ELLIE CLAYTON

as ‘Rita’

Training: The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama

Theatre Credits: Female MC (Magic Mike Live- Hippodrome), Scroogilicious (Peckham Theatre), Fun at The Beach Romp Bomp a Lomp (Southwark Playhouse), Peter Pan (Gordon Craig Theatre), The Peaceful Hour (The Royal Court).

TV Credits: Hollyoaks, Still So Awkward (CBBC) So Awkward Acadamy (CBBC), Skybet advert.

Voiceovers: Alrwabi School For Girls (Netflix) Midsummer Night (Netflix) 

Movie Credits: So Awkward Kids Camp (CBBC)

JUSTIN EDWARDS

as ‘Frank’

Introduction: Justin Edwards can currently be seen in the HBO series The Franchise, created by Armando Iannucci.

Theatre Credits: The Ferryman (Broadway).

Film Credits: Recent highlights include Yesterday, Love & Friendship, The Man Who Invented Christmas.

TV Credits: Recent highlights include The Franchise, Avenue 5, This England, The Thick of It, The Trip.

Other Information: Justin is also known for his extensive work in both comedic and dramatic roles across stage and screen.

WILLY RUSSELL

WRITER

Willy Russell’s career spans more than four decades; born in Liverpool in 1947, he left school at 15, became a women’s hairdresser, part-time singer/songwriter before returning to education and becoming a teacher.

Russell’s breakthrough work, commissioned by Liverpool Everyman, “John Paul George Ringo…and Bert” transferred to the West End winning Best Musical – Evening Standard and London Theatre Critics Awards.

Two of Willy’s best-known plays have female protagonists, “Educating Rita” (Olivier Award for Best Comedy and “Shirley Valentine “ (Olivier Award – Best New Comedy & Best New Actress, Tony Awards, Broadway – Best Actress). Both became successful films – Julie Walters and Pauline Collins who played the roles on stage received Oscar nominations as did Willy Russell for the screenplay of Educating Rita.

“Blood Brothers,” (Laurence Olivier Award, Best New Musical, 1983), played for 24 years becoming the 3rd longest running West End musical. Major foreign productions include a 2 year run on Broadway, with recent productions in Japan, South Africa, Korea and Australia. The UK tour is still playing to packed houses.

As well as writing for theatre and screen, Willy Russell published his critically acclaimed debut novel “The Wrong Boy” (2000), which was subsequently translated worldwide.

“Our Day Out,” originally written for TV, about a school outing, has been adapted for the stage as “Our Day Out – The Musical”. Premiered at Liverpool’s Royal Court in 2010 to rave reviews it was revived a year later for another sell out season.

Major UK and international productions of Educating Rita, Shirley Valentine and Blood Brothers are staged every year. January 2023 was the 40th anniversary of Blood Brothers opening at The Liverpool Playhouse and the production of Shirley Valentine starring Sheridan Smith completed a sell out run in the West End at the Duke of York’s Theatre, London in June 2023. It was nominated for two Olivier Awards – Best Revival and Best Actress for Sheridan Smith

For the last few years, Willy has been developing his skill as a painter, with his artwork being exhibited in Liverpool and London. He continues to explore the various forms of fine art and print making.

Willy Russell continues to be one of the most celebrated and widely produced writers of his generation with works regularly being produced throughout the world.

STEPHEN UNWIN

DIRECTOR

Introduction
Stephen Unwin is an award-winning British theatre and opera director. He has directed nearly 100 professional productions, working with many established actors and singers, as well as nurturing the careers of emerging talent.

Training
University of Cambridge.

Theatre Credits
Founder of English Touring Theatre, directing over 30 productions including classical and new plays, many of which transferred to London; Artistic Director of the Rose Theatre Kingston (2008–2014); extensive work at Theatre Royal Bath; All Our Children (Jermyn Street Theatre, New York), Laughing Boy (Jermyn Street Theatre, Theatre Royal Bath); 10 productions in the West End.

