Steve has worked with young people in theatre for 25 years. He was Associate Director for Scottish Youth Theatre, Head of Education at the Lyceum Theatre in Edinburgh where he created the Education Department and founded the award winning Lyceum Youth Theatre and was Associate Director, Education & Community, at Dundee Rep. Since founding Strange Town he has directed numerous plays including Teach Me which was shortlisted for the Scottish Arts Club Edinburgh Guide Scottish Theatre Award in 2012. Other work includes; The National Theatre of Scotland, The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Edinburgh College, Queen Margaret University College, Moray House, BBC Scotland, Aberdeen Council and he has led workshops in Norway and Japan.
0131 629 0292
info@strangetown.org.uk
Meet more of the Team
Victoria Giambalvo
Victoria Giambalvo (she/they) is a previously New York-based, currently Edinburgh-based actor and creator. They have a passion for developing and performing in immersive and interactive experiences, particularly in personal development for audiences of all ages. They hold a BFA in Musical Theatre from Long Island University and MSc in Film Studies from University of Edinburgh, and are one of the co-founders and producers of Play Full: A Scratch Night. Most recently they appeared in Hopscotch Theatre’s interactive children show ‘The Play, Play’ funded by University of Glasgow, and will have been seen touring Scotland in ‘Pinocchio’ during the 2024 Christmas months.
Adam Butler
Originally from Edinburgh, Adam has recently moved back from Glasgow where he spent four years training and developing his craft.
Adam holds a BA Acting degree from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. Since graduating, Adam has worked as an actor, director, producer, and tutor.
His current and previous tutoring work includes the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Rose Bruford College, Edinburgh Acting School, and Edinburgh Council’s Adult Education Course. His latest directing credit was A Midsummer Night’s Dream, performed in June 2024 at the Church Hill Theatre.
Adam is a supportive and approachable tutor, and looks to help students discover their full potential.
Pollyanna Esse
Pollyanna has worked with Strange Town for 2 years assisting various workshops. She graduated from Edinburgh University in 2022 with a Fine Art degree and is now training to be an Art Physiotherapist.
She has worked in theatre throughout her life and found her love for directing and producing in her final year of her undergraduate degree. In 2022, she wrote and directed her own Fringe show, going on to work for a New York based Theatre company. There she produced a programme for young and emerging playwrights as well as taking their show to Fringe in 2023. Some of the playwrights she mentored have now been commission to write for multiple theatres in New York. She has always had a love for arts education and giving people the space and opportunity to express themselves.
She has worked for Edinburgh International Festival for the past 2 years as their Digital Content Officer. So she has an strong organisation head too as well as being a creative at heart!
She recently set up Ophelia Hare Arts, where she aims to develop creative experiences that challenge the barriers of pay for early career creatives. She believes that no matter who you are, you should have access to the arts and experience the freedom of expression.
Daniel Orejon
Daniel Orejon is a theatremaker and performer. He has been commissioned by the Edinburgh Multilingual Stories Festival and collaborated with Scottish Youth Theatre and the Edinburgh International Science Festival. He is the artistic director of the Crested Fools, with whom he has created award-nominated show The Rotting Hart. He specialises in projects that focus on multiculturalism, queerness and mental health, with a special fondness for all things Hispanic.
Marion Geoffray
Marion Geoffray is a performer, theatre-maker and arts educator with over a decade of experience in the performing arts and education sectors. She’s had the chance to collaborate with leading arts and cultural organisations in Scotland (Imaginate, Lyra, YTAS, Starcatchers, NGS, Fringe Society, EIF and of course Strange Town!) as well as in F.E/H.E (University of Stirling, Edinburgh, RCS, QMU and The Scottish Institute) delivering high quality and engaging artistic projects and acting training.
She has a strong background in youth theatre, community engagement and creative learning. At the heart of her work is a socially engaged practice founded on rights-based and play-based approaches. She likes to use devising, new writing and physical theatre to create performances on the themes of communication, home, and identity, often adopting a multi-sensory and multi-cultural approach. As a migrant artist living and working in Scotland, she is highly passionate about offering a fair, inclusive, innovative and diverse access to the arts for all while championing the next generation of Scottish artists.
Credits include: PROM(ise) an immersive experience about prom night, Where Are You? A multilingual pop up performance commissioned by Imaginate and Arts in Tongues, a mini-web series for families about cultural, artistic and historical heritage in Edinburgh which won the Creative Edinburgh Collaboration Award in 2021.
Lori Cook
Lori graduated from Performing Arts Studio Scotland in 2023 with a BA Hons degree in Dance and Drama with Kingston University.
She has been involved in theatre her whole life from performing to assistant-directing and choreographing for amateur theatre groups. She wants to encourage children get into drama and to make it a fun enjoyable way for them to express themselves.
