Diploma in Creative Producing: Diplomats

Below are 32 inspiring Creative Producers from the first, second, third and current cohorts. They will be pleased to hear from any organisations and individuals who need their support…wherever you are in the world.

DipCP4 current cohort – February – June 2023

17th March 2023 – Biographies and Photos are being uploaded, together with contact details – for more information immediately contact chris [at] chrisgrady [dot] org

Amy Sze (UK and Hong Kong) (She/Her)

Amy is a theatre producer and director born and raised in Hong Kong, currently based in London. Graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Cultural Management at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and more recently MA Advanced Theatre Practice at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama, she endeavours to present stories of political struggle, immigration, and explore the cultural identity of Hong Kong through multidisciplinary art forms. Amy has previously worked with Pants Theatre Production (HK), French May Arts Festival (HK), Papergang Theatre (London), and Max Percy + Friends (London), with recent projects Rooms Left Behind and Theatre of Gulags presented at LIFT Festival and VAULT Festival (London).

More info and contact: Theatre | Amy Sze Productions

Chris O’Reilly (Sweden and Ireland) (He/Him)

Conor Dye (UK) (He/Him)

Eleanor Merton (Scotland) (She/Her)

Eleanor grew up in Cambridge, England and currently lives in Edinburgh, Scotland. She spent 20 years living in London working by day as a senior secretary, often in HR, in financial services, property development and investment and a spell at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. By night she played the viola in orchestras and at weekends organised Middle East human rights advocacy events. Just before the Pandemic she started producing theatre at Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019 assisting on Accidentally Muslim, Lauren Booth’s ground-breaking one-woman show. Ellie is a collaborative campaigning organiser by instinct, always aiming for the highest standards of administration, performance, and inclusive audience belonging.

Hamish Bamford (Scotland) (He/Him)

Joanna Woźnicka (UK and Europe) (She/Her)

Joanna is a Polish-British theatre producer, poet, director, and dancer. She is particularly interested in multi-lingual, multi-disciplinary, and community theatre. New writing is her jam – particularly when incorporating queer, female, and migrant voices. Joanna can be contacted via joannapwoznicka [at] gmail [dot] com and you can find out more about what she’s up to right now here: https://joannapwoznicka.wixsite.com/creative

Katherine Henry (UK) (She/Her)

Rachel Harley (UK) (She/Her)

Rachel Harley is an actor and producer with a passion for stage combat. While training as an actor Rachel found a talent for producing. Since graduating she has produced ‘Des Fleurs’ at The Space Theatre and is currently working on ‘Let The B*tch Out’ at The Golden Goose Theatre. Rachel has a wide range of cocktail knowledge and makes a very good expresso martini. 

Sofia Pricolo (Scotland and Argentina) (She/Her)

Sofia is an emerging theatre producer and director. She is Argentinian-Italian but grew up abroad in England, the Philippines, China, and Brazil. Sofia is currently based in Scotland as she completes her final year at the University of Edinburgh in Politics and International Relations. In September she will be based in London as she begins her CGO & Projekt Europa internship. Sofia has a passion for musical theatre, political theatre, and migrant theatre. She has produced and directed a variety of new work and commercial theatre for the last two years in Edinburgh, including at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. 

Contact: mspricolo [at] gmail [dot] com


DipCP3 Cohort – November 2021 – February 2022

Ellen Burgin (UK/AUS)
(she/her)

Ellen is an experienced arts marketer and theatre producer who specialises in the strategy and delivery of communications, marketing, and press, as well as specifically working across the creation and development of new musical theatre and female led work as a producer, general manager and project manager.  She is the Memberships and Communications Manager at Mercury Musical Developments and Musical Theatre Network, as well as part of the management team at Colchester Fringe Festival and at Prague Fringe Festival, and a freelance arts marketer with Emma Martin Arts Marketing. She completed the Stage One Producing programme in 2019, used to work for Arts Council England, and is an experienced grants writer, supporting a number of companies to successfully secure Cultural Recovery Fund funding across 2020/2021 and National Lottery Project Grant funding year round.


Twitter @EllenBurgin
Email Ellen here


Finlay Caroll (London & West Country UK)
(he/him)

Finlay is a theatre maker and producer specialising in new musical theatre and creative work with queer/ecological themes. He has links to London and the South West and has spent the past year working with Exeter Decolonising Network to explore anti-racist practice in the arts. Finlay loves projects which push boundaries, cross art forms, theatre which is noisy, bold, responsive, socially-engaged. His work seeks to amplify lost voices, preserve neglected histories, and place care at the heart of creative action.

