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
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.
Dan Webb
Assistant Director - Friday 8-10s
Dan Webb is an Actor who recently graduated with a BA Honours Degree in Dance and Drama from Edinburgh College. He enjoys devising and creating pieces of work that put smiles on the faces of his audience, and is always looking for new avenues to bring happiness to people through Drama.
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.
James Beagon
Youth Theatre Manager
James is a director, playwright and creative learning facilitator who has lived and worked in Edinburgh for the past 15 years.
He has worked with Strange Town since 2015 and has written and directed a number of Strange Town productions, most recently Livin’ On A Prayer (Traverse, June 2025). Other Strange Town writing credits include Stolen Futures (Traverse, June 2019) Beneath the Surface (Traverse, June 2022) and My Kind of Weird (Traverse Theatre, June 2024). In addition to his role as Youth Theatre Manager, he currently directs the Tuesday 8-25s youth theatre group.
Previous credits with his own group Aulos Productions include the award-winning Fringe productions First Class (2014) and Gobland for the Goblins (2017) and the award-nominated Women of the Mourning Fields (2015) and Antigone na hEireann (2018).
James has worked extensively as a freelance drama practitioner with companies including East Lothian Youth Theatre, Lyceum Youth Theatre, Youth Theatre Arts Scotland, Theatre Sans Accents and Acting Out Drama School.
He holds an MFA in Directing from Edinburgh Napier and an M.A. (Hons) in Ancient and Medieval History from Edinburgh University and has run workshops and guest-lectured at both institutions.
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.
Sophia Irvine-Fortescue
Sophia is the Workshop Assistant for the Friday 5-7s Intro to Drama and Friday 8-12s Theatre Skills classes.
