Zoë performs with many local theatre companies including Teddington Theatre Club, OHADS and Cygnet Players. Recent acting credits include Lily in Alfie, Alice in Billy Liar, Mrs Purkiss in Matchgirls, Cynthia in The Incident Room and multiple characters in Under Milk Wood.

Zoë has a penchant for panto, appearing in four at Hampton Hill Theatre in recent years. When she’s not treading the boards, she’s swimming in the Thames or teaching leadership and storytelling. She was delighted to play the coquettish Maggie in A Coy Mistress for Upstage in 2023.

Abbie Armitage is currently studying Design at Loughborough and enjoys many creative activities. She has been performing since young, participating in multiple Stagecoach workshops and learning ballroom dance.

She reached Grade 5 LAMDA acting qualification, earning a distinction in every exam. She joined the Young Actor's Company, Wimbledon where she performed a modernised recreation of Romeo & Juliet and Judy Upton's Team Spirit both at the New Wimbledon Theatre.

She was delighted to play June in The Theatre Ghost and a yob in Digging the Dirt, as well as undertaking a host of backstage roles for Upstage in 2024

Nataya studied drama at school and caught the bug! She loves to sing and has always enjoyed drama. She loves voicing characters on video games, such as Undertale, and voice acting on apps online too.  She aspires to be a professional actress one day.

Becoming the Narrator for Theatre Ghost and Digging the Dirt was her debut on stage for Upstage.

Claire trained in dance (ballet, contemporary, jazz and tap) after leaving school and went on to complete a music degree in her thirties.

Her professional life has been spent working as a vocalist, so it’s novel for her to be cast in our radio plays The Allotment and The Phonecall.

Claire is the mother of two boys ages 3 and 7 and when not mummying, or  working with us,  she is running her children’s theatre company Pop Star Performers.

She recently played Gloria in Digging the Dirt as part of our double-bill at Esher Theatre in September 2024.

Jemma Bentley is a professional actor and loves to perform both comedy and drama roles. She has featured in Disney+ series, The Full Monty and won Best Actors Monologue at LeedsFlix Film Festival, a stage adaptation of The Cage Birds and as a Motion Capture Artist for Pukka Films, London. 

Her comedy duo act, Sadler & Bentley, recently performed their self-written comedy sketch, The Working Class to rave reviews! 

Jemma’s inspiration is Olivia Colman ... she'd do anything to have a cuppa and a chat with her!

Jenny Bookham has been performing amdram in Surrey for over 42 years. She loves all types of drama, musical theatre and has been lucky in playing some amazing lead roles. Recently, she’s been going from Panto to Panto and now feels it's time to try something different and is starting by taking part in some Upstage radio plays.

Following a career in the police specialising as a murder squad detective and firearms commander, Paul became an undertaker by day and a stand-up comedian by night. He took to the stage performing comedy shows, becoming Arthur Smith's opening act, and supported him on a recent national tour.

Paul trained as an actor, and has appeared in many productions, including works by Alan Ayckbourn. He has also written and appeared in pantomimes, and writes for a local youth group.

Paul is a published author and has performed in a male voice choir. He is excited to be part of Upstage, also assisting as prompt and set creator.

Mark Cartwright has performed in a range of stage roles: Gilbert & Sullivan comic operettas for four separate companies (including as Sergeant Meryll in The Yeomen of the Guard and Mr Blushington in Utopia Limited), more modern musical works (Lazar Wolf in Fiddler on the Roof, Harry in My Fair Lady) and, in rehearsal, comedy thrillers (John Miles in Theft, Georg Bamberger in Black Comedy).

He’s happy to try any part where he can play with characterisation, so long as he can do it in a bass voice.

Courtney Cornfield is Canadian comic, MC, actor and improviser having performed both in Canada and the UK.

She has performed standup on TV and hosts a monthly comedy show. She is thrilled to have found Upstage as an outlet for her talents.

Martin Frost is a clarinettist really, with an interest in sound. He joined Bookham based drama group POSE in 1983 to wind the curtains because the prompt was heavily pregnant. He thought "Perhaps I could play in the band", they said "OH NO YOU CAN'T, we need men on stage". The rest is history, thank goodness.

Since then he has played, acted and sounded for the Mid-Surrey Theatre Company and also at the Nomad Theatre, and is still a member of POSE, where he gets to wear a bra in January. They also let him tootle from time to time.

He is thrilled to have found Upstage and looks forward to his first role.

Samantha Harris trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama and completed an actors training course at Richmond College. Her professional credits include working for educational theatre companies in plays and training videos.

She has been teaching Drama for 20 years across Richmond and Surrey and has performed with local amateur groups including the Richmond Shakespeare Society and the Desborough Players. 

