Who's Who
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Image: Artistic Director Stephen Unwin and Chief Executive Robert O'Dowd
Stephen Unwin - Artistic Director
Stephen read English at Cambridge, where he directed many student productions, including an award-winning production of Measure for Measure that transferred to the Almeida, where he was awarded an Arts Council Trainee Director’s Bursary.
For much of the 1980s, he was Associate Director at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, and several of his productions transferred to London theatres. He worked with a wide range of leading actors, including Simon Rusell Beale, Tilda Swinton, Ken Stott, and dozens of others. In the early 1990s, he became Resident Director at the National Theatre Studio.
In 1993, Stephen founded English Touring Theatre, where he directed twenty productions, many of which were seen at the Old Vic, the Donmar, the Lyric Hammersmith and others. He stepped down from ETT in 2008 after fifteen years at the helm.
Stephen has also directed a dozen operas and worked across Europe.
His many books include The Pocket Guide to Shakespeare’s Plays; So You Want to be a Theatre Director?, The Guide to the Plays of Bertolt Brecht and The Well Read Play.
He was Visiting Professor at the University of California and the Judith E Wilson Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University.
Robert O'Dowd - Chief Executive
Robert O’Dowd has extensive experience in business and creative development. Combining a passion for the arts and design and a strong reputation in management, O’Dowd has worked in a diverse range of entrepreneurial environments - as an original Director of Classic FM, as Group Enterprise Director of GWR Group plc, as Chief Executive of Real Health (UK) Ltd and 180 Solutions (UK) Ltd.
Robert ran the hugely successful and influential Designs of the time programme for the Design Council redefining how citizens can co design solutions to their social and economic challenges. Most recently Robert was the Chief Executive of Pontio a new £44m Performing Arts and Innovation Centre for Bangor University in North Wales.
Robert is also a Trustee of the Retrospect Ensemble and Cornwall Neighborhoods for Change.
Sir Peter Hall - Director Emeritus
For more than 50 years Sir Peter Hall has been an internationally celebrated director of theatre, opera and film. He was the Founder/Director of the RSC (1960-68); Director of the NT (1973-88); and Artistic Director of Glyndebourne Opera (1984-90).
In 1988 he founded the Peter Hall Company working in partnership with leading West End producers. In 2003 he became Founding Director of the Rose Theatre, becoming Director Emeritus in 2008 when his acclaimed production of Uncle Vanya was the theatre’s opening production.
His most recent productions include, at the Rose, A Midsummer Night’s Dream starring Judi Dench; at the NT, Twelfth Night with Rebecca Hall and Simon Callow; and with his own company at the Theatre Royal Bath, Henry 1V Pts One & Two with Desmond Barrit and David Yelland.
Peter Hall has received many awards in the UK and Europe as well as two Tonys in the USA. He was Knighted in 1977 for services to the British Theatre.
EXECUTIVE TEAM
Robert O'Dowd Chief Executive
Jerry Gunn General Manager
Tracey Shaw Director of Marketing & Development
Greg Ripley-Duggan Associate Producer
ADMINISTRATION
Lisa Lepki Administrator to the Executive Team
Alice Trueman Administrative Assistant
DEVELOPMENT, MARKETING & BOX OFFICE
Roger Chown Development Manager
Pam Waring Fundraising Associate - Individual Giving
Lisa Couzens Marketing Manager
Doug Cowan Digital Marketing and Communications Officer
Frank Saunders Ticket Sales Manager
Brett Foulser Database Manager
Sophie Crooke Fundraising Associate - Trusts & Foundations
Julia Clague Development Assistant
Miriam Barhoum, Anthony Hoskyns, Dana Marshall, Sarah Palette, Andy Watkins, Holly Munson, Philippa Bermingham Box Office Assistants
FINANCE
Sheila McClenaghan Finance Manager
Dixita Vadgama Finance Assistant
OPERATIONS
Lesley Smailes Theatre Manager
Rachel Coltman Access and Events Supervisor
Laura Chatburn Bars Manager
Miriam Barhoum, Penny Day, Hannah Douglas, Matt Lloyd, Sarah Pallette, Jo Spooner, Monika Stefanikova Front of House Team
Turan Duncan, Matthew Robinson, Imogen Smart-Steel, Julian Wong Bar Supervisors
Jack Cheyette, Sam Kozlowski, Jessi Lee-Collinge, Jack Flynn, Kayleigh Hutton, Harry MEad, Annie Woodman, Alex Worsfold Bars Team
STAGE DOOR
David Pollock Stagedoor Keeper
Jeremy Lord Stagedoor Keeper
Liz James Stagedoor Keeper
Carrie Foulkes, Lucy Chandler, Dana Marshall, Maria Falcao Casual Stagedoor Keepers
LEARNING AND PARTICIPATION
Ciaran McConville Director of Learning & Participation
PRODUCTION
Wayne Parry Head of Production
David Starmer Lighting & Sound Supervisor
Matthew Robinson Stage Supervisor
Jennifer Chatfield, Ben Crawford, John Osmond Production Technicians
BOARD OF TRUSTEES
David Jacobs CBE DL Life President
Anthony Simonds-Gooding CBE Chair
Professor Gail Cunningham
Chris Foy
Tish Francis DL
Baroness Hamwee
Roger Hayes
Thelma Holt CBE
Robin Hutchinson
Professor Martyn Jones
David Kester
Sir Brian McMaster
Robert O'Dowd
Cllr. Barry O’Mahony
EXTERNAL ADVISORS
Rosie Hoare Project Director
Geoff Howard Company Secretary
Arthur Leone PR Press Consultant
Ginny Schiller Casting Associate
David Fletcher Finance Associate
We would like to extend our warmest thanks to our team of Volunteer Ushers, Rose Ambassadors, Rose Reps and office volunteers, without whom we would not be able to operate.
Photo - Sophie Fenton