Officials

Vice President Sandra Houldsworth & President Joan Bennett

Trustees / Management Committee   

Andrew Stansall   -  Chairman   

As a member of Croft since 1988, Andrew has played  many leading and supporting roles. His most memorable ones are: Billy in '42nd Street': Don Lockwood in 'Singin' in the Rain' : Tom Thumb in 'Barnum' : The Tin Man in 'The Wiz' : and Carmen Ghia in 'The Producers'. 

Andrew has been a member of the Croft Trustees Management Committee since 1996.  He is well known for his artistic flair and enthusiasm.  Married to Alison, who is also a member of Croft, their daughter Abigail is fast following in the family footsteps. Footsteps being the appropriate word as Andrew was also appointed as Dance Captain for the 2010 production of 'The Full Monty'

Joe was elected on to the board of Trustees in 2020. He has been with Croft for 10 years now, his first show being 'Grease' in 2014.

Joe is no stranger to the stage and is hoping to bring fresh new ideas to the Croft Team. He began performing at the age of 13 as the lead role Oliver in his school production and has since enjoyed performing with 7 societies across Sheffield.

Since his debut in 2014, Joe has performed in 6 productions with Croft now and really feels a part of the family.

Joe currently works for Sheffield Theatres as a Front of House Duty Manager.  He loves his time performing with Croft and is excited to now be part of the management team.

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Bennett  -  Treasurer (1996 - 2023)  &  President

Joan credits her father Jack for her book keeping skills which have been put to good use in her more serious role as Treasurer. Jack was also the family comedian, and taught her the value of laughter, but it is her pianist mum Edith who she thanks for her stage career. Edith was also the full time dancing school pianist, which paid for dance training for Joan from the age of 3 to her teens.

At age 12 she was a principal in the then famous 'Childrens Tower Ballet' at Blackpool, also selected to perform at the Royal Variety Performance that year. As a professional dancer in her teens, she was once a magician's assistant (entombed and knifed), and the first dancer to be employed by Mr. Stringfellow (well before his lap dancing days!). 

A member of Croft since 1975 Joan has played numerous comedic character roles. She has devoted 45 years to Croft House as a performer, over 25 yrs as Treasurer, numerous years as a member of the Trustees, organised social events, publicity, designed programmes, painted scenery, sewed (once making a muslin curtain the length & height of the City Hall Stage). She has collated over 100 years of Croft archives & continues to update the website.  Previously Chairman from 2009 to 2012; Joan's aims are to encourage the new younger members to feel as passionate as she does, to take the company forward, preserving the foundations so carefully laid in the past, for future generations to enjoy. In 2018 she was appointed Vice President of Croft.  On 9th February 2022 she was appointed President.

Shan Bennett  -  Company Secretary     

It was 1983 when a friend asked Shan if she liked singing and suggested she join 'Croft' ... Having no previous experience of musical theatre she had a lot to learn: how to dance, how to apply make-up, how to get herself on to the right side of the stage, and more importantly not fall off it!  

She spent many years safely hidden behind palm trees or pirate ships at the back of the chorus but always enjoyed the camaraderie at rehearsals and backstage. Gaining confidence over the years she became a stalwart member of the ensemble, and found herself doing things she had never imagined possible.

Shan has raised lots of funds for the members social fund with her games and raffles. In 1997 she was voted on to the Management Committee as a Members Rep, and thus began a new era of learning just how much work goes on behind the scenes to get a show on to the Lyceum or City Hall Stage. In 2009 she took on the added responsibility of Secretary and enjoys working with such a dedicated team.

She says she has had the same stick of bright red Leichner lippy throughout her Croft stage career  and plans to retire from performing only when the last slick of it is gone  ...  she's still got 1/4" left!

