Emma studied at the University of Kent, and trained at Birmingham School of Acting and CityLit.

Having been actively involved in theatre (both on and off stage) since the age of 4, she is hugely passionate about the arts being used as a way in which to enrich lives. Emma joined MTA in 2014 and has since been at the forefront of its arts management, customer service and administration.

She is an experienced theatre facilitator, having run and supervised participatory arts workshops throughout her career. She also worked as a professional performer within productions with hugely varying styles from Classical and Contemporary Theatre, to Pantomimes, Musicals and Theatre in Education.

Emma also works professionally as a Director/Producer and was the Artistic Director of her own critically acclaimed touring theatre company, MadCap Theatre Productions. MadCaps focused on Shakespeare and historically-based theatre. Career highlights include:
Taming of the Shrew (in association with the RSC), producing/directing Romeo and Juliet performed for over 2000 school children, and working with Sir Derek Jacobi to produce and direct performances for charity events.

In former roles, Emma managed a department in a rapidly growing insurance brokers and also established the youth performance, music and dance programmes for the Girl Scouts of Chesapeake Bay (USA) within their Summer Camps.

Emma’s favourite musicals of all time are Something Rotten, Legally Blonde or Calamity Jane. All are hideously embarrassing to admit, but their cast recordings can make any day better. Although Hamilton, Come From Away or Dear Evan Hansen are probably what she’ll tell you if you question her in public…

Arran is a theatre and film professional who studied Drama and English Literature at the University of Manchester, covering practical and theoretical understanding of the dramatic arts.

Arran has working experience in the facilitation of arts for young people in schools and youth groups. He’s most passionate about the arts’ ability to empower young people, promote inclusivity and build community. He’s incredibly proud to bring MTA’s mission to life and build a real community through the work he does.

Through the connections he built in Manchester and beyond, Arran has worked as an actor in multiple theatre productions in Fringe theatres across London, Manchester, and Edinburgh. These included Be Home Soon, an OFFIE nominated Fringe production in 2023. In 2022, he starred in the feature film Future TX with Griff Rhys Jones.

Arran is also an experienced comedy writer, penning ‘Running Out of Time!’, a month-run sketch show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. He also has interests in poetry, films, and history.

Arran’s favourite musicals are Blood Brothers, Amelie, Sunday in the Park with George, Company, and Hairspray. He has no idea what links these all together.

Lisa studied performing arts at Middlesex University. Upon graduation, she worked as an actor for over a decade performing in musical theatre, pantomime and over thirty TV commercials (fun fact: she played the mum in the 2014 John Lewis Christmas ad – Monty the Penguin). 

Lisa then turned to her original childhood love of writing. She has penned several books for children and teenagers, including the multi award-winning The Art of Being Normal, and more recently the hugely popular Bigg School series. She is also an experienced public speaker and creative writing workshop facilitator, visiting schools up and down the UK spreading the joy of reading and writing. 

During the (numerous) gaps between acting jobs, Lisa worked as an administrator, bringing her trademark efficiency and good cheer to such organisations as The Royal Pharmaceutical Society, The Tavistock Centre and the Association of Child Psychotherapists. She is very happy to be part of the MTA team, combining her love of the arts with her love of spreadsheets.

Alongside her admin role, Lisa continues to work as an author, so when she’s not at the MTA office, she can usually be found tucked away in her garret making up stories.  

Lisa’s taste in musicals in eclectic to say the least. Her top five includes A Chorus Line, Starlight Express, The Sound of Music, Meet Me In St Louis and, um, Xanadu. 

Tarini moved often growing up, living in Amsterdam, Chicago, and Mumbai before studying Drama and English Literature at the University of Kent, graduating in 2022.

She worked in B2B SaaS marketing before moving in-house to The Children’s Society in their organic digital team. She started at Montage in February 2025.

Tarini has been a performing arts buff from a young age, taking part in youth Shakespeare from the age of 12. She continues to pursue acting alongside her marketing career.

Her favourite musical changes all the time, but some all-time favourites are Hamilton, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, and Moana.