.
Solo packages
Book multiple sessions* and save. Prep for an audition requiring multiple pieces. Fully explore a role as you prepare for rehearsal or performance. Or simply for practice!
3 sessions for £150 (£50 per session)
5 sessions for £225 (£45 per session)
*All follow-up sessions must take place within three months of the first session. Total combined fee payable at least 24 hours before the first session.
Solo skill exchange session
I offer skill exchange as a form of full or partial payment for solo sessions and packages. If you want acting coaching and you're a professional voice practitioner/rep coach/massage therapist/PT/nutritionist/beauty therapist/reiki practitioner/Bowen practitioner/anything else you can pitch successfully to me, I'm open - let's talk.
Duo session
Two people
One hour
£80 (£40 per person)
A session for two actors, to work on a duet or scene of dialogue.
why
"Jenni's feedback on my work is exceptionally perceptive - she identified an internalised performance issue which I have been struggling with for years and had never been noticed by anyone before! I now have far greater storytelling tools, and a process to access emotional truth. I'm much more confident in my abilities."
Robyn - Mezzo-soprano
"Jenni knows how to describe the process of bringing a character to life, and quickly applied it to the song I was working on. I was able to improve my delivery of the story a huge amount in just one lesson. I wholeheartedly recommend her if you are looking to improve your acting ability, especially if you are a singer. She is the “secret weapon” for my performances!"
Karen - Mezzo-soprano
"Anxiety was kicking in and I was losing confidence. Jenni stepped in a week before the show opened. She taught me some simple exercises so I felt safe to perform. She just gets it. She puts me at ease, and gives me tools to work with."
Jess - Soprano
more questions?
What relevant experience do you have?
I was lucky enough to learn from the best, training at RADA and the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in several acting techniques including Meisner and Stanislavski. I have years of teaching and directing experience within professional touring theatre companies, schools and community theatre groups, including acting workshops, LAMDA classes, and one-to-one tuition.
What level of singing do I need to be at?
I work with professional and amateur singers. I do expect you to have had some singing lessons and/or performing experience. I'm a trained singer (classical and MT) with a sound knowledge of technique, but the focus in these classes is on your acting. You will be responsible for your own vocal warm up before the session begins.
I'm new to acting technique, will I be out of my depth?
So many of us from a musical background are taught that acting is to 'do' or 'show', and that therefore acting, especially through song, is supposed to be difficult. But 99% of the work behind an emotionally connected performance is simply about reacting, not 'acting'. Most singers are simply working too hard!
Will a more 'truthful' approach compromise the quality of my singing?
Connecting with emotional truth in performance can initially cause 'stuff' to come up to the surface, which often as singers we are encouraged to mask in order to maintain high vocal quality. But that's what lessons and practice are for! My studio is a safe space with zero judgement on vocal quality. It is far easier to access emotion, discover how we work around it technically, and then refine it, than it is to keep pushing for something we haven't yet discovered.
