Lindsey began volunteering at Barnsley Youth Theatre whilst studying her degree in Performing Arts. She loved theatre from an early age and has performed at various theatres across Yorkshire. Having supported Chris Rooke for several years, attending trips to London and touring productions around Barnsley schools she later became assistant director, leading workshops and directing plays such as Bugsy Malone, Little Shop or Horrors and Oliver. After Chris's retirement in 2016 Lindsey was asked to take a lead on BYT becoming Strategic Director. Lindsey has helped to nurture many past members who have gone on to become BYT mentors, study Drama themselves with some even now working as professional actors. In addition to running Barnsley youth theatre Lindsey is currently working as a Drama Teacher at Darton Academy, which is where BYT is currently held.

Jack’s passion for the arts began in 2008 when he joined Barnsley Youth Theatre, where he honed his skills as both an actor and a facilitator. In 2018, he was appointed Creative Director, a role in which he expanded BYT's outreach by delivering workshops in schools across Barnsley. Jack furthered his training at The Electric Theatre, specialising in Production Arts and Stage Management, forging connections with theatres across Yorkshire, including The Civic, The Lamproom, and Sheffield Theatres.

Jack continued his education at CAPA College, a leading performing arts institution in the North of England, where he played Pugsley Addams in The Addams Family musical. During this time, he toured Yorkshire schools, delivering performances and workshops on immigration. Upon completing his training, Jack worked as an actor in TV and film, with credits including 4 O'Clock Club, Moorside, Nike: The Switch, Anne, Emmerdale, and I Saw The Light.

Behind the camera, Jack has worked as a 2nd AC on short films such as Real Voices, an anti-drug, knife, and grooming campaign funded by Arts Council England. He has also directed several music videos while working as Community Outreach & Funding Officer at Base Culture Music Group, distributed by Sony Records.

As a performer and facilitator with Chol Theatre, Jack has expanded his work in community arts. He is an Associate Artist at Leeds Playhouse and facilitates workshops in schools and colleges through IVE. Jack also delivers Film and TV workshops at CAPA College and has collaborated with Red Ladder Theatre Company. After studying Applied Theatre and Community Drama at LIPA, Jack is passionate about guiding young people in their creative development. He now works full-time as Director of the arts co-op Radi8Arts.

Alfie Coles first found love for acting in 2013 after joining a local theatre group. From this he went on to perform key roles in well-known theatre productions such as 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat','Brassed-Off* and 'Full Monty': Taking a break from theatre acting Alfie decided to explore his passion for music and videography more in depth. Now studying music production at Leeds Conservatoire, Alfie has performed acoustic gigs in small venues and is the bassist for local indie band,'The Easy Mornings' who have built up a large following, headlining various venues around South/West Yorkshire. On top of this, he has self-produced his own instrument cover videos. Despite taking a break from theatre acting, Alfie kept his love for acting alive by playing roles in short films, music videos plus, taking on the role as a camera operator, further exploring his passion for videography. On top of all this Alfie now works as a music tutor providing guitar lessons for young people within the Barnsley area. 

Embarking on a journey in the arts from a young age, Brad Firth is a multi-talented creative professional. Starting with guitar and vocals, his musical abilities expanded to include piano, drums, and bass. Brad honed his skills at youth clubs like the Barnsley Youth Choir and Act About Academy, setting the stage for a diverse artistic career.

As music became a central focus, Brad delved into Music Production, achieving high distinction at both GSCE and college levels. Currently in his final year at Leeds Conservatoire, he has developed his skills in audio engineering, track production, and studio work. Notably, Brad collaborated with singer/songwriter Zamira on a Liquid Drum and Bass track set for release on multiple streaming platforms.

A seasoned instrumentalist, Brad has played in various bands, playing keys/synthesiser in The Easy Mornings, forming a duo with Alfie Coles, and taking the lead guitar role for George Erith. Their performances spanned across the UK, including cities like Leeds, Sheffield, Durham, Edinburgh, and London. Brad's versatility extends to session work, recently working as a session guitarist for Chol Theatre's 'A Flock of Stories'.

Brad was also selected to work as stage management for the successful Underneath the Stars festival, where he rigged professional audio equipment for renowned artists like Scouting For Girls and Kate Rusby.

In addition to his creative pursuits, 

Brad Firth's artistic journey is a blend of creativity, technical expertise, and a relentless passion for new artistic ventures.

