top of page
THE TROUPE
KATRIEN VAN BEURDEN
artist core/actress
Netherlands
Besides being an actress, Katrien is in demand as a lecturer at NYU Tish university NEW York, Freedom theatre Palestine and the Film Academy in Amsterdam.
She is often asked to give lectures as a social entrepreneur and as an advisory body. As an actress, she featured in Gonzalo Fernandez and Ashar Medina's film ‘Tom Eagle’, in Ibsen's ‘Nora’ at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Los Angeles, and in the film The Resurrection of a Bastard with Yorick van Wageningen. On t.v., among others, in Christmas with the Coopers, Swanenburg and Dear Mom. Next season, she can be seen in the new series Rampvlucht and the feature film Apollo, and is developing a new TV series with Carly Wijs, Dunya Khayame and Susanne Visser.
Netherlands
Besides being an actress, Katrien is in demand as a lecturer at NYU Tish university NEW York, Freedom theatre Palestine and the Film Academy in Amsterdam.
She is often asked to give lectures as a social entrepreneur and as an advisory body. As an actress, she featured in Gonzalo Fernandez and Ashar Medina's film ‘Tom Eagle’, in Ibsen's ‘Nora’ at the Pacific Resident Theatre in Los Angeles, and in the film The Resurrection of a Bastard with Yorick van Wageningen. On t.v., among others, in Christmas with the Coopers, Swanenburg and Dear Mom. Next season, she can be seen in the new series Rampvlucht and the feature film Apollo, and is developing a new TV series with Carly Wijs, Dunya Khayame and Susanne Visser.
SACHA MULLER
Artistic core/actor |
Netherlands
Sacha Muller graduated as an actor and theatre maker from the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht in 2007.
Immediately after graduating, he joined Maurits van den Berg and Sjors Stassen as the young makers of theatre company Beumer&Drost. Under their wings, he produced the successful performances Guests, Drempelen and Warenhuis, among others.
In 2013, he founded the collective Thomas, Sacha and Jos, and joined. the artistic core of the Troupe Courage.
As an actor, he has appeared with Filiaal Theatermakers, Bonte Hond, Ulrike Quade Company and Theater Artemis, among others.
This season, he toured with Thomas, Sacha and Jos with the show My Father.
This coming season, he will be seen in theatre group Aluin's production ‘12th Night’ and is making the production ‘The Lamb that is a Pig’ with Het Filiaal Theatermakers.
Netherlands
Sacha Muller graduated as an actor and theatre maker from the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten Utrecht in 2007.
Immediately after graduating, he joined Maurits van den Berg and Sjors Stassen as the young makers of theatre company Beumer&Drost. Under their wings, he produced the successful performances Guests, Drempelen and Warenhuis, among others.
In 2013, he founded the collective Thomas, Sacha and Jos, and joined. the artistic core of the Troupe Courage.
As an actor, he has appeared with Filiaal Theatermakers, Bonte Hond, Ulrike Quade Company and Theater Artemis, among others.
This season, he toured with Thomas, Sacha and Jos with the show My Father.
This coming season, he will be seen in theatre group Aluin's production ‘12th Night’ and is making the production ‘The Lamb that is a Pig’ with Het Filiaal Theatermakers.
THOMAS VAN OUWERKERK
| artistic core/actor |
Dutch
Thomas van Ouwerkerk (1988) graduated as an actor from the Utrecht School of the Arts. After his studies, he played as a freelance actor with various companies. For instance, he played with Jakop Ahlbom in the performance Horror and has been with the international mask company Familie Flöz since 2016. With both groups, he has toured internationally, from the Sydney Opera House to the London mime festival.
Besides Troupe Courage, he is also artistic core in the collective Thomas, Sacha and Jos.
Dutch
Thomas van Ouwerkerk (1988) graduated as an actor from the Utrecht School of the Arts. After his studies, he played as a freelance actor with various companies. For instance, he played with Jakop Ahlbom in the performance Horror and has been with the international mask company Familie Flöz since 2016. With both groups, he has toured internationally, from the Sydney Opera House to the London mime festival.
Besides Troupe Courage, he is also artistic core in the collective Thomas, Sacha and Jos.
ALAA SHEHADA
| acteur/theatermaker |
Palestina
Alaa Shehada is a theatre maker, educated with The Freedom Theatre Acting School in Jenincamp, Palestine.
He specializes in physical comedy, stand-up comedy, and has performance experience in the USA, Europe, Turkey, Africa,Asia and the UK.
He worked with the directors : Amir Nizar zubi, Di treves.
