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A TEAM Collective project by Ryan Romain
Ryan Romain is passionate about new writing, developing creatives and emerging artists. His aim with this project is to share stories from communities across Cardiff, connect talented individuals and engage audiences in a new way.
Meet the creatives Ryan has brought together below
Ryan Romain
With over 30 years of experience in the arts, beginning as an actor and transitioning into directing, Ryan has built a remarkable career in theatre. As an actor, he appeared in numerous productions, including the BAFTA-winning Press Gang and That Summer’s Day.
As a director, Ryan has worked in prestigious venues such as the Royal Court, Theatre Royal York, Soho Theatre, Camden Roundhouse, and Theatre Royal Stratford East, where he also served as Associate Director. In Wales, Ryan directed the award-winning national tour of Love and Money for Waking Exploits, showcasing a strong dedication to impactful storytelling.
Passionate about new writing, Ryan is deeply committed to developing creatives and nurturing emerging artists, continuously advocating for fresh voices and perspectives in the arts.
Edward Lee
Edward is an actor, writer, facilitator and emerging director based in Cardiff, with experience in theatre, film, radio, journalism and more. Projects in recent years include performing in Peter Pan with Sherman Theatre/Theatr Iolo, writing and performing with Old Vic Theatre Makers in London, writing on GALWAD with National Theatre Wales, writing the play A Sketched World for the Wales Millennium Centre, and working as an assistant director on Much Ado About Nothing with Wildflower Actors Society. Alongside creating and telling stories as a writer and award-nominated actor, Edward also works extensively as a facilitator to empower others in creating and telling stories of their own. With audience experience and the art of storytelling being at the heart of creative decisions across his fields of work, Edward is keen to explore directing as the next stage of his career and development.
Ffion King
Ffion is an actor and writer hailing from Aberystwyth and she graduated from the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in 2018.
For her writing, Ffion was chosen for this year’s BBC Writers Voices: Wales cohort, where she completed a treatment of her pilot script, The Devil Will Dance. She began her writing journey in 2021 and her play Free Spirit reached the final eight recommended plays in the Play On / Am Ddrama collaboration between National Theatre Wales, Theatre Genedlaethol Cymru and Theatre Clwyd. In acting, she has most recently featured on the BBC’s Casualty’s directors’ scheme, joined Lighthouse Theatre Company for their Dylan Thomas and Thomas Hardy festival and worked with Dirty Protest and Popty Ping Productions, for their shorts night, on World Cut and Citroën C15.
James Davis
James Davis is a Welsh writer and graduate of The National Film & Television School. His work has been recognised by The Academy Nicholl Fellowship, The British Independent Film Awards, and he was recently shortlisted for the BAFTA-Rocliffe TV Comedy Award. James co-wrote the short horror / comedy animation, “Bunnyhood”, which won the Third Prize at the prestigious La Cinef programme at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival. He is currently developing projects with Mediapro and Winter Hymn Films.
Jude Gardner
Originally from Pembrokeshire but now living in The Vale of Glamorgan. Jude is a writer, English teacher and voice actor.
A former winner of Drama association of Wales best one act play for ' A Nice drink', co-writer and creator of 'Stalking John Barrowman the musical'(with Naomi Chiffi and Patrick Steed).
Jude is currently developing a novel for early teens and developing a radio play.
Lorien Tear
Lorien Tear is an Emerging Director and Multidisciplinary Artist based in South Wales, with a deep commitment to amplifying women's voices on stage and bringing to life authentic stories from working-class communities. Through Directing and combined with her background as an actor, writer, and musician, Lorien is dedicated to exploring the nuances of identity, class, and sexuality, weaving these themes into her work to highlight the often-unspoken struggles of everyday female life. Through her projects, she aims to connect with new and upcoming talent, giving voice to those who are often unheard, and creating work that resonates deeply within today's shifting societal landscape.
Miranda Shamiso
Miranda is currently filming H Is for Hawk. She has finished filming in the lead role for an independent feature being released in December 2024. Miranda can be seen The Winter King (Bad Wolf / Sony / One Big Picture) & appears in Ted Lasso (Warner Bros) Season 2 & 3.
Nicola Lean
Nicola Lean is an actor from Guernsey. After studying acting at "The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts" she made South Wales her home and has lived here for nearly 20 years. Nicola's recent stage credits includes playing numerous roles in "Shakespeare Spliced" (a review of Shakespeare's best loved plays) as well as playing Gilda in the stage play of the film "Alfie".
Earlier this year Nicola was nominated for 'Best Actress' at the It's My Shout Awards for her performance in the short film "It's Nice When People Take the Time to Say Goodbye" which can be viewed on BBC iPlayer. After treading the boards and performing in front of the camera, Nicola is always looking for opportunities to stretch her acting skills and has loved getting behind the mic (and ticking off her bucket list) to create characters for the NTW radio dramas
Tom Kendall
Tom is a Welsh actor, who trained at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, graduating in 2018 he is currently on a National tour of Dear Zoo: Live until the middle of November.
His credits include: Louis in Don’t Send Flowers (Clocktower Theatre), Aladdin/Widow Twankey in Aladdin (Stage-Ed), Claudio in Much Ado About Nothing (Fluellen Theatre), Martin in Behind the Curtain (RCT Theatre)
Wella
Wella grew up in the Docks area and began acting in 2003, performing in various theatre productions with numerous companies and working on short films with producers like the BBC. Having overcome challenges and transformed his life, Wella is now committed to pursuing a Master’s Degree in Fine Arts and is in the process of applying to the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. Driven by his journey, he aspires to be an inspiration for young boys from similar backgrounds, showing them the possibilities that lie beyond adversity.
Yasmin Begum
Yasmin Begum is a creative practitioner, researcher, and writer currently supported by Arts Council Wales through the Creative Steps funding stream, where she explores themes of decolonisation and Welsh cakes. Fluent in both English and Welsh, Yasmin has created and delivered Welsh-language video content for S4C, covering subjects such as Welsh-Pakistani identity and the Butetown Carnival.
As a working-class, mixed-race, neurodivergent, disabled individual and a carer, Yasmin brings a rich, intersectional perspective to her work, deeply influenced by her lived experiences as a Muslim.
Zelo
Zelo is a musician and freelance professional in the film and TV industry, driven by a mission to inspire, unify, and bring about meaningful change. With a dynamic presence in both music and media, Zelo combines artistic talent with a deep commitment to creating impactful work that resonates with diverse audiences. Passionate about fostering connection and promoting positive transformation, Zelo continues to push creative boundaries and advocate for progress across multiple platforms.