Hannah de Quincey – Artistic Director & Creative Producer
Hannah de Quincey is the Artistic Director and Creative Producer of Moonstruck Astronaut, a community theatre company creating imaginative theatre experiences that uplift and unite children, families and communities through storytelling, creativity and play.
Since founding Moonstruck Astronaut in 2017, Hannah has led the organisation’s artistic vision while developing partnerships, securing funding and producing ambitious community arts projects that combine storytelling, nature and creativity. Her work is rooted in co-creation, ensuring children and young people help shape the stories they tell. She is particularly passionate about creating neurodiversity-affirming environments where every child feels valued, included and able to flourish.
Before founding Moonstruck Astronaut, Hannah taught Drama at Concord College and Sevenoaks School, where directing large-scale productions deepened her belief that the creative arts are a powerful way for children and young people to grow in confidence, communication, self-expression and community belonging. She studied English at the University of Oxford, completed an MFA in Theatre Directing at Birkbeck, University of London, and gained her PGCE in Drama at Goldsmiths, University of London.
Under Hannah’s leadership, Moonstruck Astronaut has secured funding from Arts Council England and a wide range of charitable trusts and foundations, enabling the company to develop ambitious, imaginative and inclusive community arts projects while building a reputation for joyful, accessible and high-quality creative practice.
Balloon Boy is Moonstruck Astronaut’s puppet mascot and affectionately known as the company’s ‘boss’. He is a gentle reminder that the imagination, curiosity and inner child live within us all—and that when we nurture them, creativity, connection and community can flourish.
In memorium…
On a more personal note, Hannah lost her incredible mum Marion to cancer when she was 18 and her mum 50.
Marion Pantin was a Year 6 primary school teacher who had a special talent for nurturing and encouraging children.
Hannah is proud to follow in her footsteps, honouring her beloved mum’s example through her work with children and communities. She wants her mother’s values of equality, fairness, fun and kindness to be at the heart of the CIC.
What she has learnt from losing her mother and managing her still keenly felt absence is at the core of her bravery and determination to use her talents and training to contribute to birthing a more uplifted, united, trusting and openly loving world.
Anna Belyavin – Associate Director (Dance & Movement specialist)
Anna Belyavin is a dance / movement specialist. She trained at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Dance and Music, gaining a BA Hons in dance theatre. Since then she has worked across education and community settings in the region with everyone from nursery children through to older adults in care homes. She has worked with Shropshire Inclusive Dance since it’s inception in 2012 (www.sidance.live) and most recently worked on Critical Mass – a participation project culminating in performing in the opening ceremony of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Becky James – ‘Drama in the Forest’ Pastoral & Forest School Specialist
Becky is a self-employed Forest School Leader with twelve year’s prior experience as a nursery practitioner. She has been teaching outdoor skills for many years. Her roles have enabled her to learn and believe in herself which she would love to pass on to the children she teaches. Becky is a born and bred Shropshire lass who loves being in nature, particularly with children around her.
Rosy Hayward – Arts Administrator
Inspired by going to fantastic arts and science projects at museums as a child, Rosy did a Museum Studies MA at Leicester University. She became a museum education officer, spending 30 plus years organising creative events and community arts projects in London, East Anglia, the Scottish Borders and Brisbane, Australia. Rosy settled near Newport with her family in 2018 and has recently been enabling children and adults with special needs to access community events. Rosy’s children were both keenly involved in Scottish Borders Youth Theatre and she is excited to now be helping Moonstruck Astronaut to grow sustainably.
Mark Cattell – Website & Email Manager
Mark is Director of Mawebdesign Ltd which provides professional web design, development, SEO, digital marketing and graphic design services. He has 15 years’ experience in SEO and a website development university degree in Marketing. Clients around the world trust him with providing high quality websites and SEO services at fair prices. Mark is a local Telford boy born and bred 😉