He has performed at Theatre Royal Stratford in London, LaMaMa theatre in New York, The Malthouse theatre in Melbourne Australia, the Carthage festival in Tunisia, The John kinnedy centre in Washington, THEkIMMLE centre in Philadelphia and the GATHRIE theatre Public Theater in NYC.
Shehada is a clown with Red Noses International in the West Bank and leads theatre workshops for children and women in Palestine
He received a Jury Award at the International Festival of Liberal Theatre in Jordan and the Best Show Award at the Palestinian National Theatre Festival 2018.
Palestina
Alaa Shehada is a theatre maker, educated with The Freedom Theatre Acting School in Jenincamp, Palestine.
He specializes in physical comedy, stand-up comedy, and has performance experience in the USA, Europe, Turkey, Africa,Asia and the UK.
He worked with the directors : Amir Nizar zubi, Di treves.
He has performed at Theatre Royal Stratford in London, LaMaMa theatre in New York, The Malthouse theatre in Melbourne Australia, the Carthage festival in Tunisia, The John kinnedy centre in Washington, THEkIMMLE centre in Philadelphia and the GATHRIE theatre Public Theater in NYC.
Shehada is a clown with Red Noses International in the West Bank and leads theatre workshops for children and women in Palestine
He received a Jury Award at the International Festival of Liberal Theatre in Jordan and the Best Show Award at the Palestinian National Theatre Festival 2018.
REMY VAN KESTEREN
| composer / harpist |
Netherlands
Dutch harpist Remy van Kesteren is founder and artistic director of the Dutch Harp Festival. In 2016, he won the Dutch Music Prize.
Van Kesteren studied with Erika Waardenburg at the Utrecht Conservatoire and with Isabelle Moretti at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris. In 2012, he obtained his master's degree ‘summa cum laude’ at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
At sixteen, Van Kesteren already made his debut in The Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. A year before, he played on the occasion of Princess Amalia's christening and performed at Carnegie Hall, New York.
The many prizes he won at domestic and international competitions led to concerts all over the world, from Europe to the United States, Japan and Africa.
From 2015, Van Kesteren also explored other genres, such as pop, process music and improvisation. He created his own musical world with his own compositions: a mixture of neoclassical minimal music, electronics and jazz. Together with harp maker Salvi, he developed a new instrument, the Réus 49; it has 49 strings instead of 47 and can be played both acoustically and electrically amplified.
Netherlands
Dutch harpist Remy van Kesteren is founder and artistic director of the Dutch Harp Festival. In 2016, he won the Dutch Music Prize.
Van Kesteren studied with Erika Waardenburg at the Utrecht Conservatoire and with Isabelle Moretti at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris. In 2012, he obtained his master's degree ‘summa cum laude’ at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam.
At sixteen, Van Kesteren already made his debut in The Concertgebouw with the Netherlands Chamber Orchestra. A year before, he played on the occasion of Princess Amalia's christening and performed at Carnegie Hall, New York.
The many prizes he won at domestic and international competitions led to concerts all over the world, from Europe to the United States, Japan and Africa.
From 2015, Van Kesteren also explored other genres, such as pop, process music and improvisation. He created his own musical world with his own compositions: a mixture of neoclassical minimal music, electronics and jazz. Together with harp maker Salvi, he developed a new instrument, the Réus 49; it has 49 strings instead of 47 and can be played both acoustically and electrically amplified.
MARIA MARTPAY
| muzikant/slagwerker |
Spanje
Maria Martinez Paya is a Spanish freelance musician based in the Netherlands. She is a flexible and skilled artist able to perform in diverse contexts, with a preference for chamber music, music theater, and Latin music.
With her former duo Lip Stick Percussion Duo together with Laura Trompetter, she has performed on remarkable venues and festivals of the Netherlands, like de Doelen and Grachten Festival Amsterdam, and collaborated in diverse TV shows like Podium Witteman and the education program Klokhuis.
Since 2019 she is a member of the percussion entertainment group Drumboost and the salsa band Seis en Salsa directed by Thomas Böttcher.
She highlights her performance in the following productions and groups: The Lion King Netherlands, Maestro Orchestra, 9X13, Theater Hotel Courage, Theater Tol, The Doelen Ensemble, RotterdamPhilBanda, LeineRoebana, and Virtual Ensemble. One of her goals is to make the marimba more popular so she brought it to the theaters in the Netherlands accompanying the renowned Dutch artist Simone Kleinsma in her show Verder.
Spanje
Maria Martinez Paya is a Spanish freelance musician based in the Netherlands. She is a flexible and skilled artist able to perform in diverse contexts, with a preference for chamber music, music theater, and Latin music.