With a wealth of experience both on and off stage, Kath first started treading the boards at the tender age of 14 yrs. She has worked both backstage and front of house as well as directing and performing for various groups in both musicals and plays. Her last performance on stage was in the 2019 production of 'Wife After Death' for New Venture Players and in 2020 was about to perform 'When We Are Married' for Denys Edwards Players when the week before lockdown struck cancelling productions.

She returned to tread the boards again with D.E.P. in 2023 to play Miss Maple in 'Murdered To Death'.  Kath's career was in finance and she took early retirement from the bank after serving 23 years holding various positions.

She  previously served on the Trustees committee for 10 years as Ticket secretary from 1991 - 2001, and was appointed Assistant Director for several Croft Productions from 2009 - 2012, 2015 & 2016. Kath returned to the Trustees Committee in 2016 as Business Manager until 2023, but still remains a trustee and is Front of House Manager for our annual productions. 

           

 

A Croft member for the last 6 years, Kim appeared in ‘Seven Brides for Seven Brothers’ (2018) and ‘Cats’ (2019), loving every moment with the company.

Before moving to Sheffield in 2015, Kim performed in various shows including ‘Annie’ and ‘Oklahoma’ with companies in South London and Surrey, her favourite roles being Anytime Annie in ‘42nd Street’ and Brenda in ‘Hairspray’. Since moving to Sheffield she first performed at The City Hall with Manor O.S. in ‘Singin’in the Rain’ and ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’.

Joining Team Croft in 2017, Kim was so helpful in drilling the company routines she was appointed as Dance Captain in ‘Cats’.

In everyday life, Kim is a lecturer in sport at Sheffield Hallam University, a keen runner, volunteer with GoodGym and ‘dog botherer’.

Kim was elected to the management committee at the AGM in July 2019 and took on the demanding role of Deputy Stage Manager for the 2023 production of 'Kinky Boots'

 

 

 

Helen Green  -  Marketing Manager & Members Liaison Officer

Melodie has been on stage since she was a 'bump' and has appeared in numerous pantomimes and shows, following steadfastly in the steps of her lovely mum Maureen. She started at Constance Grants Dance Centre in 1971 and plodded her way through many examinations until becoming a qualified teacher in 1982 and now has her own Dance and Drama School.

Melodie is also a member of Equity and appears regularly as a background artist in many TV shows.

Since joining Croft House in 1986 she has not looked back; she has appeared in many Croft shows, mainly as a dancer, but has also played many minor parts both at the City Hall and The Lyceum. She has also played leading roles for other societies, but Melodie has also been happy to roll her sleeves up and work backstage too. She was voted on to the Committee in 2009 and is thoroughly enjoying being part of such a fantastic team.

Lilli Connelly  -  Trustee    2023

Growing up in Kent, Lilli spent most of her childhood taking regular trips to London to see as many West End shows as she could, creating a life-long love for musical theatre and performing arts.

She studied Musical Theatre at the University of Chichester, learning all she could about working both on and off stage.

In 2018 Lilli moved to Sheffield; she joined Croft to perform in their 2023 production 'KInky Boots' and instantly fell in love with the company. Lilli loves every moment with Croft and already feels like one of the family.

Although she is one of the newest members, Lilli is excited to bring her love, knowledge, and passion for musical theatre to the Croft Team.

