The Company

The Bluebirds Theatre Company are changing! We have now re-launched as The Reduced Opera Company to allow us to really focus on what we love, and what we do best. It will take us a little time to streamline everything, so please bear with us as we do so.

As a company we specialise in creating new and innovative work. And to do this we work with a wide range of creative freelance artists. We develop theatre shows that include music, and music shows that include theatre: This ranges from full operas, family shows and musicals to shorter cabaret shows and solo classical concert performances. What’s important to us is that we create a unique and invigorating theatre experience for everyone. We run seasons of shows, but are also available for commissioned work and private bookings. Watch this space as our creative vision takes flight.

Artistic Director

Sasha Herriman is a singer, theatre-director and teacher. She studied music at Durham and Bristol Universities and works as a performer in theatre and music.

Sasha has worked widely in TV news and entertainment on CNN, BBC, Channel 5, Sky and ITV and was a News Anchor for CNN and News Presenter for ITV.

Sasha is a founder member of The Bluebirds and of the Reduced Opera Company; the journey began as a classical cabaret duo performing on the London fringe circuit, and is now fully immersed in presenting and performing unique and diverse interpretations of opera.

Artistic Director

Josephine Cresswell is a vocal performance graduate from The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama. While there Josie was lucky enough to also study at the Luigi Cherubini Conservatorio in Florence. Josie has also studied at The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

Josephine has performed widely in opera and theatre including the leading roles of Cleopatra (Cesare: Somerset Opera), The Countess (Le nozze di Figaro: Somerset Opera, The Royal Birmingham Conservatoire), First Lady (Die Zauberflöte: The Bluebirds Theatre Company), Micaëla (Carmen: Somerset Opera and The Reduced Opera Company), Dido (Dido and Aeneas) Gretel (Hansel und Gretel: Flat White Opera).

Josephine is co-chair of Somerset Opera and is very much part of the Taunton community, having roles in the Somerset Song Prize committee, Friends of Königslutter committee and being a trustee of Taunton Festival of the Arts and running the Taunton Young Singer Competition and Taunton Young Musical Theatre Singer Competition.

Artistic Director

Stephanie Berner is a frequent soloist, recently performing Rossini's Stabat Mater. She trained at the London College of Music where she specialised in opera; she also won the Michael H.James oratorio competition and performed in the Proms with the BBC symphony Chorus.

Steph has performed in Opera Holland Park's Alice in Wonderland. She is a regular performer for Somerset Opera and Pleasure Dome Theatre. Recent projects included ensemble directing in 'A Christmas Carol' for The Brewhouse , the tour of Somerset Opera's 'W.S.Gilbert? This was Your Life', and working with The Bluebirds Theatre company - 'The Magic Flute’. More recently Stephanie has taken leading roles in Somerset Opera productions of 'Cesare' and 'La Bohème.

Artistic Director

Tami Tal is a professional singer and singing teacher. She was born in Jerusalem, where she studied music and started her work as a singer, performing in concerts, theatre and recordings. She then came to London to continue her career.

She performs extensively in the United Kingdom, Europe and Israel. She has participated in the world premières of several new works, including a four-movement concerto for soprano and orchestra with the Jerusalem Symphony Orchestra written by Emanuel Vahl.

Technical Director

Kevin Stratton is the Technical Director of The Reduced Opera Company. Kevin manages and supports all our live events and shows. He's a master at magicking up technical wizardry. He gives smoke to our dragons and complementary lighting to our artistes.

Kevin also runs Kev Stratton Production Services (KSPS) and has been a long term Technical Manager for The Tacchi Morris Arts Centre. Kevin has also written 3 plays performed and directed youth shows. His passion for theatre, performance and site specific work makes for a great fit with The Reduced Opera Company.