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Home , Bob Crowley, Criterion Theatre, HighTide, Jacksons Lane, Richard Burton, Rob Howell

announces The Old Vic 12 Class of 2016-2017

London, 5th December: Today The Old Vic announces the theatre makers behind this year’s Old Vic 12: a company of talented, developing artists looking to make the next step in their careers. The scheme offers them the opportunity to expand their networks, experience first class mentoring and receive funding to create three brand new plays as a collective.

The newly announced Old Vic 12 consists of:

➔ Directors, Chelsea Walker, Lekan Lawal and Jesse Jones ➔ Producers, Molly Roberts, Tobi Kyeremateng and Aaron Rogers ➔ Playwrights, Joe White, Rebecca Crookshank and John O’Donovan ➔ Designer, Fin Redshaw ➔ Movement Director, Rachael Nanyonjo ➔ Composer, Cassie Kinoshi

This Autumn, after receiving 1,300 applications and interviewing over 300 candidates, The Old Vic is thrilled to start work with these artists to nurture and unveil the work they produce.

Artistic Director, said, ‘Supporting the next generation of theatre-makers is one of the most important and effective contributions to our cultural future we can make. It is also one of the most enjoyable. The Old Vic 12 sees emerging creatives engaging with people at the top of their profession across a wide range of theatrical disciplines and it's hugely inspiring to see how much all parties get from the mutual exchange of ideas. The presence of these early-career creative minds in our midst through the year is extremely energising. And it's also exciting to see the partnerships formed within the group and how these develop forward beyond The Old Vic. So, we are very happy to welcome this year's group, and to support them as they collaborate to create new work and bring fresh energy to this building.’

The Old Vic 12 demonstrates the theatre’s commitment to outreach and inclusivity in everything it does and feeds into The Old Vic’s integrated artist development strategy at the heart of the theatre. During Season 1 of

Matthew Warchus’ Artistic Directorship, The Old Vic with 10,000 people via four new outreach programmes: OV12, Stage Business (a unique leadership and employability project for young people aged 16–18, who then deliver additional workshops for younger students aged 11–14), Baylis Director and Assistant Baylis Directorships (annual post that provide a notable opportunity for one director and assistant directors each year) and Frontline (a scheme offering 16–20 year olds, an opportunity to discover more about careers in theatre through paid placements with The Old Vic’s front of house team). These initiatives unlock creative imagination in people of all ages and backgrounds, building close relationships and friendships, developing strong communities, and enhancing employability. The Old Vic is committed to working in a united way with artists to ensure genuine career progression and development at every stage.

During its year of inception, The Old Vic 12 developed three brand new plays; Five Years, Prince of the River ​ and The Test, which were recently presented in an intimate setting at the . Alongside this ​ ​ process they received mentoring from industry experts, collaborated on a variety of projects and delivered masterclasses to other emerging artists.

Achievements from the Class of 2015–2016 include: Director Caitlin McLeod moving on to win a Sky Arts Scholarship to create new theatre company The Coterie, pairing with OV12 Producer Martha Rose Wilson.

Producer Paul Jellis moved on to become Executive Producer (maternity cover) at HighTide and Sarah Georgeson is now Assistant Producer at the Lyric Hammersmith.

Director Ed Stambollouian recently finished a successful run of Blush at The Festival; composer ​ ​ Harry Blake takes up post as Cameron Mackintosh resident composer at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and playwright Samuel Bailey is presenting his next Champ at the Tobacco Factory. ​ ​

- ENDS -

PRESS CONTACTS For general Old Vic press enquiries, including OV12: Amy Dowd | E [email protected] | M 07737 007 016

For production press enquiries: Jo Allan | E [email protected] | M 07889 905 850 | T 020 7520 9392 Kitty Greenleaf | E [email protected] | M 07545 131 539 | T 020 7520 9392

NOTES TO EDITORS:

THE OLD VIC 12 CLASS OF 2016–2017

DIRECTORS

Chelsea Walker trained at the Central School of ​ Speech and Drama, and the . She was a runner up for the 2016 JMK Award and will be directing Low Level Panic by Clare McIntyre at the ​ ​ Orange Tree in February. Her recent directing credits include White Lead (Women Centre Stage, ​ ​ ), P’yongyang (Finborough), Klippies ​ ​ ​ (), Chicken Dust (Finborough), Occupied ​ ​ ​ (Bush Bazaar, Bush) and Lean (Tristan Bates). Her ​ ​ recent assistant directing credits include Wild ​ (Hampstead), Routes (Royal Court) and Little Mermaid ​ ​ ​ ( Old Vic). Chelsea is a director for ’s Young Company, a Stage Business Facilitator for The Old Vic and a script reader for the Susan Smith Blackburn Prize.

