The Team
Susanna Lloyd – Co Artistic Director
Susanna trained at the Academy Drama School in London, and graduated from Guildford School of acting with an honours degree in Theatre. She has worked continuously as an actor and musician for companies such as Bolton Octagon, Northern Broadsides, and TEG productions and is a member of the UK’s leading Western Swing band The Swing Commanders, and swing trio The Gelatos.
Susanna is an experienced drama facilitator having worked with many theatres and schools up and down the country with children of all ages and abilities. She is currently writing and composing a series of musical children’s books, which are touring UK theatres and schools as an introduction to music project.
Helena Lloyd-Wilson – Co Artistic Director
Helena trained in Musical Theatre at The Brit School of Performing Arts. She then went on to gain a degree in Music Theatre at Leeds University and an MA in Ensemble Physical Theatre: Training and Performance at Huddersfield University.
Since then she has gone on to run music and drama workshops at numerous schools over the North West and worked as a performing arts workshop facilitator for many performing arts companies such Opera North, Greenwich Academy of Music and Drama, Helen O Grady Drama Academy, Stage Coach, The Lowry and The West Yorkshire Playhouse.
As well as running Artful Playground, Helena currently works at Bowdon Preparatory School in Altrincham teaching Music and Drama.
Rebekah Hughes – Associate Artist
Rebekah trained at the University college of Ripon and York St John and is now a successful musical director, composer and arranger. She has been resident at Mikron Theatre Company since 2001 as well as writing an arranging for companies such as Northern Broadsides, Bolton Octagon, PMA productions, Firefly, and Wigan Pier.
Alongside her MD work Rebekah also runs her own music service RS Notes, and composes and arranges original material for Theatre Tots in London, Quickfoot Media in Huddersfield, and is currently in the process of collaborating with Bigfoot on a new national music-in-education programme, and still finds time to perform with Swing trio The Gelatos.
Barbara Hockaday – Associate Artist & Facilitator
Barbara studied Modern Drama at Brunel University and is an experienced actor-musician. Her work includes stints at theatres such as West Yorkshire Playhouse, New Vic Theatre, Theatr Clwyd, Hampstead Theatre, plus touring nationally and internationally with Northern Broadsides, TEG productions and British Theatre Playhouse. She is also a musical director and composer, most recently in close collaboration with Bolton Octagon on their festive season productions.
Barbara is a versatile and experienced teacher, regularly running classes and workshops in drama, music, and dance. Her choreography work includes full scale productions for young people such as West Side Story, Cabaret, Oaklahoma! and Guys and Dolls.