Meet the Team

Michelle Smith (she/her)

Artistic Director & Founder

Michelle founded Theatre for Life in 2017, she wanted to create a community organisation which helped to equalise opportunities and empower individuals through the arts.

TRAINING: BA Hons Performing Arts and PGCE (Institute of Education, UCL’s Faculty of Education and Society)

CREDITS: Trained teacher (25 years), community director, producer, creative health programming and consultancy for Solent Mind, NHS and University of Southampton. Workshop facilitator in education and community engagement, including wellbeing and creativity at University Arts London. Professional development facilitator and guest speaker for Acta, Creative Arts and Health South West (Positive Futures 2020) and NHS ICB Hampshire and Isle of Wight Women's Health event (2025). Co-researcher on Public engagement with Research projects (University of Southampton). 

Propel Associate Artist at MAST Mayflower Studios (2023-2025) 

Email: michellesmith@theatreforlife.co.uk

Emma Gaynor (she/her)

Producer for Bringing the Outside In 


Emma is a General Manager and Producer in theatre and live events, producing UK and International projects with LX1 Production Services, Theatre for Life and The Paper Birds. She has previously worked for National Theatre Productions, Hartshorn-Hook Enterprises, MAST Mayflower Studios, Broadway on Demand, Bill Kenwright Ltd and The Marlowe Canterbury. From Wexford in Ireland, Emma is an avid book reader, animal lover and vegetarian. She is excited to join the Theatre for Life team and supporting a busy year ahead!

Email: Emma.gaynor@theatreforlife.co.uk 

Naomi White (she/her) 

Education lead for Theatre for Life 

Naomi supports Theatre for Life as education lead, liaising and connecting with educational and community establishments to help develop our projects, programmes and performances. 

TRAINING: BA (Hons) English with Drama (University of Winchester); PGCE (University of Southampton); MA Education (University of Southampton)

CREDITS: Trained secondary school teacher since 2006, specialising in KS3 and GCSE English and KS3, GCSE and A-level Drama and Theatre Studies; Head of Drama in two secondary schools; trainee teacher mentor; educational consultant and community support for drama and theatre organisations; Open Drama UK Hampshire Champion.

Email: education@theatreforlife.co.uk

Kit Miles (they/them) 

Writer for Bringing the Outside In and actor, musician and theatre-maker for The Feeling  

Kit Miles is a playwright and theatre-maker from Southampton. Their writing has been staged at VAULT Festival, The Lowry, Greenwich Theatre, Pen Theatre, Etcetera Theatre, and the Golden Goose Theatre. Kit’s work has been longlisted for the Bruntwood Prize for Playwriting 2022, and developed with support from the National Youth Theatre. They graduated with a BA in English from King’s College London in 2023.

Emily Hindle (she/her)

Writer, theatre-maker and musician for The Feeling and Your Brain Explained 

Emily is a queer actress and theatre maker. She graduated East 15 in 2019. 

Her most recent acting credits include Casualty (BBC), Miss Austen (BBC), The Gunpowder Plot (West End/Tower Vaults), Hide and Seek (Leicester Curve) and her self penned play Toothache (The Space).

Imani Okoh (she/her) 

Actor, vocalist and theatre-maker for Bringing the Outside In & The Feeling 

Imani is a Solent University graduate in Musical Theatre and a dedicated theatre maker. She is very passionate about bringing new voices and stories to a wider audience by creating and devising contemporary theatre. Having vast experience working with young people, Imani feels that it is important to express the concerns young people face by using her platform as a creative.  Being one of the creative writers and actors of the original children’s production ‘Charlie Locke and the Quest for Confidence’, Imani is very excited to get back to work creating theatre that empowers and educates the community.

Ri Baroche (she/they) 

Actor, musican and theatre-maker for  Bringing the Outside In

Ri Baroche is a theatremaker, writer and performer based in
Hampshire. She’s been funded 3x by Arts Council England to develop and tour new work focusing on big, unwieldy topics from unexpected angles, such as Drag ‘n’ Drop! (2023-24), a musical-comedy drag theatre show about quantum physics and gender which toured the UK, with a sell-out show at The Science Museum.

She is currently developing a new musical-comedy about
climate change, Call Me, Mother Nature, following a successful R&D in partnership with Arts Council England and Mayflower Studios, Southampton, with the show due to tour from Spring 2026.

In September 2024, they were nominated for a Trans+ award by Beyond Reflections, in recognition of their work to support and uplift the trans+ communities in Hampshire.

Ella Jump (she/her) 

Actor, vocalist and theatre-maker for  Bringing the Outside In & The Feeling 

Ella (she/her) is excited to be back working with Theatre For Life on a new project, and even more excited that it’s a project she’s so passionate about. She is also currently working with Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and has trained with Fourth Monkey, National Youth Theatre and Frantic Assembly. Ella is a keen mover/maker who is really excited about the devising element of this project.  As well as Acting, Ella produced her first play with Cubicle Theatre which went to the Vaults and Brighton Fringe in 2024. 

