An extraordinary act of theatre and community
MEET THE TEAM
JAMES BLAKEY
Director
James is a Director from Manchester who specialises in working within community settings, and making original works of theatre with both trained and untrained performers. Prior to directing Public Acts Doncaster, he has been Associate Artistic Director of Slung Low in South Leeds, Associate Artist at Company Three, an Associate Director at the Royal Shakespeare Company and a Staff Director at The National Theatre.
CHRIS BUSH
Writer
Chris is a Sheffield-born playwright, lyricist and theatre-maker. She has been a resident artist for Sheffield Theatres, the Oxford Playhouse and the National Theatre Studio, and a member of the Orange Tree Theatre's Writers' Collective.
RUTH CHAN
Composer
Ruth Chan has worked extensively as a composer in film and TV, including as assistant to Oscar-nominated film composer Dario Marianelli. After working on fringe shows, she is moving into larger theatres with her first major commission for the Royal Shakespeare Company.
CLARE CLARKSON
Deputy Director for Cast Theatre
Clare is responsible for finance, customer service, access and inclusion, legal and HR.
SARAH CLOUGH
Head of Participation for Cast Theatre
Sarah leads on all Cast's work with children, young people and communities. Sarah is also Cast's Designated Safeguarding Officer.
NICOLA DOYLE
Community Producer Public Acts
Nic is from Doncaster and has worked for Cast previously as the Audience Engagement Officer overseeing the Social Seats project.
ALICE KING-FARLOW
National Theatre's Director of Learning
Alice leads the National Theatre's Learning department and programme, including Public Acts.
EMILY LIM
Director of Public Acts
Emily Lim. Emily is a theatre director who specialises in creating community work and working with non-professional performers.
SALLY PROCTOR
Associate Director
Sally is a Creative Facilitator & Director working and living in Sheffield. She loves to work collaboratively on creative projects that are rooted in community and have the capacity to influence each other & the world in positive ways. Previously Sally worked as the Community Director for Slung Low, finding ways to be most useful to our immediate community and beyond as well as supporting the delivery of projects such as The Cultural Community College, Wild Conference, Flood as part of Hull 2017 & The Fairy Portal in partnership with the RSC.
When Sally isn’t working, she enjoys spending time in the great outdoors, be that a walk in the Peaks, a swim in a river or a night under canvas.
DEBORAH REES
Director of Cast Theatre
Deborah is responsible for programming Cast's spaces and deciding on the strategic leadership of the theatre.
HANNAH SIBAI
Designer (set and costume)
Hannah Sibai is a Leeds-based designer who works across many genres.
LARA TAYLOR
Engagement Producer, Public Acts
Lara works across the whole Public Acts programme in London and all National Theatre's partner locations.
ROS TERRY
Senior Producer Public Acts
Ros is a creative producer with particular expertise in new writing, contemporary work and participation.
MATT YOUNG
Technical Director for Cast
Matt is responsible for overseeing all of Cast's backstage, technical and creatives. Matt also heads up our buildings operations and health and safety.
GARY CLARKE
Choreographer
Gary Clarke is an acclaimed British dancer, choreographer and Artistic Director of Gary Clarke Company. His work has toured extensively both nationally and internationally to critical and audience acclaim winning a UK Theatre Award, A Critics Circle National Dance Award and A Herald Angel Award. He has choreographed and directed notable works for Opera North, Hull City of Culture 2017, Sky Arts, The 2012 Cultural Olympiad, Birmingham International Dance Festival and Trinity LABAN. He has worked as a movement specialist on a number of blockbuster feature films including World War Z, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them and The Mummy. His performance credits including work with Matthew Bournes New Adventures, DV8 Physical Theatre, balletLORENT and Candoco Dance Company. Gary is currently an Honorary Fellow at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance.
