THeatretrain Bedford
Get to know us
Our theatre classes take place at St Marks Church Halls, Brickhill, Bedford, MK41 7UY, where our students come together every Saturday to connect, learn and create in a safe and inspiring environment. Through the performing arts, we give children and young adults the tools they need, not just to reach their potential on stage, but also to thrive at school and lay the foundations for their future.
About Theatretrain Bedford
Bedford Theatretrain first opened it’s doors in 2000. Since then we have created and performed in an exciting range of productions.
Our first ever show, ‘Calling All Stations’ was performed at Her Majesty’s Theatre in 2002. Our pupils have performed at The Royal Albert Hall on numerous occasions, where we participated in our favourite show, ‘I Don’t Feel Like Dancing’ in 2008.
Theatretrain’s 20th Birthday Celebrations at the 02 Arena was a real highlight. It was phenomenal show and so inspiring to be working in such a huge arena.
In 2014 we were lucky enough to take our pupils to perform at Euro Disney. Watching them all dancing down Main Street in the opening parade was simply magical.
Our pupils have also regularly taken part in our local shows at Bedfordshire University and Mark Rutherford School Theatre. Locally we have taken part in numerous carnival parades at the Bedford River Festival.
All these varied experiences allow our pupils to flourish and use the skills we work on each week within our lessons. We are very proud of their achievements and love to see them shine in every performance.
Meet the Theatretrain Bedford Team
Learn more about our team and get to know what we’re all about.
Meet Kate Howard, your Centre Director
Kate trained at London College of Dance where she attained a BA (Hons). She furthered her training at Roehampton Institute receiving a Diploma in Ballet studies.
Kate went on to lecture in Higher Education establishments, such at London Studio Centre. Additionally, she operated her own dance schools in Beds and Herts for many years.
Kate opened Bedford TT in 2000, which makes the school one of the longest running Centres in the Theatretrain family. Since then, she has been privileged to nurture hundreds of pupils over the years. Watching students blossom is what she loves most about working with the pupils.
Kate and her team are passionate about supporting and encouraging every child. Bedford Theatretrain prides itself on enabling every student to be the best that they can be.
Bartolomeo Ziccardi
Drama Teacher
Meo is a graduate from Northampton University where he studied drama. He is thrilled to return to Bedford Theatretrain where he attended as a student for many years. Meo’s enthusiastic, engaging style of teaching comes from his passion for Acting. He is delighted to be part of the teaching team in Bedford where he can inspire the next generation!
Lauren Daly
Singing Teacher
Lauren trained in the Performing Arts at a local dance school in Dublin. Following a number of scholarships, in recognition of her talent, she completed her BA (Hons) at Stella Mann College. Lauren subsequently performed across Europe and the US in a variety of shows. She is excited to be bringing her experience to Bedford TT.
Maddy Hill
Dance Teacher
Maddy started dancing at a young age and her love of dance led her to Performers College where she completed her training. Maddy loves to support and encourage others to express themselves through movement. She loves seeing her pupils gain confidence and develop their own creativity through the nurturing environment of her class.
Sophie Hill
Minis & Tinies Teacher
Sophie trained locally in dance and the Performing Arts. She graduated with a BA (Hons) in dance from Roehampton University and most recently completed her PGCE in Primary Education. Sophie has a wealth of knowledge having taught our early years programme for several years. Her gentle and welcoming manner puts our youngest pupils at ease from the moment they step through the door.
Sheelagh Donnelly
Centre Manager
Having been a Bedford TT Mum for 10 years, Sheelagh joined the team as our Centre Manager. Having a great love of the theatre, coupled with her hands on experience watching her children flourish at the school, she is well versed in the schools operation and ethos. In Sheelagh’s own words… “it is so lovely to watch the children develop in all genres. Bedford TT is a real family who encourage all the students and parents to get involved”.
Izzy Delaney
6-9’s Assistant
Izzy is an Ex Bedford Theatretrain pupil who was a student for 9 years. She is a passionate musician who gigs locally developing her performance experience. Izzy is a proud member of Bedfordshire Youth Opera and aspires to pursue a career in musical theatre. Izzy is keen to help other children learn the art of theatre and experience the enjoyment that can be obtained from it.
Katie Donnelly
Minis & Tinies Assistant
Having joined Bedford Theatretrain as a pupil in 2011, Katie trained with us for 9 years. She recently joined the team as an Assistant to impart her knowledge and continue to develop her own skill set. Katie is grateful for all the wonderful experiences and opportunities TT offered her over the years. She continues to stay within the TT family whilst she explores a different dynamic in a supporting role.
Blog and Events
Nostalgia Series: Sheena Janssen’s Theatretrain Story in Braintree
International Summer School: Staying the Course
Nostalgia Series: Paris Austin’s Theatretrain Story in Greenwich
Nostalgia Series: Lauren Keeling’s Theatretrain Story from Coventry
The importance of kindness for learning
Nostalgia Series: Dan Walton from Luton with his Theatretrain Story
Ask us anything
Want to know more? Just get in touch.