Faith embarked on her athletic journey as a gymnast at the Barnsley Gymnastics Club, unknowingly laying the foundation for her future pursuits in the arts through exposure to physicality and discipline.

At the crossroads of adolescence (Age 14), Faith transitioned into the world of dance at the local Storm Dance Academy. What began as a modest commitment of 2 hours weekly evolved into a deep-seated passion, compelling Faith to dedicate 15-20 hours each week to refine her skills. Storm Dance Academy became the canvas where Faith painted her artistic aspirations, discovering a love for choreography and the limitless potential of abstract movements.

Faith's pursuit of excellence led her to formal education at Performers College, Essex. Studying musical theatre with a focus on acting, singing, and dancing, Faith learned from professionals such as Emma Rodgers and Max Jarvis. 

Join Faith in the ongoing exploration and creation, witnessing the diverse strands of her journey interwoven into a rich tapestry of movement, expression, and artistic discovery.

Callum joined our team in 2018 first managing and designing the technical for our performance of Seussical The Musical. First training in production arts at the Electric Theatre Callum then studying at the University of Derby. Callum has worked with a wide range of production companies such as designing and operating the lights for The Bar-Steward Sons of Val Doonican, being a lighting operator for the Rotherham Real Ale and Music Festival (2019), lighting designer and operator for Andrew Barton Professional (2018) and many more. Callum is a crucial member of the team and helps to make our performances look amazing and professional. Callum now also works at Nottingham Theatre Royal and is a Co-Director of a production company.

Eloise has worked as an actor and theatre maker for the last five years, performing with theatres in the North West such as The Lowry, Hope Mill Theatre, Bolton Octagon as well as in the Manchester and Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Eloise went on to write and produce her own site specific and immersive plays. Her debut play, King Jack Queen, toured to London, Manchester and the Adelaide Fringe Festival in Australia. Eloise then went on to be selected to premiere her second play, Judgement Day, at The Lowry's Shoots: Off Piste. Eloise has also worked with young people in a variety of settings such as schools, pupil referral units, secure units and prisons tackling social issues as well as creating youth theatre performances with companies such as Odd Arts and The Lowry. She studied Applied Theatre and Community Drama at LIPA and is now the Community Engagement Manager at the Lowry in Manchester working alongside companies such as Collective Encounters. 

Kristine Holmen started her art studies at Hartvig Nissens Drama School in Oslo, Norway. Since then she has worked as an actress in various projects for the National Norwegian Broadcasting Channel (NRK) and played on different stages around northern Norway with the company Lille Hålogaland Teater. Outside of acting she’s also a music composer and creator, having been the lead singer and pianist in the band Frukt for six years. In 2018 she spent a year working with children with additional needs and as a drama teacher for early year students. Before enrolling at Lipa to study Applied Theatre and Community Drama she studied Philosophy and German in Berlin, where she worked with people from different cultural backgrounds. Kristine uses theatre as a tool to shine a light on important issues, giving people the opportunity to explore both personal and political challenges in her new ventures. She is now Co-director of Igloofhaus an award winning theatre company and works as a touring theatre Director in Norway.

Polly is an executive producer and company director for 20 Four 7 Films, who currently have several projects in development. She was the co-creator, along with Shaun Dooley, and the Executive Producer of Got it Covered: a 90 minute primetime BBC 1 show, which included the release of an album that went to number one in the charts. To date the project has raised almost a million pounds for BBC Children in Need. Polly has worked extensively in theatre, film and television. She started off working in stage management on numerous theatre shows ranging from weekly repertory to the West End, including three years on Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. She was an assistant producer on a number of gala shows including Sondeim Tonight – Barbican, Around The World – Royal Albert Hall and Comedy Tonight – National Theatre. In television she worked in production on several commercials, promos and TV dramas both on set and in the production office. Polly then worked as an assistant agent at Peters, Fraser & Dunlop (now United Agents) representing some of the top actors in the world. She then moved to the BBC to work as a Casting Director. She also independently cast films, promos and ran workshops for actors. She has four children, several animals and loves hiking, cold water swimming and singing.

Lorenzo is the Contract Manager for Everyone Active - SLM (Ashfield Contract), leading high-profile, profitable operations focused on delivering a customer-centric experience for both Ashfield District Council and their clientele. With a history of managing successful venues and teams, he ensures top-quality service across all areas.

