THE JUMPED UP TEAM
Kate Hall
Founder CEO / Creative Producer at Jumped Up Theatre
Kate has had a diverse career in theatre, founding Jumped Up Theatre in 1993 with fellow drama graduates, working for a number of organisations, from the Royal Shakespeare Company to Manchester Royal Exchange, in a range of roles from Assistant Director to Education Officer. Kate has also managed venues and delivered workshops in school, and was a founding member of Creative Peterborough.
From 2012-2015 she ran audience development projects in Peterborough as the Arts Programme Manager for Vivacity and from 2015-2017 was Project Director for Market Place, the Creative People & Places programme in Fenland and Forest Heath.
Jumped Up Theatre has been creating work in Peterborough since 2006, led by Kate, working with 100’s of local and visiting creatives, reaching 100’s of new audiences. The company’s place-based work is recognised at a local and national level, with particular praise for programming inspiring productions and running unique participation projects led by young people. Kate successfully led the company to become a National Portfolio Organisation in 2023, funded by Arts Council England. Arts Council England has identified Peterborough as one of areas that they classify as Priority Places, eligible for increased investment and improved engagement.
Whether in the rehearsal room or in a meeting room, audiences are at the heart of her work.
Filiz Ozcan
Artistic Director at Jumped Up Theatre
Filiz Ozcan is a theatre director, festival leader, and Creative Producer whose work consistently places young people and underrepresented voices at the centre of the stage. She has extensive experience in Youth Theatre and Theatre for Young Audiences, including roles as Creative Director at Lewisham Youth Theatre and Associate Director at Prime Theatre. She has also worked with organisations such as Pegasus Theatre, Jacksons Lane, Tara Theatre, Birmingham Rep, and Mercury Theatre. In recognition of her expertise, Filiz was one of only two practitioners selected to represent England at the Buzz Network Lab in Glasgow, a European initiative exploring how to make theatre for young people more inclusive and accessible.
As a Creative Producer, she has delivered major cultural programmes including Punjab to Potteries (New Vic Theatre and Appetite’s Creative People and Places project) and Sensasian, a festival celebrating South Asian culture in Stoke-on-Trent.
Filiz is Joint Artistic Director of Komola Collective, an award-winning company championing female-led stories from diverse backgrounds. She has directed productions such as Birangona: Women of War (Offie-nominated), Aleya Twist (British Council, Bangladesh), Women of Tagore, Shahrazad, and Women of Shakespeare. Her recent work includes Choices: Deluxe Edition, commissioned by the University of Bedfordshire, which explored the barriers young people face in accessing health and social care careers.
As Artistic Director of Jump Up Theatre, Filiz continues to champion inclusive, innovative, and socially impactful work.
Simone Waller
Executive Director at Jumped Up Theatre
Simone Waller is a creative learning leader and producer with over 20 years’ experience across the arts, education and community sectors. She has managed and developed a wide range of programmes, from grassroots community projects with organisations such as Lewisham Youth Theatre, We Do Creativity and 11:18, to large-scale national collaborations including her role delivering the Leeds Dance Partnership on behalf of six major cultural institutions, funded through Arts Council England’s Ambition for Excellence programme.
Simone’s expertise lies in strategic development, partnership building and creating spaces where diverse voices can be heard. She has worked with the National Youth Theatre, developing opportunities for young people to engage with professional theatre-making, as well as with local communities to ensure arts participation is accessible, meaningful and transformative.
Her career reflects a unique combination of hands-on delivery and high-level strategy, with a consistent commitment to supporting underrepresented groups, young people and emerging artists. She brings to Jumped Up a strong belief in the power of culture to build connections, amplify unheard stories and strengthen communities.
Emily Steele-Dias
Participation Producer at Jumped Up Theatre
As Participation Producer at Jumped Up, Emily facilitates creative opportunities that put communities and young people at the heart of our work.
She leads the New Creatives programme, where 14–24 year-olds collaborate with professional artists to explore different art forms and create exciting projects that respond to the environment and the world around them.
She also runs Jumped Up’s Dance programmes, which includes Shiamak Bollywood Dance, Cypher, Dance Included, and Community Dance Day - inviting people of all ages to get moving, discover new styles, and share in the fun of dance as part of a creative community.
Emily would love to hear from young people keen to get creative, artists interested in co-creation and collaboration, and community partners who want to explore how creativity can spark change.
Life outside of Jumped Up
Emily has worked as a freelance artist, curator, and producer since 2018. She founded Cine-Sister CIC, an organisation that showcases and promotes films made by women filmmakers. She is also the Festival Director of the Gateway Film Festival, launched in 2019, which celebrates local history and community, often blending film with other art forms such as dance, music, and poetry to engage audiences across Peterborough. In 2023, Gateway was selected as a Film Hub South East BFI Spotlight Location (2023–2026).
