Little Actors Theatre Company enagages professional actors to facilitate our classes and workshops. All of the actors have CRB Enhanced Disclosures, have been auditioned and/or interviewed and they are members of British Actors Equity. The actors are all experienced in working with children.
Staff Biographies
Neston Theatre School
Samantha Giblin – Artistic Director – Principal -
Samantha has extensive experience working with children in the community running a variety of drama activities in schools, nurseries and directing full scale productions with after school drama clubs. She is the Artistic Director of the South West Youth Theatre and InterACT Youth Theatre where she has directed and/or produced many productions for the NT’s New Connections Scheme. Samantha has a University of Liverpool BA General (Drama and English) and subsequently trained as an actor on the Postgraduate Acting Course at the London Academy of Performing Arts. She also has the Royal National Theatre’s Advanced Certificate in Directing Text for Young People (Central School of Speech and Drama). Theatre includes tours with Applause Productions, White Horse Theatre, TWO INTO ONE (Churchill Theatre Bromley/national tour), Constance Neville in Showdown Theatre Company's Open Air Tour of SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER. Also A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Tabard), Ismene in PHAEDRA (Pentameters). TV: THE HOUSE OF ELIOTT (BBC), THE HEALER (BBC).
Natasha Symms - Drama/dance/singing
Natasha attended the Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts in London from the age of 14 where her first roles were in commercials for Golden Wonder and Comic relief. She performed at the Bloomsbury Theatre London. Natasha graduated at the age of 19 and she immediately won the role of Kate Patrick in ‘Hollyoaks’ for Channel 4, which she played for 2 and half years. Since then she has appeared in various stage productions including: Marion in ‘Robin Hood and the Babes in the Wood’ at the Royal Court Theatre Liverpool. Lead roles in touring productions of ‘Closer’ by Patrick Marber, ‘A Perfect Wedding’, ‘Back Before Midnight’ by Peter Colley , ‘Raving Beauties’ by Dave Simpson, ‘Allo, Allo’, and ‘The Deep Blue Sea’ by Terrance Rattigan. Her television credits include: ‘Crossroads’, ‘The Royal Today’, ‘Dream Team’, ‘Is Harry on the Boat?’, ‘The Quest’, ‘Heartbeat’, ‘Casualty’, ‘Waterloo Road’, ‘A Touch of Frost’, ‘Coronation Street’ and the Dulux commercial!
Since moving to the Northwest Natasha has been a regular facilitator for the Little Actors Theatre Company in dance, musical theatre and drama. Her greatest achievement to date is her continued work with InterACT Youth Theatre (formally Little Actors Youth Theatre), which has allowed her to gain a Post Graduate Certificate in Directing Young People with the Central school of Speech and Drama in London.
Natasha Symms is currently setting up a theatrical agency for called Projections Personal Management/Prokids which will be linked to Little Actors Theatre Company and InterACT Youth Theatre. After experiencing the acting profession at such a young age, she endeavours to offer professional working opportunities to children and young people in the Northwest and London.
Leila Chebbi - Dance/singing
Leila works extensively both nationally and internationally performing and creating theatre. Leila graduated from ‘John Moores University ‘where she achieved a BA Hons Degree in Dance studies. She then went on to train in Physical theatre at Hope Street Ltd. Leila’s theatre credits include; ‘Remember, Remember’ Travelled Companions, ‘A World Away ‘ and ‘Little Acorns’ Fuse Theatre (Interactive Theatre for Children) , ‘A beautiful Life’ Ducksfoot Theatre Company, ‘The Selfish Giant’ , Unity Theatre. Dance credits include ‘Minibeast Carnival’ Merseyside Dance Initiative. ‘Vox Pop’ , Liverpool Playhouse, choreographed by Lea Anderson. Leila is passionate about teaching and works with people of all ages; she works in partnership with Mosspits primary school developing dance skills. Leila is also currently lecturing on the dance degree at ‘Hope University Liverpool.’ Leila directed Little Actors' first summer school in 2011.
Mike Lockley - Drama Cover
After studying for two years with LAMDA and successfully attaining an Associate qualification in 2004, Mike has worked as a professional actor on many and various productions both locally and nationally from Shakespeare to Pantomime and just about everything in between! As well as being a successful actor, Mike is also an award winning writer and director and has taught Drama and performance skills in schools and community venues in Liverpool and across the North West for a number of years and is now very much looking forward to working with Little Actors once again."