With her former duo Lip Stick Percussion Duo together with Laura Trompetter, she has performed on remarkable venues and festivals of the Netherlands, like de Doelen and Grachten Festival Amsterdam, and collaborated in diverse TV shows like Podium Witteman and the education program Klokhuis.
Since 2019 she is a member of the percussion entertainment group Drumboost and the salsa band Seis en Salsa directed by Thomas Böttcher.
She highlights her performance in the following productions and groups: The Lion King Netherlands, Maestro Orchestra, 9X13, Theater Hotel Courage, Theater Tol, The Doelen Ensemble, RotterdamPhilBanda, LeineRoebana, and Virtual Ensemble. One of her goals is to make the marimba more popular so she brought it to the theaters in the Netherlands accompanying the renowned Dutch artist Simone Kleinsma in her show Verder.
JOP SCHELLEKES
| musician/percussionist |
Dutch
From September 2018, Jop Schellekens has been the conductor of the youth percussion group of Muziekvereniging Harmonie OBK in Erp.
At a young age Jop started his percussion career with Harmonie O.B.K. in Erp where he was taught by his father Henk Schellekens. It soon became clear that Jop wanted to delve further into percussion and took lessons with Chris Leenders. In July 2016, Jop obtained his Bachelor of Music at the conservatory in Tilburg and received lessons from Marcel Andriessen, Peter de Vries and Hans van Oosterhout, among others. He has also followed masterclasses with Momoko Kamiya, Adilia Yip, Henrick Larsen, Frank Wienk and Graham Johns. In July 2018 Jop obtained his Master of Music and received lessons from Ramon Lormans, Niels Meliefste and Pepe Garcia, among others.
Together with three fellow percussionists, Jop forms the percussion quartet '002Percussion'. He has already performed on special stages with this ensemble. In addition, Jop played as a freelance percussionist with, among others, Slagwerk Den Haag, André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra and Fanfare Bereden Wapens.
Jop also works as a teacher at Phoenix Cultuur, Muziekvereniging OBK, Harmonie Frisselstein and Harmonie Concordia Berghem, where he teaches and instructs students and percussion groups.
Dutch
From September 2018, Jop Schellekens has been the conductor of the youth percussion group of Muziekvereniging Harmonie OBK in Erp.
At a young age Jop started his percussion career with Harmonie O.B.K. in Erp where he was taught by his father Henk Schellekens. It soon became clear that Jop wanted to delve further into percussion and took lessons with Chris Leenders. In July 2016, Jop obtained his Bachelor of Music at the conservatory in Tilburg and received lessons from Marcel Andriessen, Peter de Vries and Hans van Oosterhout, among others. He has also followed masterclasses with Momoko Kamiya, Adilia Yip, Henrick Larsen, Frank Wienk and Graham Johns. In July 2018 Jop obtained his Master of Music and received lessons from Ramon Lormans, Niels Meliefste and Pepe Garcia, among others.
Together with three fellow percussionists, Jop forms the percussion quartet '002Percussion'. He has already performed on special stages with this ensemble. In addition, Jop played as a freelance percussionist with, among others, Slagwerk Den Haag, André Rieu and his Johann Strauss Orchestra and Fanfare Bereden Wapens.
Jop also works as a teacher at Phoenix Cultuur, Muziekvereniging OBK, Harmonie Frisselstein and Harmonie Concordia Berghem, where he teaches and instructs students and percussion groups.
JOE DONELLY
| actor/director |
Verenigde Staten
Training: American Repertory Theater/Harvard University Institute for Advanced Theater Training (M.F.A., Acting), Moscow Art Theatre School (Acting, Movement, Voice); Accademia dell’arte, Tuscany (Commedia dell’arte), Manhattan School of Music Pre-college (Classical Trumpet); Wagner College (B.A. in Theatre and Speech)
He has had the privilege of learning and working with master teachers such as Michael Aronov, Scott Zigler, Daniel Kramer (ENO, The Globe), Alla Sigalova (MXAT), David Herskovits (Target Margin Theatre), David Hammond, Marcus Stern, Igor Zolotovitski (MXAT), Donnie Mather (Atlantic), Pascale Lecoq, Amy Williams, and Erika Bailey to name a few. He currently studies with Brad Fleischer in New York.
He currently serves as Assistant Director and instructor of embodied acting at Harvard University’, Professor of Theatre at CUNY/Qversity, and as Adjunct Professor at Wagner College.