Opera Credits

Directed over 20 operas.

Other Credits

Worked at the Almeida Theatre, Traverse Theatre, in repertory theatre, and the National Theatre Studio.

Other Information

Stephen has taught at conservatoires and universities in the UK and US. He is the author of ten books on theatre and drama, including Poor Naked Wretches: Shakespeare’s Working People (Reaktion, 2022), and five original plays. His forthcoming book Beautiful Lives: How We Got Learning Disabilities So Wrong will be published by Wildfire in June 2025. He is a committed campaigner for the rights and dignities of learning-disabled people.

JOHN LEONARD

SOUND DESIGN

Introduction

John started work in theatre sound over 50 years ago and during that time he has provided soundtracks for theatres all over the world, written a guide to theatre sound and journal articles, won various awards and published several collections of sound effects. He is a Fellow of The Guildhall School of Music & Drama, an Honorary Fellow of The Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts, and a Companion of The Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

Recent Theatre Credits Include:

To Have And To Hold (Hull Truck); The Return Of Benjamin Lay (Finborough Theatre, London and USA tour); Picnic At Hanging Rock (RADA); Whodunnit Unrehearsed 3 (Park Theatre, London); Farm Hall (Bath Theatre Royal, UK tour, West End); 4000 Miles (Chichester Minerva Theatre); ‘Night, Mother, Wolf Cub (Hampstead Theatre); Voyage Round My Father, The Dresser, Blithe Spirit, Uncle Vanya (Bath Theatre Royal, UK tours, West End); My Name Is Lucy Barton (Bridge Theatre, London and New York); The Sunset Limited (Boulevard Theatre, London); Prism (Hampstead Theatre, UK tour); All My Children (Jermyn Street Theatre); 8 Hotels (Chichester Minerva Theatre); Long Day’s Journey Into Night (Bristol Old Vic, West End, New York, Los Angeles).

BEN ORMEROD

LIGHTING DESIGN

Theatre work includes

The Duchess of Malfi (Trafalgar Studios);   Stiletto (Charing Cross Theatre); Farm Hall (Jermyn Street and Theatre Royal Haymarket); Laughing Boy (Jermyn Street and Theatre Royal, Bath); The Scent of Roses and A Number (Edinburgh Lyceum). Dream of a Ridiculous Man (Marylebone Theatre); Wuthering Heights (Inspector Sands); Joyce’s Women (Abbey Theatre); A Long Day’s Journey Into The Night, This Restless House, Hamlet, King Lear (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow); The Dresser (Bath & UK Tour); The Spanish Golden Age Season (Ustinov Bath/Arcola); The Sunset Limited (Boulevard Theatre); Assassins (Newbury and Nottingham Playhouse); Uncle Vanya, Prism (Hampstead Theatre); All’s Well That Ends Well (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Regent’s Park); Zorro (West End, US, Netherlands and Japan); Mrs Henderson Presents (Bath, West End and Canada). 

Opera Credits Include

Manon Lescaut and The Rake’s Progress (English Touring Opera); Tristan und Isolde, Die Tote Stadt, The Ring Cycle (Longborough Festival); The Elixir of Love, Carmen (Into Opera); La traviata (Danish National Opera); Jeanna d’Arc au Bûcher (Academia Santa Cecilia, Rome); Falstaff, Il trovatore (Scottish Opera); La traviata (English National Opera). 

Dance Credits Include

@Home (Humanoove, UK Tour); The Shadow (Company Chameleon); The Nutcracker, Les Noces (Ballet Geneva); Is to Be (Le Prix De Lausanne); See Blue Through/Toot! (Oper Leipzig); Frame Of View (Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, New York); Tenderhooks (Skanes Dansteater/Ballet Gulbenkian); Essence (Walker Dance Park Music); Cinderella (Gothenborg).

Other Information

Ben is also lighting consultant to the Calico Museum of Textiles, Ahmedabad.