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
Jenny Duncan
Jenny is a recent graduate from Edinburgh College. She loves performing and entertaining people and has a particular love for interactive theatre, feminist theatre and anything to do with Jodie Comer. She loves trying new things and taking herself out of her comfort zone.
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.
Cara Watson
Cara Watson is a Scottish actor and emerging playwright. She holds a 1st (BA) Hons in Acting and has recently completed an MSc in Playwriting at The University of Edinburgh.
Recently, Cara was a co-writer and performer in a series of biopic films about the Scottish Suffragettes, which is now exhibited in Perth Museum.
She is also co-founder of New Writing collective Untie My Tongue Theatre. With her experience and passion within both theatre and filmmaking in Scotland, Cara is very excited to be working with Strange Town.
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.
Anna Whealing
Anna is a highlands-born writer, theatre-maker and producer. She has worked with community groups, volunteers, children, artists and industry members. Anna has produced award-winning short films and documentries, run workshops for emerging writers, created several new-writing audio series, organised scratch nights for performance artists in Glasgow and dabbled in stage managment. Basically, she’ll say yes to everything and loves a challange! Anna is currently a creative trainee on textLAB, a writers programme run by Scottish Youth Theatre and Playwrights Studio Scotland. She has acted as Assistant Director for A Play, A Pie and A Pint and Mull Theatre.
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.