Website spreadtoofinlay.com
Email Finlay here  


Patricia Dzigbordi Akoli – (London/UK)
(she/her)

Patricia is an artist, facilitator and producer who firmly believes in the sharing of experience through the arts, and in the richness of intergenerational and community focused work. She holds a BA in Drama, Applied Theatre and Performance (UEL) and is currently the part-time Assistant Producer for Young People at LIFT, who is helping to support her development in producing with this course. Some of her credits through the festival are the 81 Minutes of Exuberantly Defiant Young Activists (2021), Balthazar’s Treasure(2019),  Alcohol, City Lights & Slow Songs R&D (2018), Nightwalks with Teenagers (2018) and the LIFT Artists Gathering (2015). Beyond LIFT she has had experience working at The Bernie Grant Arts Centre, The Arcola Theatre, Produced Moon, Immediate Theatre, The London Bubble Theatre, N’DA Dance Company, University of Colorado Boulder’s Performers Without Borders, The Salmon Youth Club and the High Cross Youth Project.

Artistically Patricia is exploring the juxtaposition of skin, pigmentation and identity in relation to eczema and society. The output will be a visual and verbatim inspired piece that will develop in collaboration with participants.

To contact Patricia, please contact Chris here


Tori Jones (South East England)
(she/her)

Tori is a producer and director who specialises in community theatre; her passion is making the arts inclusive and accessible for all. She has worked for and gained experience with Immediate Theatre, London Bubble, Zinc Arts, Age Exchange, Polka Theatre and Steps Drama. In 2013, she moved to Thailand, where she set up her own company that specialised in teaching English through drama. She then went on South Korea, where she taught, produced, directed, and facilitated in the southern city of Gwangju. Back in the UK, Tori has project managed both in the corporate and charity sectors. She is a qualified teacher with five years teaching experience in the U.K and has been teaching facilitation practice at East 15 Acting School for the past three years.

Now, after being awarded the DYCP (Develop Your Creative Practice) arts award, she aims to develop her practice and combine all her experience to establish her own community theatre company in her home town of Southend-on-Sea, Essex. 

To contact Tori, please contact Chris here


Caron Lyon (East Midlands / UK)
(they/her)

Caron is a producer with a career that spans 20 years as a theatre stage manager and 10 years as a social technology business entrepreneur. Caron has worked on productions for Nottingham Playhouse, Sheffield Crucible Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre touring with Hull Truck, New Perspectives and Red Ladder. They are lead moderator and Chair of Equity’s Online Branch and have served terms on Equity’s Stage Management Committee.

In 2021, Caron formed PCM Immersive. PCM has been providing a low-impact carbon footprint conscious live-streaming service extending audience capacity online for events ‘on the ground’. Caron’s digital consulting and streaming work spans East Midlands, London and Rotterdam, Rome and Reykjavik including: Audiences Europe Network (AEN), Pilot Theatre and Shifthappens, RSA East Midlands, Royal Historical Society, Women in Architecture, Amb:IT:ion, EquityUK, DeafExplorer and TedX. From Nov 2021 – Oct 22 they are funded by an Arts Council England’s Developing Creative Practice award to R&D immersive theatre performance spaces to showcase new plays and experiences for emerging artists and performance creatives, part of which is enabling Caron to join the DipCP3 cohort.

Email Caron here
Twitter @pcmcreative
Linkedin http://linkedin.com/in/pcmcreative


Charlotte Mafham (London / UK)
(she/her)

Charlotte is a producer based in London. She is currently the Assistant General Manager for Nicholl Entertainment whose shows include ‘The Tiger who Came to Tea’, ‘Dinosaur Live’ and ‘Dragons & Mythical Beasts’. Previously a performer, she was supported by the Little Angel Theatre to upskill in producing and has worked across development, finance and administration as well as producing their summer 2021 tour of ‘If Not Here… Where?; a production re-imagined as a covid-safe digital experience for children in hospital. Other previous experience includes roles at Fuel as Comms & Admin Coordinator for ‘Creative Freelancers: Shaping London’s Recovery’ and Assistant Producer for ‘A Dead Body in Taos‘.


An actor-muso-puppeteer for over a decade, Charlotte appeared on stages from the West End to the Sydney Opera House via Paris, Pakistan… and Basingstoke! Collaborating on the majority of their shows to date she is an Associate Artist for Certain Dark Things Theatre Company and is Assistant Producer for their upcoming show ‘Savage Heart‘. Charlotte trained at Arts Ed, has a BA Philosophy & Politics from UEA, plays viola for the Whitehall Orchestra and the charity fundraising Amici Orchestra and is a Trustee for the Tunbridge Wells Puppetry Festival.