THEATRE CLUB – WANSTEAD
Annie Roper – Theatre Club Principal
Annie retrained as an actor at the Courtyard after a life as a dancer. Some professional work includes: Europe and Asia tour of Animal Farm with The American Drama Group Europe, extensive UK tours with Caught in the Act & Box Clever theatre companies. In London Annie performed in The Tempest & Dick Daredevil. Annie has also performed in outdoor shows in Oxleas Woods & the Glastonbury Festival as an actor and Fire Performer. After the birth of her two sons, Annie has appeared on Woman’s Hour for BBC radio, and The Truth About Food for the BBC. Annie joined Little Actors Theatre Company in 2002 and has enjoyed teaching drama and dance in schools and nurseries through out London as well as managing Theatre Club in Wanstead. She also works in Dover for MRD productions teaching drama to 9-25 year olds. Annie directed the first LATC summer school at Wanstead House in 2011.
Jamie Thompson - Drama (11+)
Since graduating from (ALRA) Jamie has worked with the Kinetic Theatre Company on their science based production ‘The Bunsen Towers Mystery’, which toured primary schools. He also had the lead role in ‘Memos’, a short film for UAL in London. He has appeared in The Charles Vance Rep Season, where he performed roles in ‘The Caretaker’ (Mick), ‘Five Finger Exercise’ (Walter), ‘Abigail’s Party’ (Tony), ‘How The Other Half Loves’ (Bob Phillips) and ‘Edge of Darkness’ (Hardy). In 2008 he was part of ‘The Mousetrap’ Company in Londons’ West End, where he understudied the two male lead roles of Det. Sgt. Trotter and Giles Ralston. He was very pleased to be able to perform both of these roles several times during his time with the company. He then appeared in ‘Cinderella’ at the Shaw Theatre in London, with Britt Ekland and Dominic Littlewood. He is very happy to become part of the Little Actors Theatre Company after covering some lessons in 2008, and is looking forward to working with the children and seeing what fun and inventive things can be achieved.
Tessa Slack – Drama 5-11s
After completing a degree in Drama and Education, Tessa went on to train at Mountview Theatre School. She has toured extensively with TNT and the American Drama Group in productions of Frankenstein, The Crucible, Oliver Twist and The Picture of Dorian Gray, performing in theatres throughout Europe, Asia and the Middle East. Other credits include The Railway Children for Magic Mirror Theatre Company, New Faces Bill at the Players Theatre, Tallulah Darling, a Bridewell Theatre workshop performance, Twelfth Night and Robin Hood for the The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton and The Little Mermaid for Sphinx Theatre. She has also appeared in a number of tv commercials and The radio play Bitter Harvest for BBC Berkshire. Tessa has 2 small children, and is looking forward to working with Little Actors Theatre Company after having covered classes last year.
Melanie Aristidou - Dance/singing
Melanie comes from a background of dance and theatre. She trained to become an actress at the Actor Works in London graduating in July 2011. Since graduating she has done children's tours with the Bigfoot Theatre Company and performed at the Leiscester square Theatre, riverside studios, the Brockley Jack, and Hen and Chickens Theatre and taken on teaching for companies such as Pzazz, and Shakespeare 4 Kidz. She has been teaching children of all abilities since she was 18 years old. She was in her first professional dance show in Cyprus at the age of 15. Now she is positively looking forward to building a career in the acting business while combining it with her passion for watching children grow.
Rosalind Parker – Cover
Rosalind gained her professional actor’s degree at Rose Bruford, 2000. Ros is a dancer, choreographer, and movement director as well as a classical actress. She often works for physical theatre companies and leading stage roles have included the Daughter in “April’s Fool” (Blue Purple Productions), Aglaja in “Why Does the Child Boil in Polenta?” (TaleInTime) and Puck in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” (Spontaneous Productions). Recently, she was thrilled to perform in her first circus production, “The Inky Deep” (Dizzy O’Dare Presents). Ros has worked with Children for many years, teaching drama and dance to all ages. She has also worked in Theatre in Education (Hazlitt Arts Centre/ Maidstone Council), touring secondary schools and exploring social issues through drama. She thoroughly enjoys sharing creative classes with all the children who are part of the Little Actors Theatre.
We also have a pool of actors ready, willing and able to provide class cover or take on challenges of their own in schools, nurseries and the community.