Abby began acting at the age of 11, developing a strong foundation in performance from an early age. Since graduating from Arts University Bournemouth Abby has starred in several short films and has recently completed a national TIE touring production of Jack and the Beanstalk.

Elise is an experienced actor and director; directing Descent into Svalbard and Weapon of Choice at the CornerHOUSE theatre, Surbiton. She has also appeared in other productions, and is currently starting work on staging her own play at the CornerHOUSE. She particularly enjoys warm, absurd comedies and has trained in acting part-time at The Drama Studio, Ealing.

She has a varied background in PR, Education, Special needs and Mental Health. Upstage are delighted to showcase her theatrical talents in Mirrors. 

Karen McGregor developed a passion for acting and theatre at school. After completing Theatre Studies at A level she played various roles from drama to comedy in local theatre groups.

Most recently she completed 3 terms with the Rose Players at the Rose Theatre, Kingston performing in end of term showcases which included scenes from A Number, Animal Farm and The Seagull.

She was thrilled when Upstage cast her in Peter Shaw’s Mirrors and looks forward to doing more.

Elise has performed at the Walton Playhouse, The Rose and Rhoda McGaw theatres, with a variety of local groups. Shows include Singing in the Rain, Henry, A Tudor Musical, Anastasia and Sleeping Beauty.

She’s currently studying Performing Arts at university and recently achieved a distinction in Musical Theatre at the London College of Music.

For Upstage, Elise played Zelda in The Smoking Gun and was delighted to play a variety of musical parts in The Theatre Ghost at Esher Theatre in September 2024.

Debbie Stevens started acting as a teenager doing both musicals and plays. She then joined the DIY theatre company in Walton appearing in A Slice of Saturday Night, Guys & Dolls, Shakers and Stepping Out.

After a doing The Odd Couple and Stags & Hens at the Barn, she is keen to get back into amdram and the social life of a theatre club with Upstage.

Ed Stonard began performing at the CERL laboratory, Leatherhead. He has since been involved with several groups and stage managed for Nonsuch Opera and BODS in Betchworth. He was a member of the Heath Players for forty years, acting, stage-managing and directing.

Probably his biggest role on stage was as Cooper in Bob Larbey’s poignant play, A Month of Sundays, where he was on stage for almost the entirety of the play, only leaving to visit the en-suite bathroom. He is delighted to be using his talents in Upstage radio plays.

Charlotte Summerskill has been acting for 3 years, starting her career in the chorus at the Royal Shakespeare Company. She’s performed both on stage and screen, including the UK premiere of The Spiderwick Chronicles (stage), The Musketeers (stage), It’s Not the End-o (stage, own piece), Lady Beatrice (TV, own piece) and Sister Boniface (TV).

Charlotte has recently ventured into writing with plans to produce her own work in 2026

Emma’s interest began, like many people, with school plays, creative projects at uni and then role-playing in work scenarios. She relishes stepping into a character’s shoes and exploring perspectives beyond her own and enjoys the experience of bringing a situation to life on stage with fellow players.

Her first career (Publishing) found her collaborating and contributing to creative group projects; and her second (Counselling) honed her ability to listen, empathise and connect emotionally with others.

Emma is enthusiastic about participating in workshops, auditions, and productions and is keep to explore a wide range of roles and genres within Upstage.

Elayne Teague has been a fan of am dram for many years featuring in more plays than she can recall, often for Theatrical Shenanigans. She is pleased to have found Upstage in the local area.

Lizzie made her stage debut at college, playing Kathy in Michael Weller’s Cancer at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre. After careers as a journalist and academic, she returned to the stage in 2017, playing Mrs Joe in The Rose Theatre’s production of Great Expectations.

Since then she has appeared in a number of stage productions and independent films and has recently completed her first feature film

Susanne has appeared on the stage for many years. She has played various roles, from Principal Boy in panto to Shakespeare's Jessica in The Merchant of Venice. She has also appeared on stage in, Calendar Girls, Arsenic and Old Lace, Stepping Out and Abigail's Party. 

Susanne has worked in advertising for many years, for Saatchi & Saatchi, making TV commercials and she worked with Danny Boyle in the 2012 Opening Ceremony of the London Olympics

Having completed a course in stand-up comedy and after some great gigs in front of the mirror in the bathroom, she performed a successful showcase in Camden. She loved being part of Risky Business, her Upstage debut.

Debi Wright is a primary school teacher, responsible for directing and producing the Y6 Leavers' production each year. 

Recent appearances have included 13 days for Hampton Hill Theatre and the comedy A Beautiful Friendship at the Cornerhouse. 

She has a passion for theatre plays and musicals and is thrilled to have found Upstage Surrey.