trustees
Sharon Louise Studer
Co-founders of theatre works! are Dr. Sharon Louise Studer and Graham Beckett.
Sharon Louise has loved theatre from the age of six when she played a shepherd in the school play. Although her family and friends thought she moved to London for a tech job, it was so she could go to the theatre as often as she wanted.
Her day job included being a partner in the KPMG Consulting Practice and various executive roles in technology and media multinationals across Europe, the US and Asia. She has served on a variety of boards, including Simmons & Simmons, the international law firm, Oxford Univ Audit Committee, and TNS, the worldwide market research firm (before being acquired by WPP).
Sharon spends time in Miami in the winter, where she is a member of the Theatre Grants Committee for the Funding Arts Network.
Graham Beckett
A teenage trip to see Fiddler on the Roof was Graham’s first memorable theatre. The magic of that evening has led to a lifelong interest in all forms of theatrical performances, whether it be a play, an opera or contemporary dance.
Graham tries to avoid too much drama in his working life. He was the founding partner and principal of Results International, a leading advisory firm in the global marketing, technology, and communications businesses. Prior to setting up Results International, he spent his career building and running a number of successful private advertising and marketing services businesses in London.
Graham Beckett serves as the charity’s Treasurer. Accounting services are provided by Gareth Davies, former Audit partner, PWC. The Independent Examiner of our accounts is Robert Willott who founded the financial advisory firm, Willott Kingston Smith.. He also served as a Trustee and Hon. Treasurer of Save the Children, UK.
The Lady Butterworth of Warwick
Doris, The Lady Butterworth of Warwick, has considerable experience in encouraging young people. She chaired the Warwickshire Assn of Youth Clubs for 18 years and served as Chair of two Local Education Authority Schools (Stoke Park, Aylesford). She was Vice Chair of the Independent Schools Council for 8 years. For the NHS, Lady Butterworth chaired the Primary Health Care Committee for Coventry for 8 years and The National Assn. of Voluntary Help Organisers.
Dr. Moira Hamlin
Dr. Moira Hamlin was until recently the Vice Chair of the Board of Trustees at Bristol University. She spent over 30 years working in the public sector where she held a number of senior positions in criminal justice and health. She was Chair of Avon and Somerset Police Authority from 2003-2010 and Deputy Chair of the National Association of Police Authorities from 2003-2008. Moira is a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with a PhD (Clinical) from the University of Birmingham. Her first theatre experience was seeing the ground breaking production of Hair in London. This life-changing experience helped her understand the transformative power of theatre and other creative activities for young people. Over a number of years she has been involved in arts and literature festivals and was co-founder of the new Arts Festival in Wedmore, Somerset.
Beverley Grimster
Beverley Grimster has worked with vulnerable children and families in the health and social care field for over 30 years. She started in London and moved to Gloucestershire in 2002. She is a Trustee for Cheltenham Festivals and serves on the Board for Cheltenham Borough Homes. Her experience working with the disadvantaged provides a strong foundation to help theatre works! reach out to children and families in our target population.
Beverley believes that every child should have an opportunity for a life full of options and opportunities. That starts with an awareness that anything is possible and that only happens when you see people that look like you in books, on television and on the stage. Theatre is a fantastic way for young people, no matter what their background, ethnicity or race to gain confidence, build self-esteem and dream BIG.
honorary patrons
Sir Tom Stoppard
Sir Tom Stoppard, a British playwright and screenwriter, is one of the most internationally recognised dramatists alive today. Award-winning plays include Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, Jumpers, Travesties & Arcadia and most recently Leopoldstadt. He won an Academy Award for his screenplay for Shakespeare in Love.
Tom Stoppard holds one of the highest UK honours, the Order of Merit, given to only 24 living people. A play might be called ‘Stoppardian’ if it addresses philosophical issues through wit and comedy. He is Czech born, and a number of his plays address human rights abuses.