Steph Symonds  -  Trustee    2023

Francine Phillips  -  Trustee

Production Team 

Claire Harriott  -  Director/Choreographer

Claire has been involved in amateur theatre in Sheffield for over 40 years both onstage and behind the scenes. She started out in Babes Chorus in Panto progressing to the dancers, then went on to play leading roles such as Ado Annie (Oklahoma), Katie Brown (Calamity Jane), Irene (Irene), Phyllis Dale (42nd Street) to name a few. She trained at Gwen Wilkins School of Dance and in 1987 attained a Diploma in Performance Arts from Sheffield College. Whilst at college Claire studied the works of Chekhov, Stanislavsky, Shakespeare and Oscar Wild and was lucky enough to attend workshops with London Contemporary Dance Theatre, Ballet Rambert and the Royal Ballet. It was whilst at college Claire started Choreographing for Local societies such as Sheffield Fellowship, STOS Theatre Company, Handsworth and Hallam Theatre Company and was a co-founder of ABC productions. Claire was also Dance captain and assistant Director/Choreographer for Croft House Theatre Company between 2003 to 2010. In 2016 Claire took on the role of  Director & Choreographer for Handsworth & Hallam’s production of ‘The Wiz’ (Montgomery Theatre), a role she has repeated  for their productions of ‘Crazy for You’ 2017, “Spend Spend Spend” 2018 and  “Wind in the Willows” 2019. 2017 saw her return to Croft to Direct and Choreograph their production of “Priscilla Queen of the Desert”, followed by “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers” (2018)  “Cats” (2019)  "Calendar Girls" (2022) and "Kinky Boots" (2023). She has also been choreographer/ Assistant choreographer for STOS Theatre Company since 1998 and is currently working on their production of “Barnum'’ (Lyceum). Claire is also a YMCA RSA qualified fitness instructor. Choreography credits: Aladdin, End of the Pier Show, Carousel, Guys & Dolls, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Cabaret, The Card, Best little Whorehouse in Texas, Likes of Us, Half a Sixpence, Annie (University Drama Studio), Sweet Charity, King & I , Billy (Montgomery Theatre) Musical Cavalcade 1990, Guys & Dolls, Crucible Awakes (Crucible), A Musical Cavalcade 1991 & 1992, Musical Hall 1993 & 1994, State Fair, Scrooge, Robert & Elizabeth, Annie, Broadway Pirates, Buddy, Oliver, A Christmas Carol, Our House, White Christmas (I love a Piano), Legally Blonde, Made in Dagenham, My Fair Lady and Gypsy (Lyceum).  She looks forward to another fabulous Croft production of "Sunset Boulevard" 2024.

Matthew Symonds  -  Musical Director

Matt works as a professional musician and teacher across Yorkshire (and occasionally further afield).   

After graduating from Sheffield University with a  degree in music, he worked as a musician for a few years before completing a PGCE and starting to work in a variety of schools. He has accompanied and  musically directed for many musical theatre groups across the region.

This is Matt’s first time as Musical Director with Croft, after being our rehearsal pianist for Kinky Boots (2023) but he has covered many times in previous Croft productions. Matt is enjoying being  part of Team Croft and looking forward to  being our M.D. -  especially for Sunset Boulevard as it requires conducting a large orchestra.

 David Burgess  -  Musical Director    (retired 2023)

David is currently employed by Rotherham College as a Curriculum Leader of Music and Performing Arts. He continually works as both a performing Musician and Musical Director across the UK and leads the region’s top party band, 'The Magnetics', performing regularly across the UK and Europe.

His previous shows include: Boogie Nights, Cabaret, Calamity Jane, The Rocky Horror Show, Carousel, Les Miserables, Guys & Dolls, Anything Goes, The Wedding Singer, Ghost, Bonnie and Clyde, Peter Pan, Starlight Express, Priscilla Queen of the Dessert, 7 Brides for 7 Brothers, Spend Spend Spend, Cats, countless pantomimes and many more.

 

 

Paul Minott  -  Stage  Manager 

Christine Minott  -  Wardrobe Superviser

Christine became involved in Sheffield amateur theatre in 1984. Since then, she has been an on-stage member and has also taken on many off-stage responsibilities such as treasurer, wardrobe manager and more recently props manager with other local theatre companies. Christine has worked back stage helping Croft for many years assisting Paul (Stage Manager). She joined the Croft Props Team in 2011 and was appointed CHTC Props Manager in 2013.  Christine was wardrobe supervisor for Sister Act in 2015 & resumes this post for the 2017 production of Priscilla;  a welcome asset to ‘Team Croft’.

Sandra Houldsworth  -  Ticket Secretary for Croft