Examples of Previous Projects
theatre making | directing
Public - The Musical - by Hannah Sands, Kyla Stroud, Natalie Stroud & Olivia Zacharia
In development for performances at Leicester Curve May - June 2026.
A pop/rock musical about four strangers trapped together in a gender-neutral public bathroom.
- Development workshops at Birmingham Hippodrome and SevenDials Playhouse 2024.
- Sell out run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2023. Winner of the Charlie Hartill Reserve. BBC Popcorn Prize Runner Up. Soho Playhouse (NYC) Fringe Encore Season Finalist. Playbill's Pick of the Fringe.
- Sold out WIP run at VAULT Festival 2023 and winner of the Vault's Origins Award.
Constellations - by Nick Payne
April 2025
At the Young Actors Theatre Islington. Directing students on the Foundation Acting course, over 2.5 weeks. Culminated in an internal sharing.
Mary Shelley's Frankenstein - by Rona Munro with additional devised scenes.
March 2025
The production combined Rona Munro’s script with devised scenes, and explored the glory and the suffering of ingenuity and invention - mixing a contemporary story about a writer and director trying to create a hit, with the period tale of Frankenstein and the Monster. The company included third year actors, student creatives and was performed in the Corbett Theatre.
I Love Sex / You Love Sex - by Claudia Vyvyan
September 2024
Two characters find themselves trapped in a windowless bedroom. As they realise they cannot escape, they are forced to learn how to intentionally love and care for one another. A new piece of writing exploring care and queer friendship. Three performances at the Bridge House Theatre and Jack Studio Theatre.
Twelfth Night - by William Shakespeare
March 2023
At the Young Actors Theatre Islington. Directing students on the Foundation Acting course, over 12 weeks. Culminated in an internal sharing.
Everyman - by Carol Ann Duffy
April 2022
Production at Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts, working with third year actors and creatives. Performed in the George Harrison Studio
Vinegar Tom - by Caryl Churchill
July - September 2021
An R&D co-led with theatre maker and designer Davy String during Covid Lockdown. We explored the creative possibilities of co-creating a contemporary queer staging of Churchill's piece. The process involved engaging LGBTQIA+ artists and audience in series of online discussions and workshops; curating a digital scratch cabaret; and rehearsing online with a company of queer performers. Supported by Arts Council England.
Some People Feel the Rain - by Kieran Knowles
August 2021
A play about sticking together when the world is falling apart. A performed reading in the Den in Leigh. Produced by the Manchester Royal Exchange.
Red Brick, Render - by Kieran Knowles
December 2020
A four-part piece about Glebe Street in Leigh. Commissioned for the Manchester Royal Exchange's ‘All I Want For Christmas’ digital project.
Dick Whittington - by Sam Knights
January 2019
An original community pantomime, involving workers from the hospitality industry. Performed for 4 nights at Leicester Square Theatre. Produced by Spellbound Theatrical Productions.
Obsession - by Kate Marston
May - June 2018
A new piece of writing exploring obsessive compulsive disorder and interrogating ideas of compromise and control. The piece was first performed at Stockwell Playhouse One Act Festival (where I was awarded a prize for my direction) before it transferred to the Katzapce studio theatre for a week’s run.
No Matter Where I Go - by Amahl Khouri
February 2018
This was a performed reading of Amahl Khouri's piece, which gives voice to the experiences of queer womxn in Beirut. Commissioned for the Arcola’s festival of Global Queer Plays.
Girls Like That - by Evan Placey
March 2018
A production with Lower Sixth students at Sevenoaks School. Performances included post-show discussions addressing some of the play’s major issues that fell in line with the students’ PSHE curriculum, such as: bullying, peer pressure and behaviour online.
Aladdin - by David Armitage
January 2018
An original community pantomime, involving workers from the hospitality industry. Performed for 3 nights at the Arts Theatre in London.