In his previous role as Contract Manager for 1Life South Kesteven, Lorenzo managed four venues and fostered strong relationships with local councils. His leadership resulted in impressive outcomes, building on his extensive experience as Director of Operations for one of the UK’s most diverse sport and leisure portfolios. This included overseeing iconic venues like Ponds Forge and the English Institute of Sport Sheffield, home to Team GB, as well as five golf courses. Lorenzo handled a substantial £20 million P&L responsibility and led 14 sport and leisure facilities.

Under his leadership, fitness memberships grew to 17,500, while general admissions and coached programmes reached over 9,000 weekly participants. He successfully spearheaded business development strategies, including investment plans that focused on boosting revenue and optimising operational efficiency.

His notable achievements include leading a major organisational restructure that achieved a 50% payroll-to-sales ratio, securing a £4 million-plus Lottery award, and expanding the facility portfolio by tendering a golf course and two leisure venues, adding significant profit. Lorenzo also introduced a contact centre generating £1 million annually and implemented financial flash reports to enhance financial oversight.

Capital investment projects under his management included a new Driving Range, Footgolf, and fitness upgrades across several locations. His collaboration with UK Sport and Sport England on the elite sports programme helped Team GB athletes and fostered grassroots participation through his “Vision for Sport” development pathway, achieving 88% occupancy in swimming programmes.

Lorenzo has contributed to various national strategic groups, including UK Active, Sport England, and parliamentary sub-groups. He has developed KPIs aligned with Sport England and DCMS strategies. Additionally, five of his venues earned “Excellence” ratings through Quest assessment, and he played a key role in organising national and regional events.

Janine Dyer is recognised as one of the UK's finest gospel vocalists, having performed on major platforms across Europe, America, Africa, and Asia. She has worked as a backing vocalist for over 10 years, sharing the stage with artists such as Chaka Khan, Boyzone, Gladys Knight, Shola Ama, Andrew Lloyd Webber, gaining invaluable music industry experience and traveling the world. Notably, Janine performed backing vocals for Shola Ama and Chaka Khan during her time with the award-winning UK gospel group, Raymond & Co. With this group, she won a MOBO Award for Best Gospel Group and toured America.

Janine is also known within the UK house and garage scene, featuring on prominent tracks in the late 90s and performing live at international dance clubs such as Ministry of Sound, Legends Club, Zoo, and Adrenalin Village. During this period, she collaborated with renowned DJs like 7th District, David Morales, M BEAT, and Bobbie & Steve.

As the founder of the Sheffield Community Choir, Janine has further established her influence in music. Her vocal talent has seen her perform for notable figures including Prince Charles and the Spanish Royal Family, and at football stadiums across the UK. In 2016, Janine appeared on BBC's "The Voice," delivering a stunning rendition of "Bridge Over Troubled Water," which led to three of the four judges (Boy George, Paloma Faith, and Ricky Wilson) turning their chairs. Janine ultimately chose Ricky Wilson as her mentor.

Dr. Sam McKay is dedicated to creating theatre in unconventional spaces, often working with communities. He has collaborated with several companies and theatres, including Leeds Playhouse, Red Ladder, Chol Theatre, Front Room Productions, and Faceless Arts. He also runs Pockets Theatre, a small community arts and theatre company.

Dr. McKay is currently a Lecturer in Applied Theatre and Community Drama at the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, where he teaches across undergraduate and postgraduate modules. He also supervises students at the University of Leeds in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries. In addition to his teaching roles, he has contributed to numerous arts and research projects.

His PhD, Applied Theatre: Crossing the Borders Between Practice and Context, investigates the relationship between applied theatre practices and their contexts, particularly focusing on work with refugees and the themes of migration and austerity. Dr. McKay also serves as an External Examiner for the Acting FD and Acting BA programs at University Centre Leeds.

His key areas of interest and experience include applied theatre, community arts, site-specific theatre, queer theatre, developing new productions, working with refugees and asylum seekers, engaging with schools and young people, and leading creative projects for older people.

McKay, S. (2023) Applied Theatre Training: Theatre for Democracy and Knowledge Exchange. Theatre, Dance and Performance Training.

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McKay, S. (2019) Dislocating Applied Theatre: Crossing the Borders between Practice and Context. PhD thesis, University of Leeds.

McKay, S. & Bradley, J. (2016). How does arts practice engage with narratives of migration from refugees? Lessons from ‘utopia’.  Arts and Communities, Special Edition Arts, Activism and Human Rights, 8(1-2), pp.31-46.