Lekan Lawal is a director, and theatre maker. He is ​ currently finishing an 18-month placement with the Regional Theatre Young Directors’ Scheme (RTYDS) at Derby Theatre and an Associate at the Hackney Showroom. He has directed and assisted at several venues including the , Derby Theatre, Arcola and Summerhall. He will be directing a production of ’s at Derby in Spring 2017. ​ ​

Jesse Jones is a theatre maker from Bristol. He ​ Trained on Made in Bristol Program and the National Theatre Studio’s Directors Program. Jesse was founding Artistic Director of the Wardrobe Theatre, set up in 2011 and is a founding member of award winning company, The Wardrobe Ensemble whose work has toured nationally and internationally. Jesse has recently finished an 18-month residency at Royal & Derngate, Northampton having been awarded the prestigious Regional Theatre Young Directors Scheme bursary.

Work directed for the Wardrobe Theatre includes: Wilbore, Scumbag and Guttermouth. For The Wardrobe ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Ensemble: 1972: The Future of Sex, Edgar and the ​ ​ ​ Land of Lost, 33 (as associate) and Riot (as devisor ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ and performer). For the National Theatre: The ​ Grandfathers, Maggot Moon (workshop development) ​ ​ ​ and Emil and the Detectives (as Assistant). For Bristol ​ ​ Old Vic: Smoke and Bridges, Paths Present Future, ​ ​ ​ ​ Two and Brave (Assistant Director). For Royal & ​ ​ ​ Derngate: A Day To Remember, Market Boy, ​ ​ ​ ​ KONTAKT. As Associate: , Soul, The ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Herbal Bed. As Assistant: The Hook, Brave New World, ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Gaslight and Odd. ​ ​ ​

This Autumn Jesse will direct Shipped for Theatre west, ​ ​ Champ for Tobacco Factory Theatre’s and return to ​ Northampton this Christmas with Second Star to the ​ Right. ​ PLAYWRIGHTS Joe White is a writer from Birmingham, and is a ​ graduate of the Royal Court Young Writers Programme and Invited Studio Group. He has developed work with Birmingham Rep, Lyric Hammersmith, HighTide Festival and BBC Radio 3. In 2014, he was selected for the BBC writersroom 10, and won the Channel 4 Playwriting Award (formerly Pearson Award) for his play Pangaea. In 2015, he was the Writer in Residence ​ ​ of Pentabus Theatre Company.

Rebecca Crookshank left the to train ​ at The Italia Conti Academy of Theatre Arts where she gained a First Class BA (Hons) in Acting. She is now an artist based in East .

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot her debut play as a solo ​ writer/performer, is based on her own story as a woman the British Armed Forces and highlights inequality, sexual harassment and bullying in institutions. The script is published by Oberon Books and has just finished playing in New York. Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ​ was nominated for Best New Play, Best New Production, Best Director and Best Actress in the 2015 Broadway World Awards and shortlisted for the Fringe Audience Choice Award. Rebecca recently won Performer of the Year at the Devon Performance Awards and the show was shortlisted for

a Liberty Human Rights Arts Award 2016. ​

Writer credits include: Whiskey Tango Foxtrot ​ (Edinburgh Fringe, UK Tour, United Solo New York); Alice: A New Musical (St James, London); Detached ​ ​ (Feature Film-In Development with WARP Films and Bcre8tive). Her first short play Clipping My Wings ​ premiered at the Our Bodies Our Future Conference in 2015 led by MP Stella Creasy.