Verenigde Staten
Training: American Repertory Theater/Harvard University Institute for Advanced Theater Training (M.F.A., Acting), Moscow Art Theatre School (Acting, Movement, Voice); Accademia dell’arte, Tuscany (Commedia dell’arte), Manhattan School of Music Pre-college (Classical Trumpet); Wagner College (B.A. in Theatre and Speech)
He has had the privilege of learning and working with master teachers such as Michael Aronov, Scott Zigler, Daniel Kramer (ENO, The Globe), Alla Sigalova (MXAT), David Herskovits (Target Margin Theatre), David Hammond, Marcus Stern, Igor Zolotovitski (MXAT), Donnie Mather (Atlantic), Pascale Lecoq, Amy Williams, and Erika Bailey to name a few. He currently studies with Brad Fleischer in New York.
He currently serves as Assistant Director and instructor of embodied acting at Harvard University’, Professor of Theatre at CUNY/Qversity, and as Adjunct Professor at Wagner College.
KHADIJEH KHANFARI POUR
Actress |
Iran
Iran
Collins Seymah Smith
| Theater maker and actor |
Ghana
Collins is a Theater practitioner and a Youth Work with over 15 years' experience. Over the years, he has focused his energies on working with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, using drama to help develop awareness of their sexual and reproductive rights and health. He has worked in multiple, diverse groups, always taking care to create an environment for their self-empowerment and equipping them with advocacy skills via forum theatre.
Ghana
Collins is a Theater practitioner and a Youth Work with over 15 years' experience. Over the years, he has focused his energies on working with young people from disadvantaged backgrounds, using drama to help develop awareness of their sexual and reproductive rights and health. He has worked in multiple, diverse groups, always taking care to create an environment for their self-empowerment and equipping them with advocacy skills via forum theatre.
NII QUARTLEAI QUARTEY
| Actor and Theater maker |
Ghana
I have over ten years of experience as an academic, professional and activist focused on the use of theater arts in the promotion and protection of the public health of disadvantaged populations. My work with Theater Hotel Courage has given me a unique opportunity to further pursue my keen interest in issues relating to environment, culture and the role of the creative arts. It has brought my experience to bear in various capacities of supporting the arts in Ghana.
I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Philosophy degrees from the University of Ghana, Legon. My training in the arts as well as social sciences provides a strong interdisciplinary background to the festival. My studies have equipped me with the tools and skills needed to write research proposals, design and conduct research, as well as to analysis and disseminate research findings. I have acquired both practical and theoretical knowledge of initiating and managing research projects independently and to deadlines.
Through my professional experience I have honed my relevant artistic skills and gained experience of working directly with vulnerable groups on sensitive subjects. For example, I worked successfully as an arts Facilitator among men who have sex with men. Additionally, I have worked with prison inmates, female sex workers and with adolescents, at a school for the deaf. I have excellent skills in using techniques from Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal's Pedagogy and Theater of the Oppressed, which has informed creative and participatory approaches in previous research works on modern slavery and safeguarding in James Town.
I have been able to learn with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and share knowledge, experience and skills at Troupe Courage. This has widened my skills and knowledge in playing with mask, music and mime. Consequently, it has aided me to initiate community action and share best practice. Working with management and other team members, I have improved my teamwork skills and sharpen my writing/performance skills, and thus build my capacity as someone committed to working in this field.
My demonstrated commitment to using arts and activism to improving communities' lives makes me a suitable personnel for all manner of artistic project who will ensure that the arts impacts positively on the community in Ghana, as well as on my own career.
Ghana
I have over ten years of experience as an academic, professional and activist focused on the use of theater arts in the promotion and protection of the public health of disadvantaged populations. My work with Theater Hotel Courage has given me a unique opportunity to further pursue my keen interest in issues relating to environment, culture and the role of the creative arts. It has brought my experience to bear in various capacities of supporting the arts in Ghana.
I hold a Bachelor of Fine Arts and Master of Philosophy degrees from the University of Ghana, Legon. My training in the arts as well as social sciences provides a strong interdisciplinary background to the festival. My studies have equipped me with the tools and skills needed to write research proposals, design and conduct research, as well as to analysis and disseminate research findings. I have acquired both practical and theoretical knowledge of initiating and managing research projects independently and to deadlines.
Through my professional experience I have honed my relevant artistic skills and gained experience of working directly with vulnerable groups on sensitive subjects. For example, I worked successfully as an arts Facilitator among men who have sex with men. Additionally, I have worked with prison inmates, female sex workers and with adolescents, at a school for the deaf. I have excellent skills in using techniques from Paulo Freire and Augusto Boal's Pedagogy and Theater of the Oppressed, which has informed creative and participatory approaches in previous research works on modern slavery and safeguarding in James Town.
