Alyson Orr

Alyson has worked as a singer, actor and producer all over the UK and beyond. She set up The Swingcats ten years ago and has enjoyed touring with the girls to theatres, jazz festivals and corporate events all over the world. She recorded "The Age Of Content" with the Kennedy Aitchison trio and the album has received airplay on many radio stations including BBC Radio 2. It features jazz standards as well as a few of her compositions. You can also listen to tracks from Alyson's album (The Age of Content)  here.

As an actor, Alyson played the role of Leanne in the BAFTA award winning film, "One Life Stand" and appeared alongside Dougray Scott in "One Last Chance". She was recently seen in the BBC Scotland soap "River City" playing the role of scheming Tricia, and has appeared in various TV shows and commercials. Her theatre credits include, "Rikki And Me" with Tony Roper and Gerard Kelly which is now out on DVD, "The Celtic Story" appearing with the legendary jazz singer Annie Ross, and various plays, musicals and pantomimes all over the country. 

Her production company "Alyson Orr Ltd" has produced pantomimes, tours for jazz artistes and plays, most recently "Only An Excuse" with Jonathan Watson and "The Celts In Seville" by Tony Roper. View her website her on www.alysonorr.com

Aka Aly Cat, she is a deep voiced alto with a rich showy quality. Always the glamour puss, her loves are her dog Angus and her make up! 

Artistic Director and Business Manager for the group.
 

Nicola Auld

Born and bred in Edinburgh, Nicola trained as an actress at Queen Margaret College. After pursuing a career as a Shakespearean actress and playing a wide variety of TV nurses, she finally had a foray into children's theatre. Originally offered a six month contract with The Happy Gang, she was still kicking up her heels eight years later. She has now hung up her neon clothes and taken a break from kid's entertainment, but still presents the BBC educational programme called "What, Where, When, Why?" with The Happy Gang.   

Nicola has appeared in many pantomimes and musical theatre shows and now no longer plays the ‘goody’ parts. In recent years she is more often cast as the villain and has much more fun getting in touch with her wicked side! She also appeared in her first movie playing a juggling clown, and required a stunt double to do the juggling (despite lessons from one of her fellow Swingcats)!

In her spare time she loves running, walking her dog Seb, drinking fizzy wine, and practising the flute.

Aka Cheshire Cat, she has an alto voice with a rich, fruity lower register. Sweet natured with a huge mega-watt smile (hence her nick-name,) she is always ultra colour co-ordinated with a penchant for all things sparkly.

Fashion consultant for the girls and head choreographer.  
 

Laura Ellis

Laura began working as a freelance singer and actor in the early 90’s. She learned folk songs and harmonies as a young child from her father before taking piano lessons and studying music as a teenager. She performed regularly in the folk music circuit in her early twenties, and has since worked as a vocalist with many different bands and in various music projects over the years either as a session vocalist or a regular member. Over the last ten years most of her singing work has been with The Swingcats which she considers to be by far the best group she has  been involved in, not to mention the great and lasting friendships she has made with the other girls.

Her acting work includes musical and educational theatre, commercials, films and corporate work.

 Aka “Top Cat”, she delivers the high harmony lines and jazzy doo-waahs for the group. A bit of a clumsy person, when Laura is about it’s best to put away the expensive glassware and leave cloths somewhere handy. The Queen of vegetarian cooking, she is an eco-friendly greeny and animal rights defender.
The bendy yoga cat of the group, she has practiced for over twenty five years and also works as Yoga teacher.

Website manager and spiritual adviser for The Swingcats.
 

Karen MacIver

Despite graduating in classical piano at Glasgow's Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama, Karen found her strengths in jazz and fusion music. Her career has careered all over the place from regular work playing piano with the Royal Scottish National Orchestra, to playing keyboards with The Three Degrees UK tour. She studied composition for film gaining many commissions for theatre, music and also orchestration contracts. She has a niche for the old silent movies and has played for all the old films from "Metropolis' to 'The General'.

Karen has played piano and keyboards for orchestras all over the UK and has worked as a musician under Carl Davis, playing his famous film scores and also on the RSNO recordings of John Williams 'Star Wars' trilogy. Her return to the concert platform was in the guise of the jazz world and a happy association with The Swingcats.
Aka Paws, her many endearing traits include making you eat cake when you come to visit and spinning a hilarious yarn with an earnest expression.

Musical arranger for the group.