Rebecca runs her own creative consultancy company encouraging equality, the arts and future voices. Clients include , The International School of Harrow Beijing, , LAMDA and Arts Award. She has worked as writer in residence at Frederick Bremer School in East London. In 2007 she set up a creative education company in Devon called ‘The SHAC’ which later became Shacademy Ltd where she ran workshops and new writing projects with young people in rural communities.

John O’Donovan is a London-based playwright from ​ Co. Clare, . His work has been read and staged in the UK at the Old Red Lion, Southwark Playhouse, , New Diorama and and in Ireland by Druid Theatre, the Abbey Theatre and the Irish Drama League. A former member of the Royal Court Young Writers’ Programme and the Abbey Theatre Playwrights Hub, he has had stories and plays published in Verbal Arts Magazine, Crannóg and Bare Fiction. If We Got Some More Cocaine I Could Show ​ You How I Love You is published by Methuen Drama ​ (2016).

PRODUCERS

Molly Roberts is Artistic Director of new writing ​ company Poleroid Theatre and a professional Actress and Theatre Producer. As a producer she specialises in working collaboratively with new writing and developing emerging artists. Her 2014 production of Free Fall by ​ ​ Vinay Patel was nominated for three Off- Awards and is published by Methuen Drama. Producing credits include: Plastic (Latitude ​ ​ Festival/Touring 2017), This Must Be ​ (Latitude Festival/Vault 2017), All The Things I Lied ​ About (/Paines Plough Roundabout as ​ assistant), The Human Voice (JMK Award Runner Up ​ ​ Prize Winner), Foreign Body (Off Beat/RADA Festival), ​ ​ Jackie The Baboon (R&D, Orange Tree/Brunskill & ​ Grimes), Write It : Mic It (Live Theatre/Paines Plough ​ ​ Roundabout/Vault/Hackney Attic/Castle Hotel /Wilderness Festival), The Locker Outings ​ (Vault), The Allotment (R&D, Live Theatre), Life On A ​ ​ ​ Plum & Bangin' Wolves (Wilderness Festival), Free Fall ​ ​ (Pleasance/Offie nominated), Apathy (Theatre ​ ​ Uncut/Poleroid/MolinoGroup). As an Actress she has been nominated for Best Female - Theatre Awards, and worked with the New Vic Theatre, Frantic Assembly, Open Clasp, Oxford Shakespeare, BBC and Channel 4 amongst others.

Tobi Kyeremateng is a Producer based in South West ​ London invested in using storytelling and poetry as a tool to evoke empathy and debate, balancing unique forms and genuine commentary on the world we live in. Through this -form, Tobi has worked with artists such as Caleb Femi, Theresa Lola, Debris Stevenson, Tom Gill and Deanna Rodger.

Tobi has worked with organisations such as , Theatre, The , Bestival, Block9 @ Glastonbury, The Big House Theatre Company and A New Direction to work with young people and emerging artists to produce professional, honest work and has collaborated with other organisations such as The Prince's Trust, RichMix, Caius House and Katherine Lowe Settlement.

In addition, Tobi has just been appointed the new

Producer for Apples & Snakes - England’s leading organisation for performance poetry and spoken word with a national reputation for producing exciting, engaging and transformative work in performance and participation.

Aaron Rogers is originally from Dublin, he trained at ​ Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts and most recently he has completed an MA in Creative Producing from Birkbeck. Aaron is currently an Associate Producer at Theatre Royal Stratford East and previously the Assistant Producer to Paul Taylor-Mills.

Producing credits include: The Rise And Fall Of Little ​ Voice (Union Theatre), Three Guys Naked From The ​ ​ Waist Down (), Rebel Song (Her ​ ​ ​ Majesty's Theatre), My Dads Gap Year (Tristan Bates ​ ​ Theatre), An Invitation To:You From:Me (Tristan Bates ​ ​ Theatre), Fragile (Cobalt Cafe Theatre, Dublin). ​ ​

Assistant Producer credits include: In The Heights ​ (Kings Cross Theatre), Casa Valentina (Southwark ​ ​ Playhouse), Red Riding Hood (Pleasance Theatre ​ ​ London), Miracle On 34th Street (UK and Dubai Tour) ​ ​ and Willemjin Verkaik in Concert (Ambassadors ​ ​ Theatre).

