
THE TEAM
ARTISTIC CORE

KATRIEN VAN BEURDEN
Founder | Actress | Director | Trainer -the Netherlands Besides being an actress for film and theatre, Katrien is in demand as a teacher at Akademie voor Theater en Dans, the NYU Tish, Freedom theatre Palestine and the Film Academy in Amsterdam, among others. In May 2023, Katrien van Beurden was appointed Ridder in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau - a recognition of her boundless commitment to making theatre current and indispensable. This honour not only marks her career, but also reflects her tireless search for the essence of theatre and its transformative power. Di Trevis of the Royal Shakespeare Company calls her work ‘deadly serious and at the same time primal.’ Theaterkrant reviewer Kester Freriks wrote: "Important and innovative theatre. Van Beurden proves herself the heir to Peter Brook." Boston-based Judith Chaffee added: ‘She developed an entirely new Commedia that transcends time, space and culture.’ As an actress, she starred in films such as Tom Eagle, The Resurrection of a Bastard, and Kidnep, and had television roles in Summer Without Mum, Christmas with the Coopers, and Disaster Flight. Next season, she plays in the series Buza and the lead role in Lourens Blok's The Fireworks Disaster. Katrien is often asked to give lectures as a social entrepeneur and as an advisory body.

SACHA MULLER
Actor | Director | Trainer -the Netherlands Sacha Muller is a versatile Dutch/Surinamese actor and creator and Courage core of the first hour. Since its inception, Sacha has been one of the driving forces within Courage. Muller's work is characterised by a playful approach to theatre, often working together in collectives and not fixating on youth or adult theatre. His performances are known for their humour, musicality, imagination and the way they make social themes accessible to a wide audience. After graduating from the Hoge School voor de Kunsten, Sacha worked with companies such as theatre group Aluin, Beumer & Drost, Theater Artemis, Het Filiaal Theatermakers, BonteHond and Maas Theater & Dans. As co-founder of makers collective Thomas, Sacha and Jos, he creates successful performances that blur boundaries between theatre, poetry and storytelling. His work has received awards such as: de Zilveren Krekel (most impressive youth production), Het gouden Ei (best youth production), the PiketKunsprijs nomination.

THOMAS VAN OUWERKERK
Actor | Director | Teacher -the Netherlands Thomas van Ouwerkerk is a Dutch actor and theatre maker who specialises in physical and visual theatre. After graduating from the Utrecht School of the Arts in 2011 and training at L'École Philippe Gaulier in Paris, he immersed himself in the world of clowning, masks and physical play. Thomas has been a core member of Troupe Courage since its inception. In addition, Thomas is co-founder of the collective Thomas, Sacha and Jos, known for their poetic, transparent and playful performances that appeal to both young and old. And he is associated with international companies Familie Flöz and Jakop Ahlbom Company, with whom he tours worldwide in performances such as Teatro Delusio, Feste and Horror.
COURAGISTS

MONIQUE BOS
Zakelijk leider Sinds Held van BB draagt Monique Bos de zakelijke kant van Troupe Courage.

REMY VAN KESTEREN
Composer | Musician Dutch harpist Remy van Kesteren won the Dutch Music Prize in 2016. Van Kesteren studied with Erika Waardenburg at the Utrecht Conservatoire and with Isabelle Moretti at the Conservatoire national supérieur de musique de Paris. In 2012, he obtained his master's degree “summa cum laude” at the Conservatorium van Amsterdam. The many prizes he won at domestic and international competitions led to concerts all over the world, from Europe to the United States, Japan and Africa. From 2015, Van Kesteren also explored other genres, such as pop, process music and improvisation. He created his own musical world with his own compositions: a mixture of neoclassical minimal music, electronica and jazz. Together with harp maker Salvi, he developed a new instrument, the Réus 49; it has 49 strings instead of 47 and can be played both acoustically and electrically amplified.