Human Animals - by Stef Smith
August 2017
A student production at theSpace Triplex, at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival
associate | assistant directing
Cyrano - by Virginia Gay
March - April 2026 | December - January 2025
Associate Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Clare Watson
11th Dec - 11th Jan 2024 The Park Theatre, London
14th Mar - 5th April 2026 Mirvish Theatre, Toronto
Same Team - by Robbie Gordon and Jack Nurse
July - August 2024
Associate Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Bryony Shanahan
25th - 26th July The Tron, Glasgow
30th July - 25th AugustThe Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh ​
42 Balloons - by Jack Godfrey
April - May 2024
Associate Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Ellie Coote Choreographer - Alexzandra Sarmiento Orchestrator/Arranger & Musical Supervisor - Joe Beighton
The Lowry 18th April - 19th May 2024
Staged Concert at the Vaudeville Theatre - November 2022
Maple Hall - devised project.
September - October 2023
Associate Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Emily Oulton
Devised project with second year students on the Musical Theatre course at Arts Educational.
Spotlight Prize Showcase
July 2022
Assistant Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Atri Banerjee
BLOODY ELLE - a gig musical - by Lauryn Redding
June - July 2021
Associate Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Bryony Shanahan.
August 2022 Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe
June - July 2021 Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre
WhatsOnStage Nominated for Best Regional Production
Connect Fest - created by Testament and the Royal Exchange's Young and Elder companies.
April 2011 - March 2012
Associate Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Nicki Miles-Wildin
Five 20-minute videos released on YouTube. Produced by the Manchester Royal Exchange
Wuthering Heights - by Andrew Sheridan
February 2020 - March 2020
Assistant Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Bryony Shanahan Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre
Gypsy - Book by Arthur Laurents. Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
November 2019 - February 2020
Assistant Director - Hannah Sands
Directed - Jo Davies. Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre
Macbeth - by William Shakespeare
September 2019Â - October 2019
Assistant Director - Hannah Sands
Directed - Christopher Haydon. Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre
Dear Brutus - by J. M. Barrie
December 2017 - January 2018
Assistant Director - Hannah Sands
Director - Jonathan O’Boyle Southwark Playhouse
creative facilitator | workshops
Young Company & Adult Acting Director
March 2023 - present.
At The Young Actors Theatre Islington, I lead weekly skill sessions for the Senior Young Company (ages 11-18), and the professional adult actors signed onto YATI's agency.
Young Company Director - The Rose Theatre, Kingston
September 2022 - present.
Leading weekly sessions for the Rose Theatre's young company (ages 11-14). Rehearsing and staging The Hunting of the Snark (Jan 23), The Forger (Jun 23) and Gulliver's Travels (Jan 24).
Performing Arts Youth Worker – Legacy Youth Zone, Croydon.
January 2021 - July 2022.
Delivering weekly drama sessions to children aged 8 to 12. These energetic sessions aimed to facilitate a space where the young participants can express themselves, while introducing them to the performing arts.
Lead Workshop Facilitator – Spellbound Online
June - August 2020
Leading theatrical based workshops for organisations over Zoom, promoting creative thinking, team work, storytelling, as well as encouraging confidence in front of the webcam.
Creative Facilitator - Manchester Royal Exchange
April - June 2021
Running weekly Creative insight Sessions for the Royal Exchange over Zoom. These sessions brought students and young artists into conversations with creatives recently involved at the Exchange, and significantly contributed to the theatre’s level of outreach during the start of the first Covid Lockdown.
Workshop Facilitator – Manchester Royal Exchange
September 2020 - March 2021
Leading workshops and discussions with schools, around the theatre’s current productions.
Leading workshops for the theatre’s Young Company and Young Makers on acting and directing (ages 14-21).
Co-workshop Facilitator – The Rickshaw Theatre Project
August - September 2015
The project aimed to contribute to the imaginative development and individual expression of children and young people in India. I lead workshops in puppetry, story-telling, character and ensemble work, and then worked with the young people to create a final performance, encompassing their own ideas and the dramatic forms explored together.