MOVEMENT

Rachael Nanyonjo graduated from Roehampton ​ University with a BA Honors in Dance Studies and formed Kansaze Dance Theatre in 2011 to create innovative contemporary dance physical theatre that responds to socio- cultural and political themes through collaborating with different art forms. Rachael works as a choreographer, teacher, movement director and assistant director. Rachael has worked with the Young Vic, National Theatre, East London Dance, Wayne McGregor | Random Dance, Big Dance, BBC (working titles films), Roehampton University, Sky Arts, Batalo East (Uganda) and has worked as a visiting lecturer teaching choreography at Middlesex University. Rachel gained a Masters in choreography from Middlesex University 2012, and is a 2015 and Arts Council England international development fund recipient to undertake a research, development and documentation project with Ugandan-based Tabu Flo Dance Company. Rachael is a One Dance UK (ADAD) Trailblazer Fellow 2015–2016.

Commissions include Dance East HOST Festival 2016, Ballet Boys Ignition Festival 2014 & Roehampton University Third Row Dance Company 2013. Achievements include a recipient of Dance UK’s Mentoring Programme 2013/14 & London Hub’s ‘Pitch It!’ bursary 2013. Shortlists include: Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Choreographic Award & Choreographic Captures (2011).

DESIGNER Fin Redshaw recently graduated with a first class ​ honours from the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama in performance design. Prior to this, in 2013 she completed an Art Foundation degree at the university of the arts London, specialising in Theatre Design. Whilst at RWCMD in 2016 she was set designer for Mojo ​ directed by Sean Linnen at the Burton Theatre. She was also the set and costume designer for In ​ Arabia We'd all be Kings directed by Andrew Whyment ​ at the Bute Theatre in 2015. In addition Fin has worked as a scenic artist at the Royal House and National Theatre. She has recently worked as a model maker for and on several productions. Currently she is the designer for comedian Richard Herring's monthly show As it occurs to me at ​ ​ the Theatre. She is also working as artistic director on a number of upcoming short films.

COMPOSER

Cassie Kinoshi is a London- based composer, ​ arranger and alto saxophonist known for her work with jazz septet NÉRIJA, Afrobeat band KOKOROKO and her own large ensemble SEED

Alongside working frequently within the world of jazz music and live performance, Cassie has also written for and videogame as well as professional classical ensembles such as the Benyounes Quartet and members of the BBC Symphony Orchestra. Notable artists Cassie has worked alongside include Dele Sosimi, Zoe Rahman, Nathaniel Facey, Yazz Ahmed and Laura Jurd.

In 2012 Cassie was shortlisted for the BBC Young Composer of the Year award and was recently nominated for Jazz FM Breakthrough Act of the Year 2016 as part of the ensemble Nerija.

THE OLD VIC 12 IS SUPPORTED BY Foundation, Tina Alexandrou, Cate Blanchett & Andrew Upton, Robert Bourne, Nick & Caroline Clarry, Hani Farsi, Nathalie & Nicolas Giauque, David & Rose Heyman, Fawn James, Laura & Nigel Mead, Sir Alan & Lady Parker, Steven & Ann Pleschette Murphy and Ian Powell.

This project was made possible with seed funding from the Peter De Haan Charitable Trust.

ABOUT THE OLD VIC The Old Vic under Artistic Director Matthew Warchus is a place that encourages a new love of theatre, as well as offering a refreshing experience to those who keep coming back for more. It is a theatre steeped in tradition yet still innovating and making history today through a huge variety of output on and off stage which grabs the imagination of the broadest range of people.

The Old Vic programme encompasses invigorating new writing; works that engage with a wide social conversation; nurturing new musicals, mounting passionate revivals and famous old plays; experimentation with quirky, eye-opening and challenging pieces; and family shows and pantomimes. In addition, we work with over 10,000 people each year of all ages and backgrounds to unlock creative intelligence through school projects, employability schemes and community engagement. All of this is achieved whilst operating as a not-for-profit organisation without a regular subsidy, in an almost 200 year old building with a touch of magic about it.

(CREDIT: Amit & Naroop. Location: House of Vans)

OV12 2016–2017 - Image available to download here. ​ ​ ​ ​