Backstage Open Day

Amari is a drama facilitator and storyteller dedicated to using the arts for positive change across community, health and education sectors. He has collaborated with prestigious UK venues like The Old Vic and Unicorn, working with diverse groups including youth clubs, schools and Pupil Referral Units (PRUs). 

A fervent advocate for storytelling, Amari performs at festivals and in theatres, sharing his love of books and narratives. His projects, notably with the NHS, have employed storytelling as a tool for healing, helping patients share personal experiences. His passion and skill have been recognised internationally, with performances at iconic venues such as the Southbank Centre. 

Helen is an artist and designer based in Folkestone who works across theatre and participatory arts. She trained at The Central School of Speech and Drama.  

She regularly designs sets and costumes for The Stephen Joseph Theatre and some recent productions include Dracula: the Bloody Truth, Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and The 39 Steps. Other projects include set design for The Big Pitch (a BBC studios podcast), work for The Little Angel Theatre, Kali Theatre, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Discover Story Centre. Helen has created workshops for many schools and theatres, including The Old Vic and Creative Folkestone. 

Lilac is The Old Vic’s current Baylis Director, an annual post that provides one director the opportunity to shadow the Artistic Director and use The Old Vic’s space and resources to research and develop projects.  

Lilac’s credits as a Director include: Kaleidoscopes (West End); Kiss Me Quickstep (Derby Theatre); Scenes from RENT (Leicester Curve); Oh What A Lovely War (Leicester Curve/De Montfort University); I Want to Live (Theatre Royal Stratford East); Heroes (Vault Festival); The Glass Will Shatter (Omnibus Theatre); Home Sweet Home (Stratford Circus Arts Centre/Jacksons Lane); One Last Thing (For Now) (Old Red Lion Theatre). Theatre as Associate/Assistant Director includes: Oedipus, The Real Thing (The Old Vic); The House of Bernarda Alba (National Theatre); Billy Elliot the Musical, The Wizard of Oz (Leicester Curve); Chariots of Fire (Sheffield Theatres); Odd and the Frost Giants (Unicorn); Robin Hood and the Major Oak (Derby Theatre). 

Roberta is a theatre director and facilitator. Directing credits include: The Trojan Women (Lyric Hammersmith); Reset The Stage (The Mono Box/Apatan Productions); No Planet B (Jacksons Lane); The Burning (Pleasance); The Wave (Almeida);  All Quiet on the Western Front (Pleasance/SoHo Playhouse/NYC); Alice in the Cuckoo’s Nest (Librarian Theatre/UK tour); Zero for the Young Dudes! (Orange Tree/Albany/National Theatre). She has worked on productions at the RSC, Shakespeare’s Globe, West End, Arcola, Nevill Holt Opera and National Opera Studio. Alongside directing, Roberta is an associate artist of National Youth Theatre and Education Associate at The Old Vic and RSC. 

Simon is a London-based theatre director, working predominantly in musical theatre. He is the International Associate Director of Billy Elliot The Musical, having directed productions of the show in Japan, South Korea and Australia and has most recently been directing the workshops for a new musical by Nell Benjamin and Laurence O’ Keefe. He also works as an Acting Coach for TV & Film, with recent credits including Lord of the Flies and Blitz. His work with young people includes projects for the National Theatre, Almeida and Young Vic and he is proud to be an Education Associate for The Old Vic. 

Will is a London based artist who trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.  

Work includes: Far Gone (International Tour); Beegu (Unicorn); Christmas Comes To Moominvalley (Jacksons Lane); Toto Kerblammo (Unicorn ); Lifeline (Signature Theatre, New York); …blackbird hour, Woodhill, Out Of Her Mouth, Trojan Horse (National Tours); Foxes (59E59, New York/Theatre 503/Seven Dials Playhouse); Petula (National Theatre Wales/Welsh Tour).

Recognition includes five nominations for Offie awards, and has worked on productions that have won Offie, UK Theatre, Sit-Up, Fringe First, Everything Theatre, Sky Arts and the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Awards. 

Zahra Mansouri graduated in Theatre Design for Performance at Central Saint Martins.  

Her recent production of Love Life is nominated by the International Opera Awards in the Musical category, she has been nominated twice by the Off-West End Awards and was the associate designer at Fourth Monkey TC, creating 75 shows over 10 years. Credits include: l’Éetoile (Opera Zuid Netherlands Tour); La Traviata (Buxton Playhouse); Susanna (Opera North); Humbug Christmas Experience (The Vaults); Love Life (Opera North); The Elixir of Love (London Coliseum); Dead Man Walking (Oldenburgisches Staatstheater); Whodunit, When It Happens To You (Park Theatre); Typical (Soho); 3 Women (Trafalgar Studios); The Cause (Jermyn Street Theatre).  

ZooNation, founded by Kate Prince in 2002, is best known for its full-length narrative dance productions which are strongly influenced by Hip Hop culture and music. ZooNation’s work is supported by a dynamic programme of engagement and talent development, helping young artists and communities build skills, knowledge and confidence in our distinctive style of dance theatre. 

Laura Dockrill is an award-winning writer from Brixton, South London.  

Her writing has earned plaudits like ‘Top 10 literary Talent’ from The Times and ‘Top 20 hot faces to watch’ from Elle Magazine. Her work for children has been shortlisted for the Waterstones Book of The Year Prize, Carnegie Medal and YA Book Prize. Laura’s writing has expanded to stage and screen. Her show for children Dust won a Best Theatre award at the 2022 Offies. Laura is on the advisory panel at The Ministry Of Stories and has judged literary prizes including the Women’s Prize, BBC National Short Story Prize, Blue Peter Book Prize and the BAFTA Children’s Prize.  

Maia is a director, designer and maker of puppetry and collaborates with other artists and across genres to create imaginative new work. Her work as both a Puppet Director and Designer includes: The Artist (Theatre Royal Plymouth); Bear Snores On (Regent’s Park Open Air); The Jungle Book (Theatre By The Lake) and The Butterfly Lion (The Barn Theatre).