(Image: New York Times Magazine)
Find out how to receive a limited edition copy of a signed Tom Stoppard play - click here
Sir Nicholas Hytner
Sir Nicholas Hytner is an acclaimed theatre director as well as a film director and producer. He was the Artistic Director of London’s National Theatre from 2003 to 2015, where major successes included The History Boys and One Man, Two Guvnors. Films he has directed include The History Boys, The Madness of King George and The Lady in the Van. He has been Artistic Director of London’s Bridge Theatre since 2017. He has conducted many opera productions and sits on the board of The Royal Opera House.
Hytner was knighted in 2010 for services to drama. He has won many theatre and film awards, including a Tony for The History Boys and Carousel and a BAFTA for best film, The Madness of King George.
Sudha Bhuchar
Sudha is an award-winning actor, playwright and founder of two theatre companies, Tamasha with K Landon Smith in 1989 and Bhuchar Boulevard in 2015.
Bhuchar’s theatre projects work to incorporate Asian art into British mainstream culture and to champion lesser heard voices and stories. Plays she has written include Fourteen Songs, Two Weddings and a Funeral (1998) which won the Barclays Theatre Award for Best Musical in 1999. Child of the Divide (2017) won Time Out’s Best Kid Show, 2006.
As an actor, she has appeared on stage at The Theatre Royal, Stratford East; Royal Court, Birmingham Repertory; and the Globe. She has appeared in EastEnders and Coronation Street and created the role of a solicitor in the Archers.
Lady Hylton has also kindly agreed to be an Honorary Patron.
support
Louise Fennell
Grants Co-ordinator
Louise began working in Early Years settings as an educator and childcare practitioner almost 25 years ago. During that time, she has supervised and cared for children from the age of 3 months to 12 years. Having managed several rooms within a private day nursery which practiced the Reggio approach, she then took on the position of Atelierista within the Junior School. This role enabled her to support children’s learning journeys and creativity, encouraging them to embrace art, music and drama.
In 2020, Louise pursued her interest in the arts further by becoming the manager of an independent art gallery.
Now, when Louise is not engaged in charity work, she enjoys visiting the theatre, walking and cooking.
Nicki Watson
Grant Administrator
Prior to joining theatre works!, Nicki was an office manager on a Cotswold country estate where she was responsible for various administrative tasks. Before that, she spent 15 years in Banking Customer Services and as a Mortgage Advisor. She now runs a virtual admin assistance business.
She was a Trustee for PATA (UK) supporting the early years' sector in Gloucestershire and she fundraised for various school projects. She has been a GirlGuiding leader in Oxfordshire for 15 years.
In her spare time, Nicki enjoys walking and plans to complete the SW Coast Path. On weekends, she enjoys watching fast cars at the racetrack.
Robert Willott
Independent Examiner
Robert Willott is a retired chartered accountant who started his career working with clients in the film industry. He has always taken an active interest in amateur dramatics and journalism. He has been a director of Haymarket Publishing Ltd (where he was the launch editor of Accountancy Age), technical director of The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales, and a partner in several accountancy firms. For some years he was a special professor at the University of Nottingham and he has also acted as a non-executive director of various companies. He has served as a trustee of charities such as the Save the Children Fund (where he was also honorary treasurer), Blockley Heritage Society, The Elisha Smith Institute and Read Easy UK. He is a former member of the Marketing Society and a life member and former honorary treasurer of the Data & Marketing Association. His books include Current Accounting Law and Practice, Shop! and Rebuilding Blockley.
Gareth Davies
Accountant
After a 39 year career with PwC, the last 26 as partner, Gareth, a keen musician, involved himself in arts-based charities. He served on the board of the renowned Academy of St Martin in the Fields for eight years, and on the board of Create, a charity that helps disadvantaged teenagers build confidence through exposure to the arts for five years. He acted as Treasurer for Guiting Power Village Hall, and is currently the Independent Examiner for The Guiting Power Music Festival.