Poppy Lowles (she/her) 

Actor, vocalist and theatre-maker for  Bringing the Outside In

Poppy (she/her) trained with the National Youth Theatre and the RSC, and since moving to Portsmouth, originally to develop plays and workshops with Stand Tall Theatre about mental health awareness, has appeared in numerous productions and projects across the region. Including Shakespeare productions and immersive events at historic venues in London and across the South Coast. She is now looking forward to working with Theatre for Life, on a global issue that’s close to her heart as a theatre maker and a lover of the outdoors!

Sara Fairclough (she/her) 

Actor and theatre-maker for The Feeling 


Sara is a professional actor originally from Yorkshire. She trained at Manchester Met. Sara has worked with many professionals including, playwright - Iain Heggie, former theatre director -Chris Honer and Niamh Dowling -principal of RADA. After a long break from raising her children, Sara is slowly making her way back into the industry. She has performed in many plays and appeared in television roles for Sky and Channel 4. Sara’s recent work includes Home Theatre Project with Kerry Kyriacos Michael from Theatre Royal Stratford East. She is performing a selection of new writing with Crowbait Uk supported and funded by Arts Council England. Sara is also part of the new writing/scratch project at Theatre Royal Winchester.

Heather Collier (she/her) 

Actor and theatre-maker for Your Brain Explained 

Heather is a writer, actor, theatremaker and Artistic Director of Cathartic Party [recently shortlisted for the Charlie Hartill Award 2024]. She is currently in rehearsals for the off-West End production of Agatha Christie’s ‘And Then There Were None’ at Upstairs at The Gatehouse, playing the role of ‘Vera Claythorne’, and will also be reprising the role of ‘Ella’ in L.T. Hewitt’s queer rom-com ‘Outing’ at The Edinburgh Fringe this August. She is excited to be apart of ‘Your Brain Explained’ exploring neurodiversity, and helping young people to learn more about themselves and their own unique neurological journeys.”

Sarah-Jane Wareham (she/her)

Actor and theatre-maker for Your Brain Explained 

After graduating from Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, Sarah-Jayne performed in theatres across England, Scotland and in the West End. Following a long break from professional performance,  the Covid pandemic prompted her to  reassess what she wanted to do and  kick started her acting career once more. She feels very fortunate to have had the opportunity over the last few years to do TV, perform new plays, take part in R&D projects, and do voice overs. After having her mind blown watching an excerpt of Theatre for Life's new production, - The Feeling - she is thrilled to be working with the company and looking forward to exploring neurodiversity in Your Brain Explained.

Victoria Ugwoeme (She/her) 

Non-executive director & trustee 

Victoria Ugwoeme is a respected community leader and activist in Southampton. Councillor for the Woolston and Weston Wards in Southampton, radio presenter for Voice FM, founder of Feed The Community Programme CIC, Chair of Southampton Stand Up To Racisim, Trustee for Southampton Voluntary Services, Project lead at United Voices of African Associations. 

 

Professor Kathryn Woods-Townsend (She/her) 

Non-executive director & trustee 
 

Kathryn is the LifeLab Programme Manager and one of the LifeLab Directors.

She is a Principal Research Fellow (Associate Professor - Research) in the Southampton Education School at the University of Southampton.

A successful research scientist with a PhD in Human Genetics, Kathryn retrained as a secondary school teacher, consolidating her interest in Science, Scientific education and Scientific literacy. As the programme manager for LifeLab, since 2009, she has helped to shape, from the beginning, the development of the education programmes, along with leading the randomized controlled trials to evaluate the effectiveness of the approach.

A key objective is to engage children and adolescents with understanding the science behind the health messages thereby empowering them to make healthier lifestyle choices; increasing scientific literacy to increase health literacy. 

Kathryn ensures that children and young people are involved in the co-creation of the education modules and other engagement activities and led the work to set up the LifeLab Youth Panel.

Kathryn and Michelle (Artistic Director) have worked extensively together since 2021 on creative health and theatre projects exploring climate change, brain health and women's health. 

Sarah Shameti (She/her) 

Non-executive director & trustee 

Sarah Shameti, Youth Service Manager at the PEEER Youth Service based at University Hospital Southampton. The service supports young people aged 11 to 25 years old living with a Long-term health condition to navigate the often complex pathways they may encounter as a young person, and provide supportive access to experiences that empower and help build confidence and resilience. Sarah loves dance and theatre and is passionate about the power of creative storytelling and expressive movement in supporting positive wellbeing. 

Sarah and Michelle (Artistic Director) have worked extensively together since 2020 on various creative health programmes, including the Thriving Communities (Arts Council England funded) social prescribing programme for young people with Long-term health needs. 

 

Owen Fletcher (He / him) 

Tour Manager for Bringing the Outside In 
 

Owen is working with Theatre for Life as the Tour Manager. He graduated Chichester college in 2023 and started out as a freelance general technician in 2022. He’s worked on a range of different projects from theatre to corporate events, with a strong view on making touring and theatre more sustainable and diverse. 
He is currently the Technician at The Spring Arts Centre in Havant. Owen is a massive dog lover and looking forward to growing his creative career with Theatre for Life! 

Email: owen.fletcher@theatreforlife.co.uk 

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