Stage Academy

Company led by:

• 

  Terry Bamberger

  Senior Stage Academy Director

  A San Francisco, California native, Terry moved to the U.K.two years ago. She spent 25+ happy years in the SF theatre scene playing countless characters with the SF Shakespeare Festival, Mrs. Hedges in BORN YESTERDAY at the SF Playhouse, B in THREE TALL WOMEN at Custommade Theatre Company, as well as productions at Magic Theater and Berkeley Repertory Company.

  She doubled her craft time in training young actors in private practice and in arts conservatory programs, including San Francisco School of the Arts (home to Sam Rockwell) and Oakland School for the Arts (had a hand in training Zendaya, Tati Gabrielle and other talented young artists while there). She is an award-nominated actor, who, since moving to the U.K., has now added television (Lead guest star role as Stephanie St. James in THE GOODSHIP MURDER for Ch5, airs October 2023) and film credits (guest role as Figgy, in THE BEST GEEZER MOVIE) to her actors’ journey.

• 

  Libby Thornton

  Junior Stage Academy Director

  Libby trained with the National Youth Theatre and then joined the University of Cambridge  to study English, Education, Drama, and the Arts. Throughout her three years there she was a member of the Cambridge Footlights and ran workshops for the University at a variety of local youth groups and with university members. She has written a variety of shows such as the Cambridge Footlights Pantomime: Rapunzel, and is now studying a part-time masters in Writing for Performance at Cambridge. Having worked as a director, actor, performer, and comic, Libby has a variety of styles and techniques to share with her young actors.
• 

  Robyn Holdaway

  Upper Stage Director

  Robyn is a non-binary actor best known for their work as Layla in Netflix’s ‘Sex Education’. Their credits also include: AMC’s ‘Moonhaven’, BBC’s ‘Strike: Lethal White’, and various other stage and screen roles. Their audiobook work includes the award winning ‘Our Wives Under the Sea’, as well as critically acclaimed ‘Sistersong’, ‘How To Understand Your Gender’, and ‘Skin’. They are an active member of the LGBTQ community, and they are passionate about bringing this diversity into the mainstream both as an artist and as an activist. They have been teaching drama to all ages for over fourteen years, at various youth theatres and theatre schools across the country. As a private drama tutor Robyn has helped with auditions, skills development, and assisting their students to land places at Drama School. Robyn is committed to creating a safe and inclusive working environment, and helping each student to reach their full potential.
• 

  Matt Feast

  The Company Director

  Having worked in theatre for many years, across numerous professional venues, Matt developed a strong understanding of the reality of the performance industry. Working at the Young Actors Company provides him with a platform to share his experience, and to help support the future generation of theatre professionals. As an ex-Young Actor, Matt fully recognises the impact that the company can have, and it’s that understanding that inspires him to deliver the best he can. His mission is to ensure that each and every Young Actor has the tools they require to follow their dreams, and to provide them with the confidence they require to make those dreams a reality.

• 

  Katie Gathercole

  Junior Stage Director

  After training as an actor of YAC herself, Katie has continued to work with the company over the last two years, producing a variety of stage productions across a multitude of groups.

  She is also an actor for the YAC Players, responsible for bringing modernised productions of classic plays into secondary schools.

  With her specialities including physical theatre and dance, and having trained with companies such as Frantic Assembly and Gruffdog Theatre, she is always eager to implement these aspects of performance into her work with the young actors, encouraging them to pursue expressiveness, playfulness and supportiveness, as an ensemble.

  Katie is also a keen prop and puppet-maker, and has provided many of her own creations in previous YAC productions.

• 

  Kat Causton

  Junior Stage Director

  Kat has been working at the Young Actors Company for two and a half years now. During this time she has worked as an Assistant Director in both the Stage and Screen Academies and as a Director for the YACtots and Junior Stage.

  Kat has been performing for many years and trained in acting, dance, and musical theatre. During her career she has performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and in the West End.