About Us

At Theatre Royal Plymouth we recognise that our success depends upon people. Our long held commitment to diversity and equality sits at the heart of our organisational values and mission. If we are to be truly ‘special for everyone’ then it is incumbent on us to not only have the best and most representative work on our stages and across all our programmes, but also to recognise that how we recruit, who our partners are; what we prioritise and how we exercise our influence can have real impact and effect change.

We have been working towards equality, diversity and inclusion for many years but the last 14 months helped us to recognise that the changes we have made have not gone far enough. Whilst there is much to celebrate we believe we have more to do to ensure that we are the most diverse and inclusive organisation we can be. To this end we have established a sub-committee that reports directly to the Trustees which will add pace and direction to the creation of an Action Plan that will ensure we make robust and sustainable changes across all areas of TRP business.

We are committed to creating a culture in which all those who engage with us are treated with fairness, dignity and respect.

Sarah has over 20 years’ experience as a communications and digital professional. Most of her career has been spent working in London within multiple industries, from television to banking. Since moving back to the West Country in 2013, Sarah has been Head of Content at the Met Office in Exeter. She manages a creative team of presenters, graphic designers, and videographers; producing 24/7 content for social media, broadcast, and news & media websites.

Born and raised in Plymouth, Sarah has had a lifelong passion for theatre since participating in young writing schemes in the 90s, going on to have plays performed at Barbican Theatre, The Drum and the Cygnet Theatre in Exeter. This experience encouraging her to go on to study Theatre and Media Drama at the University of South Wales.

Sarah is delighted to support Theatre Royal Plymouth as a Trustee and give something back to an organisation that has always been a source of pride to Plymouth, and one that has provided her with access to world-class theatre since she was a child.

Shona is a qualified certified accountant and managing partner of Thomas Westcott Chartered Accountants; a regional accountancy practice with 17 offices across Devon and Somerset and a team of 250 people. She is Head of Audit for the practice and has a detailed knowledge of UK and International Accounting Standards, corporate governance and all aspects of financial reporting, and the systems required to support a successful business. She has extensive experience of assisting clients with reviews of their financial budgets and strategies, and implementation of financial systems and controls. Shona will be a member of the Audit and Risk committee.

Shona lives with husband and two young sons near Holbeton and regularly attends the theatre to see a variety of performances—appreciative of the broad range Theatre Royal Plymouth has to offer, including many performances that appeal to younger audiences.

Emma Huxham is a HR & Talent Management professional with over 20 years’ experience in leading teams, developing organisations and driving continuous professional development cultures.  Currently the Global Talent Director for Mars Inc, she is passionate about coaching teams and individuals and helping people locate their talent to leverage their own personal and professional expansion.

Emma was born and raised in Plymouth and is now proud to be able to raise her young daughter here too. With a love of culture, the arts, performance and nature there is nowhere else she would rather be. When the opportunity arose to give something back to the community and to be part of such an aspiring organisation Emma jumped at the chance to join our Board of Trustees. Having worked for TRP in the past as the HR Manager she feels a strong connection to the organisation. Emma’s passion for people, commitment to development and untapped talent in storytelling (as credited by her daughter) will be a wonderful addition to the Board.

Imogen is currently Executive Director at New Adventures, Matthew Bourne’s award-winning and internationally renowned dance company which she joined in April 2018. Previous to this she spent 10 years as Senior Producer for the Lyric Hammersmith during Sean Holmes’s tenure as Artistic Director. Prior to her time at the Lyric she held roles at Act Productions, a West End Production company, and Half Moon Young People’s Theatre. She has also worked as a consultant for Emma Brunjes Productions and is a past participant of the Clore Leadership short course.

Imogen was born and raised in Plymouth and Theatre Royal Plymouth has been an integral part of her life from a very young age. She joined the youth theatre at the age of 8 and performed in shows in the Drum and the Lyric. She was a member of the Plymouth Youth Music Theatre working backstage on shows including The Hired Man and Sweeney Todd and performing onstage in shows including Oh What a Lovely War. She attended Cardiff University and after graduating returned to Theatre Royal Plymouth where she began working in the Education department across a number of different roles including as the South West Regional Producer for National Theatre Connections. This work with the National Theatre took her to London where she still lives and works but she is very passionate about the importance of local theatres across the country.

Imogen joined Theatre Royal Plymouth as a trustee in February 2020 and is thrilled that she is able to continue her involvement with the work of this extraordinary and important organisation, whose impact reaches far beyond Plymouth and the South West playing a hugely important part in the cultural and creative ecology.

James Pidgeon is currently Executive Director & Joint CEO at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, one of the largest producing theatres in London.

Previously, James was Director & Chief Executive at Shoreditch Town Hall, and held producing and administration roles at the National Theatre, Battersea Arts Centre and Shakespeare’s Globe. He regularly undertakes guest lectures in producing and arts management at the likes of Royal Central School of Speech & Drama and Royal Holloway, University of London. He also sits on the Advisory Board of Theatre Re.

James was thrilled to join Theatre Royal Plymouth as a Trustee in July 2017. As someone born and raised in Devon, James is incredibly passionate about the theatre’s staggering breadth of work and is proud to play a very small part in an organisation that so evidently has an impact on communities across Plymouth, the region, and beyond.