Jake Cross

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 Jake has had a love for performing since an early age, dancing in his pram during Castaway rehearsals for his older brothers. Jake went to Stagecoach and performed in many of their shows including summer workshops and the choir. He has also worked for Stagecoach looking after the younger students during other summer school events.

His love for acting could be seen during many of the shows at Queen's Park High School, where he studied. Playing the lead, Seymour, in The Little Shop of Horrors encouraged Jake's love of performing and led him to persue a career in the Arts. Jake now studies Performing Arts, Theatre Studies and English Literature at Sir John Deanes Sixth Form College.

Whilst still at high school Jake ran the Drama club, after school, where he really enjoyed inspiring younger students to develop an interest in the Art as well as gaining confidence and independence alongisde helping to improve their drama performance skills. Jake performed, with some of his peers, for the National Theatre's 500 project on the Manchester Home Theatre Stage. 

Outside of his education Jake has performed in many productions with Tip Top, at the forum studio theatre, including; Witches, The Twits, Beautiful Thing and, at Theatr Clwyd Cymru, My Fair Lady. Jake is also an assistant at Chester Wizard School where he works closely with younger children; he says that the best part of his job, through years of experience, is seeing a smile on a child's face at the end of the day.

Jake is very excited to be a member of staff at OTMYT and is particularly delighted to be working with Simon Phillips again. He cannot wait to share his passion for the Arts with others, in the same way that his own mentors and peers have done for him.