Catherine Budworth BA Hons, GTP, QTS

Principal and Teacher at Theatre Cats Stage School
From an early age Catherine was interested in music and performing. Her first taste of drama was at the age of 10 where she played the role of Tommy the Cat in the school pantomime Dick Whittington. She began playing clarinet at the age of 11 and was heavily involved in the South Derbyshire Music Centre in 2 choirs and 3 bands.
At secondary school, Catherine studied both Drama and Music at GCSE and after the completion of her A-Levels she then went on to read Theatre Studies and English at University where she gained a BA Honours degree in 2004. She has continued to perform in many shows singing, dancing and acting and has performed in various venues including Chatsworth House and the Millennium Dome. She also sings with Friday Voices, a chamber choir which has recently competed in Sligo, Ireland in an International Choral Competition and gained second place in the Madrigal class.

After completing her degree, Catherine decided to pursue her teaching career and obtained a post as a teaching assistant at The William Allitt School where she also provided cover for a drama teacher who went on maternity leave. Catherine then secured a place on the Graduate Teaching Programme and gained her Qualified Teacher Status.

As a Qualified Teacher, Catherine secured a teaching post at Burleigh Community College, Loughborough where she taught Drama, English and Expressive Arts to GCSE and A-Level students. It was in Loughborough where Catherine gained experience of teaching children with a wide range of special needs and learning difficulties, including English as an Additional Language and children with Autism.

It was during August 2007 when Catherine decided to pursue her dream of opening a stage school with the aim of improving confidence and self-esteem in children of all ages and abilities. Theatre Cats Stage School had its first taster sessions in December 2007 and officially opened in January 2008 with 2 classes in Burton. The stage school now has 18 classes covering the Burton, Newhall, Uttoxeter and Mickleover areas and teaches over 200 children and adults every week.

Catherine is also First Aid trained and has attended recent courses on Child Protection and Safe Recruitment.

Hannah Mason. Teacher at Theatre Cats Mickleover and Uttoxeter and Theatre Kittens Teacher.

Hannah has been acting for many years, and discovered her love for theatre whilst performing with Burton on Trent’s ‘Little Theatre Company’ at the Brewhouse Arts Centre. Also a strong singer and dancer, she has performed in a wide variety of genres, including musical theatre. In 2009, Hannah graduated from the University of Hull with a BA(Hons) in Drama, and followed this up by studying for a Diploma in Professional Acting at The Bridge Theatre Training Company, London, which she completed in July 2010. Her professional credits since graduation include Lady Anne in Shakespeare’s ‘Richard III’, Adele in the short film ‘Cleansing’, and a lead role in a recent pilot for a potential new BBC drama series.

Hannah began teaching upon her graduation from drama school, and thoroughly enjoys planning and delivering fun, inspiring and creative drama classes. She is delighted to be joining the Theatre Cats team as teacher for the Mickleover and Uttoxeter Theatre Cats and Theatre Kittens classes.

Viki Cawley. Teacher and Assistant at Theatre Cats Burton and Mickleover.

Viki started drama lessons at the age of 6 and soon began taking part in various performances, festivals and acting exams. As a teenager she also took part in modern, tap and singing lessons before progressing to GCSE Drama, a year before the rest of her GCSE’s. Viki also achieved LAMDA qualifications in Acting and Speech and Drama to Gold Medal Standard. At college Viki studied Psychology and Drama/Theatre Studies and soon decided that she wanted to combine her passions for working with young people and the arts. After a year out, Viki attended Derby University where she studied Creative Expressive Therapies, specialising in Drama. Whilst studying, Viki gained her first teaching post at a local drama school. During her time at University, she also gained experience of Theatre in Education and using the integrated arts to devise and facilitate workshops with a variety of children and young people ranging from those attending mainstream school to those with special needs, in particular Autism. Upon graduating Viki worked as a Drama & Musical Theatre teacher for 2 years at Dance School in South Derbyshire, before moving to her current position where she works in a secondary school with young people with Behavioural, Emotional & Social difficulties, using the arts as intervention. Viki has a recent First Aid qualification and has attended various courses on safeguarding and child protection. She is excited to be joining the Theatre Cats team as teacher for the Burton Theatre Cats and an assistant in Mickleover.

Theatre Cats Teaching Assistants:

Kyle Lamley (Burton, Newhall and Glee).

Gina Downing (Burton)

Ross Harris (Uttoxeter)

Summer School staff are Catherine Budworth, Fiona Parker, Lauren Taylor and Kyle Lamley.

If you have any questions about Theatre Cats, or would like to join our team of teachers and assistants, please contact:

Catherine Budworth (Principal)

Telephone: 0845 003 8230 or

Email: info@theatrecats.co.uk