Born and raised in Peterborough, she has previously held positions with 62 Gladstone Street, Art Pop Up & Red 7 Productions and is passionate about art and culture in the city.
Sarah Hunter
Event Producer at Jumped Up Theatre
Sarah began her career backstage at Peterborough’s Key Theatre before training at LAMDA and working as a freelance Stage Manager at venues across London and the UK, including the Bush Theatre, Lyric Hammersmith, and the West End with the original London company of Dirty Dancing. She later spent eight years as a Production Arts Lecturer and Course Coordinator at Peterborough Regional College, before returning to freelance event and stage management with local theatre companies and organisations.
She joined Jumped Up after producing Smoke & Mirrors in 2023 and now supports the company by delivering events that connect local communities and schools through creative and educational experiences and productions.
Sarah manages logistics for productions brought to the city by Jumped Up, ensuring events run smoothly with careful attention to safety, scheduling, and technical requirements.
She is always keen to hear from Peterborough venues and community centres interested in hosting a Jumped-Up production, as well as companies with work suitable for young people, schools, and the wider community of the city.
Jennifer Roberts
Marketing and Participation Assistant at Jumped Up Theatre
Originally from Manchester, Jen graduated from the Northern Writing School with a degree in Creative Writing, where she won the CREATE Award for Student Engagement for a project that united student writers, directors, and professional actors for the Greater Manchester Fringe Festival. Her arts journalism has featured in Lost in Theatreland, covering everything from the Royal Exchange to Manchester International Festival, and has had her work performed at The Fitzgerald and Hope Mill Theatre.
As Marketing and Participation Assistant, Jen helps connect communities with the company’s work through creative marketing, communications, and audience engagement. Jen supports the promotion and participation strands of Jumped Up’s wider programme, making sure projects are welcoming, accessible, and shaped by the voices of the people involved.
She leads on Young Reviewers, a new group for young people in Peterborough to come together, discuss cultural activities, and share their opinions on theatre, film, music, games, and more. If you’re 16-24 and want to join the group, or if you’d like your event covered by the Young Reviewers, Jen would love to hear from you.
OUR TRUSTEES
Trustees are sought to support the growth and development of Jumped Up Theatre.
Siobán Whitney Low
A Creative Consultant and experienced Arts Fundraiser, I have spent over 30 years championing the arts for young people and for social change. My work includes senior leadership and board level roles in the arts and education, collaborating on arts strategy and governance, securing significant funding and raising profile.
I am also an accredited Relational Dynamic Coach and have supported board trustees to feel confident in governance and good governance structures. I am an Associate of The Reading Agency and was previously Executive Director at Museum of Colour. I have worked at Unicorn Theatre for Children and Wac Arts and chaired the Board of Theatre Peckham during the recruitment of their inspirational AD/CEO. I bring to Jumped Up Theatre a breadth of experience in advocacy, equity and inclusion, organisational change, stakeholder engagement and strategic planning.
Claire Ward
I am really excited to join as a trustee for Jumped Up Theatre and use my skills to compliment the board's existing expertise.
I have been fortunate to have worked in theatre marketing and sales for over fifteen years. I am passionate about audiences and providing people with access to arts in order to attend, engage, learn and have fun!
I have been looking to take up a trustee position for a while as I am keen to share my knowledge and experience with a cultural organisation that is local to me. Jumped Up is the perfect fit as I was inspired by the approach the organisation has to ensuring that cultural experiences are placed within the heart of a community. Removing so many perceived barriers is essential for continued engagement and participation and I very much wanted to play a strategic part in this delivery.
Julia Clague
I am a digital communications specialist with twelve years' experience working in arts organisations including Farnham Maltings, British Library and Southbank Centre.
I have been involved in theatre and the arts since I was a teenager. It's my first love. I strongly believe in the positive impact it has on a person's wellbeing and social mobility. My passion for helping people led me to work in the Brand & Creative team at Great Ormond Street Hospital Charity.
Since moving to the charity sector, it feels like the perfect time to give back to the arts. I am excited to be part of Jumped Up's growth and through my role as trustee, I look forward to having a positive impact on communities in Peterborough.
Susannah Bramwell
I am an Arts Producer working across theatre, live performance and community action. I am Cultural Programme Manager at leading independent arts venue, Shoreditch Town Hall, and also work nationally on touring projects with companies including the award winning Documental Productions.
I am passionate about socially driven, interdisciplinary and accessible performance and participatory projects. I work with artists and communities in established venues, unexpected locations and community spaces. I am excited to be a Trustee for Jumped Up, as an organisation that aligns closely with so many of my values - and am looking forward to strategically working with the organisation and other Trustees to ensure Jumped Up continues to deliver exciting cultural experiences to the whole breadth of Peterborough's diverse communities.