LEADERS
ROSS BROWN - Main Leader
Ross is our current SPYS leader having taken the role in 2013. He used to be a member of SPYS and joined back in 2002. Since then he has completed a Drama degree at the University of Exeter, a PGCE at the University of Warwick and an MA in Direction. Ross has directed several One Acts with the SPYS including Ernie’s Incredible Illucinations, Bring Me a Dream, Still Thinking and the multi-award winning Bodas de Sangre. Ross usually directs the main SPYS show each year. Over the years he has been in many shows with the adult group including Owen in The Vicar of Dibley, Petruchio in Taming of the Shrew, Buttons in Cinderella and Dale Harding in One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s nest. Ross is also a keen writer as has written several pantomimes and One-act plays for the group including Cinderella (2014 & 2023) Hansel and Gretel (2015), Dick Whittington (2017), "In the Noir Garden (2023) and "The dreams we never lost tonight" (2022) the latter receiving a nomination for Best original play . Ross is vice prinicpal of Razzamataz Theatre Schools in Yate as well as being an English and Film Studies Teacher at Brimsham Green School. He has recently founded his own professional drama company "The Blank Slate Ensemble"
LUCY CRAGG
Lucy is Sodbury Players and SPYS resident choreographer having joined the group in 2012. She has created dances for several pantomimes during her time in the group. Lucy was called in last minute to help choreograph The Wizard of Oz in 2013 and became a SPYS leader shortly after that. Since then, she has worked her magic teaching our SPYS to dance in all of our main shows. Although a nursery nurse and Mummy to Maisie and Jemima by day, Lucy has been dancing since the age of 4. She has taught dance singing and drama at Danceblast and Razzamataz Yate. Lucy has also been in several productions with Sodbury Players and you may have seen her treading the boards with the group. Starring roles have include Bianca in The Taming of the Shrew, Jack in Jack and the Beanstalk and Hansel in Hansel and Gretel. One of her favourite roles was as Cecily in The Importance of Being Earnest. In 2016, Lucy has dabbled in direction to - her first one act with the group ‘Darkness in the Night’ which went on to be the over all winning production at The Avon festival beating several of the adult groups.
KAYLEIGH ROSE
Kayleigh has been a member of Players for 12 years having started her journey as a SPY alongside Ross. Since then Kayleigh hasn’t really left and has moved on to become a SPYS leader since graduating from the youth group 8 years ago where she takes a lead in the singing arrangements. In 2012 she directed the SPYS one act entry From Shakespeare With Love and co-directed Sleeping Beauty 2011. She has starred in many productions over the years including Mary in Treasure Island, Candy in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest and most notably Alice in The Vicar of Dibley. Kayleigh has an A level in drama and performance and an English Degree and PGCE where she uses her skills as a Primary School teacher She also taught singing, dance and acting to four and five year olds at Razzamataz Keynsham.
DAVID LORD
David joined Sodbury Players in January 2017 with his first role being Mr Gribsby in 2017's The Importance of being Earnest. He has also started in Private Peaceful, Tony Blair in The Audience and Harpo in Jack and the Beanstalk. His first introduction to SPYS was watching their performance of 'Beauty & The Beast' and worked with several during Private Peaceful. David is a trained teacher, having worked with a range of age groups over many years. He is also an author, his first book 'The Figment Wars' having been published in 2015. David has since directed the adult's September 2022 play of "Dracula" which was nominated for Best Dramatic Production at the 2022 Noda SW awards.
All of our leaders are DBS checked and are active members of the adult group with years of performing experience.