Emma studied at the University of Kent, and trained at Birmingham School of Acting and CityLit.

Having been actively involved in theatre (both on and off stage) since the age of 4, she is hugely passionate about the arts being used as a way in which to enrich lives. Emma joined MTA in 2014 and has since been at the forefront of its arts management, customer service and administration.

She is an experienced theatre facilitator, having run and supervised participatory arts workshops throughout her career. She also worked as a professional performer within productions with hugely varying styles from Classical and Contemporary Theatre, to Pantomimes, Musicals and Theatre in Education.

Emma also works professionally as a Director/Producer and was the Artistic Director of her own critically acclaimed touring theatre company, MadCap Theatre Productions. MadCaps focused on Shakespeare and historically-based theatre.

Emma’s favourite musicals of all time are Something Rotten, Legally Blonde or Calamity Jane. All are hideously embarrassing to admit, but their cast recordings can make any day better. Although Hamilton, Come From Away or Dear Evan Hansen are probably what she’ll tell you if you question her in public…

Richard studied at the University of Exeter and trained at East 15 Acting School.

He is a freelance drama facilitator and award winning theatre maker who believes that the Arts can provide valuable, enriching, new experiences that benefit the individual and the community in which they belong.

Richard is a regular guest lecturer and director at leading theatre schools including East 15.

Richard has also worked as a professional actor and toured the UK, Europe (and even China) with a number of productions. During this time he also worked as a Fight Director for both stage and screen and has most recently completed filming on Star Wars: Solo and The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance (for Netflix Worldwide).

Alongside his work as an actor, Richard was also the Volunteer Coordinator at Southbank Centre where he implemented a hugely successful volunteer programme. The programme was designed to facilitate the engagement of more people with the arts and had a strong focus on supporting people from a wide variety of backgrounds including: pensioners, ex-offenders, refugees and homeless people.

Richard is the Co-Artistic Director for his own theatre company ‘SharkLegs’.

Sharklegs won the 2016 Les Enfants Terribles Award and has been featured in the Guardian, the Evening Standard and the Telegraph. They have also appeared on BBC Radio 4, BBC Breakfast News and London Live. In 2015, Richard went viral with his homemade puppet PAPERboy (for the Sharklegs production #PAPERboy).

Richard’s favourite musical is Lord of the Rings (which is a little controversial) and when he first began studying in London got a job selling programs at Theatre Royal Drury Lane because he couldn’t afford a ticket! The musical version of Tolkien’s epic novels had orcs and monsters and magic (Oh My!)

Lisa studied performing arts at Middlesex University. Upon graduation, she worked as an actor for over a decade performing in musical theatre, pantomime and over thirty TV commercials (fun fact: she played the mum in the 2014 John Lewis Christmas ad – Monty the Penguin).

Lisa then turned to her original childhood love of writing. She has penned several books for children and teenagers, including the multi award-winning The Art of Being Normal, and more recently the hugely popular Bigg School series. She is also an experienced public speaker and creative writing workshop facilitator, visiting schools up and down the UK spreading the joy of reading and writing.

During the (numerous) gaps between acting jobs, Lisa worked as an administrator, bringing her trademark efficiency and good cheer to such organisations as The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, The Tavistock Centre and the Association of Child Psychotherapists. She is very happy to be part of the MTA team, combining her love of the arts with her love of spreadsheets.

Alongside her admin role, Lisa continues to work as an author, so when she’s not at the MTA office, she can usually be found tucked away in her garret making up stories.

Lisa’s taste in musicals in eclectic to say the least. Her top five includes A Chorus Line, Starlight Express, The Sound of Music, Meet Me In St Louis and, um, Xanadu.

Tarini moved often growing up, living in Amsterdam, Chicago, and Mumbai before studying Drama and English Literature at the University of Kent, graduating in 2022.

She worked in B2B SaaS marketing before moving in-house to The Children’s Society in their organic digital team. She started at Montage in February 2025.

Tarini has been a performing arts buff from a young age, taking part in youth Shakespeare from the age of 12. She continues to pursue acting alongside her marketing career.

Her favourite musical changes all the time, but some all-time favourites are Hamilton, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, and Moana.

Arran is a theatre and film professional who studied Drama and English Literature at the University of Manchester, covering practical and theoretical understanding of the dramatic arts.

Arran has working experience in the facilitation of arts for young people in schools and youth groups. He’s most passionate about the arts’ ability to empower young people, promote inclusivity and build community. He’s incredibly proud to bring MTA’s mission to life and build a real community through the work he does.

Through the connections he built in Manchester and beyond, Arran has worked as an actor in multiple theatre productions in Fringe theatres across London, Manchester, and Edinburgh. These included Be Home Soon, an OFFIE nominated Fringe production in 2023. In 2022, he starred in the feature film Future TX with Griff Rhys Jones.

Arran is also an experienced comedy writer, penning ‘Running Out of Time!’, a month-run sketch show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He also has interests in poetry, films, and history.

Arran’s favourite musicals are Blood Brothers, Amelie, Sunday in the Park with George, Company, and Hairspray. He has no idea what links these all together.