Meet the Creative Team behind our The Man Who Planted Trees show
Andy BarryTheatre DirectorBIO
Andy creates theatre for families as well as leading innovative participatory projects. He directs Manchester’s award-winning Royal Exchange Theatre Elders Company and is Associate Director for Goblin. During ten year’s creating theatre with older people, Andy has shared his creative ageing learning nationally and in Japan and Korea with the British Council. In 2021, he was listed in The Stage 100, a list celebrating individuals who went above and beyond in helping the theatre industry survive the Covid 19 crisis. That year, he was also nominated for a Manchester Culture Award in the individual category: Creative Care in Covid 19. Most recently Andy directed THE LOST SPELLS, described by the Guardian as an “enchanting musical with an abundance of magic – 4stars”. andybarrytheatredirector.com |
Amanda DaltonWriterBIO
Amanda Dalton is a freelance poet & playwright. Her third full length poetry collection, Fantastic Voyage, is published in May 2024 with Bloodaxe and she has recent pamphlets with Arc (2021) and smith|doorstop (2022). Her writing for theatre and BBC Radio 4 and 3 includes original plays, drama documentary, adaptations and radio essays. She is currently working on new drama commissions for radio and for Hebden Bridge Arts, and has written the 2023/4 Christmas show for Keswick’s Theatre By The Lake. amandadalton.co.uk/ |
Alison DuddleDesigner & Lead ArtistBIO
Alison Duddle is a freelance visual artist, puppet and mask designer, maker and director. She runs A Bird in the Hand Theatre, creating imaginative outdoor work for family audiences. A Bird in the Hand Theatre tours throughout the year to festivals and events with a number of pieces for families, including The Bewonderment Machine, a hand-carved, cycle- powered carousel for young children and lantern puppets for winter events. Much of Alisons work is made for outdoor and community performance, and she has recently created large scale puppets and sculpture for At the Forests Edge for the RSC, Stratford, a Community Climate resilience pageant for Manchester University, puppets for Salzkammergut ECOC 2024,and many puppets and lanterns for Lanterns at Chester Zoo, Yuletide at Tatton park, Manchester Day Parade and Hebden Bridge Handmade Parade. abirdinthehandtheatre.co.uk |
Mark Distin-WebsterLighting DesignerBIO
Mark trained in Theatre Lighting Design at Oldham College. He is currently Co-Head of Lighting at the Royal Exchange Theatre, alongside this he is a freelance lighting designer, programmer and technician. Selected lighting design credits include: Bloody Elle (Royal Exchange Theatre & Touring) I Hear Voices, Hatch (Contact), Nothing, Mixtape (Royal Exchange Young Company) Spinning Wheel (Unfinished Business) 0.008, Song Of Songs (Weeding Cane), Mr Sole Abode (Madrugada), Ghost Boy (20 Stories High), A Night On The Tiles (Pen-Ultimate), Late Night Love, Get A Round (Eggs Collective), Prelude To A Number (Geddes Loom), Of All The Beautiful Things In The World (HOME). |
Akintayo AkinbodeComposer |
Charlie RhodesMusical DirectorBIO
Charlie is a Calderdale based Singing Teacher, Choir Leader and Musical Director. In addition to his work at Halifax Young Singers, Charlie is teaches singing and directs the choirs at Rastrick High School, as well as being a successful theatre MD, who’s recent credits include We Will Rock You, Legally Blonde, Elf the Musical and Wasteland. He is currently working as MD and vocal arranger on new musical Can’t Go Back, and is in high demand as a singing teacher and choral leader. Charlie was born in York and educated at Pocklington School. Always a passionate singer, Charlie has been singing in choirs since he was 5. Whilst at school in Pocklington, he first experienced leading small choral groups. This passion continued whilst studying Music at the University of Manchester, and it was during this time that he set up his first choir, Leeds Vocal Movement, which he ran from 2011-2017. Since leaving University Charlie has worked as a choral conductor and vocal coach throughout the North of England. Amongst others he has directed Huddersfield Voices, Halcyon Youth Choir, Scunthorpe Cooperative Junior Choir and Aire Valley Singers. He has also worked for Diocese of Leeds Music Department and was previously Co-Director of vocal octet, North8. |
Jonny Quick Actor: The Man
Ntombizodwa Ndlovu Actor: JG
Sharon Old Production & Technical Manager
Ben Garbett Company Stage Manager
Symon Culpan Theatre Technician / Lighting & Sound Engineer
Ntombizodwa Ndlovu Actor: JG
Sharon Old Production & Technical Manager
Ben Garbett Company Stage Manager
Symon Culpan Theatre Technician / Lighting & Sound Engineer