Introducing….

Well, the auditions I was so nervous about were much better than I hoped.  It was obvious the team that came together could work well so I went with the obvious…. and here they are.  The Forum Theatre Actors of Think Make Grow.  So, in alphabetical order:-  Introducing

Kate Willoughby

Kate comes from Yorkshire and has a background in both forum theatre and role play, which includes projects for the NHS, Housing Associations and Strathclyde Police.  She has also devised a series of promenade plays about Mary Queen of Scots, the prison reformer Elizabeth Fry and the militant Suffragette Emily Wilding Davison, who had strong connections with Northumberland.  She understands the important issues surrounding the Prevent strategy and is really looking forward to working with Think Make Grow on this important project.

Penny Lamport

Penny trained with InterACT, the Northern Region’s Theatre Training Ensemble.  This year Penny has appeared as Louisa Mazzini in an open air production of A Sicilian Romance, in the premiere of the INK festival in Newcastle, as Mrs Pickery in The Butterfly at Battersea Arts Centre, as Mary in A Coat From Robbs at Live Theatre, as Stratyllis in Lysistrata at the People’s Theatre and as Betsy in Mansfield Park and Ride at Sir John Mills Theatre.  Previous theatre credits include Shirley Valentine, The Duchess of Malfi, Countess Rousillon in All’s Well That Ends Well, Maria in Twelfth Night, Titania in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Katherina in The Taming of the Shrew, Tamora in Titus Andronicus, Beggar Woman in Sweeny Todd and Dame Chat in Gammer Gurton’s Needle.

Ruth Urquhart

Ruth trained at East 15 Acting School in the 1990s and has been an actor and workshop facilitator ever since. She is co-founder of the theatre company ‘New Strides Productions’ and has written three plays, one of which, ‘Tea With Mrs Pankhurst’ has been published. She is originally from the Borders and continues to do theatre projects in that area whilst also living in Yorkshire with her partner Bruce, three cats and two dogs. She is currently expecting her first baby.

Wendy Ward

Wendy trained at Sale School of Speech & Drama and South Trafford College.  She then established a youth theatre group who performed in schools and churches around the Trafford area.  She has planned and delivered a number ofdevelopmental drama projects for young people with additional needs or at risk of exclusion in North Wales, Manchester and Northumberland.  She is also a skilled storyteller and has performed at Greenbelt Festival and other UK venues.  Currently she is a director and driving force behind Berwick’s own Community Arts Company, Think Make Grow Ltd. She lives in Chirnside with her husband Dave, her daughter, Bearded Collie Samson and bunny called carrot.