The Committee
Melissa Rochowska - Chair
Melissa has been involved with Epsom Players for a number of years. Her first show she was involved in was We Will Rock You where she was working backstage and saw what a friendly and talented company it was.
Melissa Has been involved in local Amateur companies since she was a young child and has loved being part of Epsom players from the age of 18. She is very passionate about musical theatre after studying it at London School of Musical Theatre and The BRIT school.
Melissa’s favourite show she has been involved in with players were Hairspray & Wedding singer.
Being the chairman comes with great responsibility and Melissa is ready and eager to welcome new and old members to the company.
Melanie Dunn - President
Melanie has been a member of Epsom Players for more years than she cares to remember. Joining as an ensemble member of the staged concert “Rodgers, Hart & Sondheim” she then danced and sang her way through many shows, including “West Side Story”, “Crazy For You” (twice), “Priscilla Queen of the Desert” and the English Amateur Premiere of “42nd Street”. Melanie has also played the occasional lead role including Sharon in “A Slice of Saturday Night”, Sugar in “Some Like It Hot” and Violet in “9 To 5”, as well as appearing in several plays over the years. Melanie joined the committee some time in the last century and in that time has held the roles of Business Manger, Secretary and Chair and also running the Social and Fundraising committee for a time. She also production managed several shows and even stage managed one! Having worked for the BBC for 20 years, including as a production manager, nowadays Melanie is a teaching assistant for SEN children
Jo Epps - Vice Chair
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Paul Falconer - Secretary
Paul’s first show with Epsom Players was Singin’ in the Rain in 1997. He has been in over 50 shows since, in addition to directing several shows over the years. He joined the Committee in 2002 and became Chair in 2003, a position he held until 2025, except for a brief escape from 2014-16. In 2024, he helped establish, and now Chairs, the Mid Surrey Theatre Forum. The Forum brings together local societies who mainly perform musicals, in addition to key people from stage crew, lighting and sound to share information in a spirit of co-operation for everyone’s benefit. Favourite Epsom Players show is Hello Dolly which he directed and his wife Laura starred as Dolly Levi.
Darren Flick - Treasurer
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Katy Jackson Barnes - Publicity
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Matt Howes - Website
Matt Has been performing since 2003, and first performed with Epsom Players in Jesus Christ Superstar in 2005. He has enjoyed performing in a wide range of shows with them from concerts like Mistletoe Melodies to musicals like Summer Holiday. He has also enjoyed directing two Epsom Players productions, with Spring Awakening and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare: Abridged.
He joined the committee in 2023, and (apart from a brief stint as Secretary) has been a general member. Alongside Maddie he was in charge of re-designing the website.
Outside of Epsom Players, Matt also frequently works with the ‘SWAT’ backstage theatre group, helping with most local theatre companies’ backstage needs, and during the day he works in HR. (Someone has to!)
Matt’s favourite show with Epsom Players was Spring Awakening, which he had the pleasure of Directing.
Maddie Ruddie - Website
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Steve Cox - Social
Steve has been a member of Epsom Players since the naughties. He has appeared in a number of main stage musicals as well as plays and reviews, including being MC of the recent Hollywood Harmonies.
Laura Falconer
Laura has been involved with Epsom Players for over 30 years. She joined in 1995 for Billy and has taken part in over 50 productions, performing, directing, costumes, box office, and committee … occasionally all at the same time! Joined committee in 2002. Memorable roles: Bridget (A Slice of Saturday Night), Mrs Johnstone (Blood Brothers), Adelaide (Guys and Dolls), Wicked Witch of the West (The Wizard of Oz), Mother Superior – (Nunsense), Dolly Levi (Hello Dolly), T (Handbagged) learning 250 lines with three weeks’ notice! Direction: Snoopy the Musical, Rat Pack, My Fair Lady, The Hard Rock Café Cabaret, Sound of the 60’s, Speakeasy! 9 to 5, Sing Sing Swing! and Shrek.
Susanne Sinisalu
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Andie Curno
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Tyrone Haywood
I did my first show with epsom in 2013 it was footloose and it was so good remains one of my all time favs. I recently joined as a committee member in early 2025.im a chef at the hton hotel and it’s a great job just been promoted to deputy sue chef so excited for the next stage of my career. Favourite players show was hairspray in 2024 show was incredible choreography cast direction had the best time. It was my first lead part with players so it was a special show.