I have been able to learn with colleagues from diverse backgrounds and share knowledge, experience and skills at Troupe Courage. This has widened my skills and knowledge in playing with mask, music and mime. Consequently, it has aided me to initiate community action and share best practice. Working with management and other team members, I have improved my teamwork skills and sharpen my writing/performance skills, and thus build my capacity as someone committed to working in this field.
My demonstrated commitment to using arts and activism to improving communities' lives makes me a suitable personnel for all manner of artistic project who will ensure that the arts impacts positively on the community in Ghana, as well as on my own career.
Micaela Miranda
| Theater maker and teacher |
Portugal
Micaela is a theater maker, movement specialist practitioner and teacher.
Currently the Head of Movement at LAMDA, She has extensive experience in challenging actors in their physical storytelling and transformation for the stage and screen. As an artist, she is a physically driven director, movement director and an associate of the International mask company Troupe Courage and The Freedom Theater in Palestine. Until 2017, she was the director of The Freedom Theater School that offered the first professional actor training in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Having trained as a classical actress with ACE in Portugal and at the École Jacques Lecoq and École Philippe Gaulier in Paris, her movement work is also influenced by her encounter with Steve Wangh and his Grotowsky based pedagogy. Since she moved to UK in 2017, she has been working under mentorship of Jane Gibson and exploring Pure Movement from Litz Pisk and Trish Arnolds work.
Portugal
Micaela is a theater maker, movement specialist practitioner and teacher.
Currently the Head of Movement at LAMDA, She has extensive experience in challenging actors in their physical storytelling and transformation for the stage and screen. As an artist, she is a physically driven director, movement director and an associate of the International mask company Troupe Courage and The Freedom Theater in Palestine. Until 2017, she was the director of The Freedom Theater School that offered the first professional actor training in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Having trained as a classical actress with ACE in Portugal and at the École Jacques Lecoq and École Philippe Gaulier in Paris, her movement work is also influenced by her encounter with Steve Wangh and his Grotowsky based pedagogy. Since she moved to UK in 2017, she has been working under mentorship of Jane Gibson and exploring Pure Movement from Litz Pisk and Trish Arnolds work.
Monique Bos
Zakelijk leider
MAARTEN BOS
| dramaturg |
Netherlands
In 2018, Maarten Bos (Emmeloord, 1989) graduated from the Master Dramaturgy at the University of Amsterdam. Since then, he has been doing productions and other work as a dramaturge for various makers and companies such as: International Theatre Amsterdam, Het Geluid Maastricht, Werkplaats van de Woestijne, Igor Vrebac, De Jonge Honden, Troupe Courage and others. Since 2020, Maarten has also been teaching at the Amsterdam Drama and Kleinkunst Academy.
In addition, Maarten is active as a podcaster. For Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, he makes a podcast ITA-Inleidingen, with short introductions to the performance with which he sharpens the viewer's gaze. Maarten also makes a podcast under his own management: Praten Over Depressie. In it, he explores the taboo on depression together with Anneleen van de Kolk. They talk to various professionals and experts, such as Dirk de Wachter, Esther van Fenema and bodies like UWV and 113 Suicide Prevention.
You can also know Maarten as a writer and performer. In 2018, he started a project called Stories Against Sleeping. These are ultra-short stories meant to be read aloud. With these, he occasionally does read-aloud performances, such as for SuperServeert at ITA and for Antidote at the Herman van Veen Arts Centre and Sexyland.
Netherlands
In 2018, Maarten Bos (Emmeloord, 1989) graduated from the Master Dramaturgy at the University of Amsterdam. Since then, he has been doing productions and other work as a dramaturge for various makers and companies such as: International Theatre Amsterdam, Het Geluid Maastricht, Werkplaats van de Woestijne, Igor Vrebac, De Jonge Honden, Troupe Courage and others. Since 2020, Maarten has also been teaching at the Amsterdam Drama and Kleinkunst Academy.
In addition, Maarten is active as a podcaster. For Internationaal Theater Amsterdam, he makes a podcast ITA-Inleidingen, with short introductions to the performance with which he sharpens the viewer's gaze. Maarten also makes a podcast under his own management: Praten Over Depressie. In it, he explores the taboo on depression together with Anneleen van de Kolk. They talk to various professionals and experts, such as Dirk de Wachter, Esther van Fenema and bodies like UWV and 113 Suicide Prevention.
You can also know Maarten as a writer and performer. In 2018, he started a project called Stories Against Sleeping. These are ultra-short stories meant to be read aloud. With these, he occasionally does read-aloud performances, such as for SuperServeert at ITA and for Antidote at the Herman van Veen Arts Centre and Sexyland.
WIM MEUWWISEN
| Director/Teacher/Actor|
Netherlands/Belgium
Netherlands/Belgium
bottom of page