Thom Petty (Jack)
Thom was born in Manchester and read medicine at Edinburgh University. Recent theatre roles include Pimp in Sink the Belgrano (Bridewell Theatre/SEDOS) and Tom in On Religion (Bridewell Theatre/Tower). Also a musician, he studied composition at the RNCM Junior School and with the National Youth Orchestra of Great Britain. He was taught by Steve Martland, Paul Patterson and Adam Gorb. He was selected for the 1998 BBC Young Musicians Composers’ Workshop with the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra on BBC2. He has since had pieces performed at the Royal Festival Hall, Cheltenham Festival, York Late Music Festival, King’s Place, and on Radio 3. He wrote the television titles music for BBC Young Musician 2000 and the score for the 2010 feature film Release (Bonne Idee Productions), which won the Movies on the Move Best UK Drama Feature Award at the End of the Pier Film Festival. He won the 2010 Primrose Piano Quartet Burn’s Air Competition and was a soundtrack finalist in the 2012 ENO Minioperas competition. He has performed saxophone concerti by Binge and Glazunov. In 2010, he co-founded Bristol Concert Series, which promotes concert performances by non-professional musicians.
Kate Sketchley (Debbie)
Prior to appearing in The Early Bird, Kate graduated with Distinction from the MA Classical and Contemporary Text (Acting) course at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland (formerly RSAMD). During her training, she originated a role in The Fragmented Life of Dorothy Lawrence by Lewis Hetherington, appeared as the Duchess in The Duchess of Malfi, and participated in a one-month intensive training session at the Globe Theatre. She has a BSc in Psychology from McGill University, and was heavily involved in producing and performing in student theatre. While at McGill, she appeared as Isabella in Measure for Measure, and Yang Sun/The Wife in The Good Person of Sichuan.