Roberta was born and educated in West Bromwich in the English Midlands. Studying clarinet and cello at school, she played Katisha in the school production of Mikado, her introduction to G&S.
On completing her singing studies at the Royal College of Music, London, she joined the D'Oyly Carte Opera Company in 1972 and remained until the closure in 1982. She toured twice in North America and was part of the unique tour of Australia and New Zealand in 1979. During her time with the company she took part in a Royal Command performance of H.M.S. Pinafore at Windsor Castle and filmed the part of Peep-Bo in the award-winning movie, Chariots Of Fire.
Following the D'Oyly Carte's demise, Roberta worked as a freelance singer and actress, performing in numerous television programmes, as well as appearing in concerts with The Magic Of Gilbert And Sullivan. She was also Consultant Examination Assessor for The Birmingham School Of Speech And Drama.
In 1985 she started her career as a Stage Director with a production of H.M.S. Pinafore. Since then she has directed over 80 operettas and musicals, both in the UK and the USA, where her skills in teaching both stage and dialogue techniques is renowned. At the Buxton Festival she has directed such D'Oyly Carte legends as Valerie Masterson, Gillian Knight and Kenneth Sandford.
In 1999 Roberta wrote the acclaimed biography of her D'Oyly Carte colleague, Kenneth Sandford, entitled Merely Corroborative Detail. In 2001 she wrote her first novel, Vengeance Dire, a classic murder story revolving around the activities of an amateur G&S troupe performing The Pirates of Penzance. It has attracted excellent reviews, which have spurred her on to a sequel, Buried Alive, now being written as part of a series of 'Savoy Murders'.
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Training:
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 Birmingham School of Music - Birmingham, England
Royal College of Music - London, England
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Roberta's GSSCC Connection:
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Conducted Master Class Workshops, - 1999-2003
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Roberta's D'Oyly Carte Roles:
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Peep-Bo, The Mikado - 1978-1982
Cousin Hebe, HMS Pinafore - 1978-1982 *
Kate, The Pirates of Penzance - 1978-1982
Inez, The Gondoliers - 1978-1982
* = Roberta's favorite role
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Roberta's Personal Remarks:
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The works of Gilbert and Sullivan are a prized possession belonging to us
all. Sullivan's music is well-loved and familiar, but Gilbert's characters and
their dialogue are all too often neglected. They should be given as much
consideration and nurture as the music in the preparation of a production if
the great duo's work is to prosper for another century.
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