Karen’s interest in performance started with her first ballet class at the tender age of five. However, she was quickly informed that ballet was not for her as “she enjoyed the acting side too much!” Karen really found her spark of enthusiasm for theatre when she got to secondary school where she was inspired by some wonderful teaching and a great set of overly dramatic friends! She then pursued the performing arts at St Austell College and St Mary’s University, Twickenham. On completing her Degree, Karen moved back to Cornwall and found herself thrown unexpectedly into the limelight working as a guide at The Eden Project. Her work at Eden was also the gateway to her work as a volunteer in Africa building a playground in a school, tracking elephants in a 3 week trek across the Namibian desert and refurbishing an environmental centre. On her return to England, Karen realised she wanted to spend more time abroad and found herself a position as Drama and Arts and Crafts Director for a Summer Camp in the USA. The work she undertook here brought her to the realisation that she actually quite liked young people and really enjoyed teaching them. Returning to England for a second time, this time to stay, she began teaching within the Performing Arts department at Cornwall College, St Austell. Distracted during an examination standardisation meeting, Karen absent-mindedly offered her services on the first Cribhut production as general dogsbody/stage manager, “anything to help”, and so she was cast as a substantial company member within the performance… and Assistant Director! She handled the unexpected position with great aplomb and is now ensnared into the Cribhut folds and, despite initial protestations against performing, she is now hooked and has become one of the main driving force towards establishing the group and each new production.