As the largest producing theatre in the South West, we play an important anchor role in the cultural life in the city of Plymouth and the wider region. In 2022, as part of a period of creative and organisational development, we began recruitment for new Trustees to increase and diversify our Board.
As important custodians of the charity and who set the strategic direction for the theatre, this has been a great opportunity to add more voices, diversity and experience to our Board.
Dame Darcey Bussell DBE
Dame Darcey Bussell DBE is the most famous British ballet dancer of her generation and was a Principal dancer at The Royal Ballet for almost 20 years.
She is President of the Royal Academy of Dance and the overseas Patron of the Sydney Dance Company amongst her many patronages.
Darcey coaches at The Royal Ballet, presents the Royal Ballet’s cinema relays, makes documentaries and recently she founded both the charity DD-MIX, whose primary aim to have dance fitness incorporated into an expanded physical education in schools, and Move-Assure which is a movement based social prescription to aid mental health.
Bronwen Lacey
Bronwen spent her professional career in education and local government in the Midlands and Plymouth where she was Director of Education and then Director of Services for Children and Young People.
Currently Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at Theatre Royal Plymouth, she is also a member of the Audit Committee. Following retirement from full-time work, Bronwen undertook education consultancy support work for three years before becoming a School Governor and a Non-Executive Director Board Member of the REACH South West Multi Academy Trust, where she is also Chair of the Education Standards Committee.
A lifelong interest in the performing arts—and theatre in particular—was forged from regular school-organised trips to the Belgrade Theatre Coventry and the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford upon Avon. Bronwen has a particular interest in championing the interests of children with special needs, which is how she came to know and champion TRP’s Funky Llama programme and other outreach projects.
Dawn Bebe
Has served as an FTSE 100 Director and has 30 years of experience in media & communications and previous experience on the Plymouth Culture Board. Dawn lives in Kingsand and is a founder and director of Crowdfunder.co.uk, now HQ-ed in Cornwall. Dawn’s remit at Crowdfunder includes diversity, inclusion and community partnerships.
Angie Bual
Angie is the Creative Director of Trigger. She is a winner of the Creative Producer Arts Foundation Award.
Angie is a Creative Fellow as part of the Bristol City Fellows and is a member of the London Area Council of Arts Council England. She is also a Clore Fellow (Theatre).
Angie was also the creative lead on The Hatchling which premiered in Plymouth 2020 and went on to lead the Queens Platinum Jubilee this summer.
Alastair Coomer CDG
Alastair is Head of Casting at the National Theatre. Previously he was the Casting Director at the Donmar Warehouse. He started his career at the NT and as a freelance casting director has cast for film and theatre in London, New York, Los Angeles and around the world. Alastair has family who lives on The Hoe so he is in Plymouth often. He lives in London and Suffolk.
Sarah Fysh
Sarah has over 20 years of experience as a communication 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 encouraged 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 the world-class theatre since she was a child.
Shona Godefroy
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 in 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 her 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.
Lynda Grzelinski
Has had a distinguished career history in performing arts management, including work with Cambridge Theatre Company, Manchester Royal Exchange, and 12 years with the RSC (9 years as Exec Prod and 3 years as a Producer). Subsequently, Lynda trained as a cognitive behaviour therapist and moved to Cornwall in 2013.
Emma Huxham
Emma Huxham is an HR & Talent Management professional with over 20 years of 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.
Andy Ibbs
Andy is a retired senior executive from the local NHS and has significant corporate and public sector experience. He is a huge fan of TRP and very much sees himself as a loyal audience member. Andy has significant hearing loss. He lives in Plymouth.
Imogen Kinchin
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.
Sarah McAdam
Is the Dean of Arts, Humanities & Social Sciences Plymouth Marjon University, having worked with the University for 12 years in various roles. Sarah brings experience in partnership and programme building and is also an external member of the Academic Board of North-Eastern University, London.
Julie Nash
Julie’s interest in the theatre began at an early age, when her mum and dad used to take her and her sister to see the ballet in Bristol and London. Pantos were also a big thing in her family; Julie’s great-uncle being Stan Stennett! Despite that, however, she never craved to be a performer and instead chose to teach.
Over her career, Julie has worked in many roles across the South West, eventually becoming a Headteacher in a small Cornish secondary school. The focus during her time in schools was inclusion and ensuring every child had a chance to succeed. Having seen the hugely positive impact all aspects of the theatre have on the life chances of young people, Julie sees this position as a Trustee as a way to continue that focus.
James Pidgeon
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.
Samra Said
Samra is currently a London-based Senior Producer at Arts & Homelessness International, working with councils to co-create policy and programmes with people who are/have been homeless.
Hannah Sloggett
Is Co-Director of Nudge Community Builders, a Community Benefit Society bringing buildings back into use on Union Street. Hannah brings experience in managing grants, social finance, private investment and Community Share offers, as well as negotiating complex property acquisitions. She has been a school governor for five years and was on the Community Business Panel for Power to Change.