Email Charlotte here charlottemafham [at] gmail [dot] com Charlotte’s Spotlight


DipCP 2 Cohort – April 2021 to July 2021

Chloe Ashley (England)
(she/her)

Chloe is a London-based freelance producer and stage manager, currently working in the subsidised sector. In 2020, Chloe co-founded Undone Theatre, which focuses on experimenting with different forms of story-telling, showcasing queer perspectives and non-linear narratives. She is also working as Creative Producer for Pathway Theatre, developing the early stages of an outdoor, immersive touring production. She is passionate about giving a platform to new writing as well as creating theatre that is accessible to a wide variety of audiences.

Email Chloe here


Lewis Forman (England/Scotland)
(he/they)

Lewis is an emerging producer and the creative director of theatre collective The Counterminers. They currently operate as the Marketing Manager for the Edinburgh University Theatre Company and the President of Theatre Paradok. Recently, they produced the Scottish Online Student Drama Festival. Lewis is also an independent reviewer, based in Edinburgh both during the Fringe and the rest of the year.

Website www.lews.reviews
Email Lewis here


Andy Grange (England)
(he/him)

Andy trained in Lighting Design at RADA. He is a London-based Production Manager and Lighting designer. Prior to becoming freelance, he was deputy head of lighting at RADA. Andy has lit and production-managed a number of UK tours over the past ten years for London Classic Theatre, most recently Absurd Person Singular, My Mother Said I Never Should and Private Lives. Andy has a long partnership working with RADA and Carnival UK on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, production-managing and lighting shows on board the ship. Recent production productions on board include The Importance of Being Earnest, The Tram Track Tragedy and Pride & Prejudice

Andy has also lit a number of pantomimes for Hertford Theatre and productions for The Musical Theatre Academy and productions of Don Giovanni and Henry V for the New Generation festival at the Palazzo Corsini, Florence. Most recently Andy lit immersive events for COW PR and Kraken Rum.  He has a passion for musical theatre and aspires to develop and champion new musical theatre work. 

Website www.andygrange.com 
Email Andy here


Edmund Ross William Hunt (Malaysia / UK)
(he/him)

Edmund is a proud aboriginal person from Peninsular Malaysia. His involvement in theatre production began in the first year of his bachelor’s degree where he was involved as a stage manager, producer, actor, acting trainer/coach and director. Previous working experience includes managing cultural and film events/festivals and dance groups. He also has experience as an instructor and facilitator for Theatre & Stage Drama, Event Management and Stage Management course at Malaysian public universities for over 10 years. He aims to be the pioneer in developing the indigenous theatre in Malaysia and is committed to promoting and showcasing the arts and culture of the Malaysian Orang Asli community through performing arts, inspired by performances from Australia, New Zealand and the USA. He is passionate about musical theatre, designs and performance making and likes integrating musical elements in theatrical performances. 

Email Edmund here
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/edmund-ross-williams-hunt-1b10911a5


Camille Koosyial (UK)
(she/her)

Camille is British Guyanese Theatre Maker from South West London. After graduating from UEA in 2017 she has gone on to produce gig-theatre shows for Rose Eye Productions at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Camden People’s Theatre and recently directed the show Superman at the Vaults Festival 2020. She was also the Touring Stage Manager for LUNG’s 2019/2020 national tour of Trojan Horse. She is now producing for LUNG Theatre, Make It Beautiful Theatre Company as well as Associate Producer for Pig Foot Theatre’s Hot In Here and Barrel Organ and English Touring Theatre on their Tess Young Company project. When she’s not in a Luton van or lugging props round London, she is partial to a bit of arts and crafts and talking about the environment.

To contact Camille, please contact Chris here


Jasmine Kuti Smith (UK)
(she/her)

Jasmine is a London-based visual artist and designer who trained in Set, Production and Costume Design for Theatre, Film/Television and Performance. She has a passion for multidisciplinary artforms, combining her understanding of creating innovative spatial designs, performance, fashion, music and visual arts. She is also trained in creative practice and facilitation, shadow puppetry and has worked on projects in immersive theatre, site-specific performance, film and event producing.

Jasmine practices as a visual artist in her free time, experimenting with a variety of mediums and in 2020 was selected to exhibit her work with Dark Yellow Dot at Genesis Cinema, Mile End, East London. Continuing to pursue her solo practice as an artist, Jasmine is now actively working in collaborative ways, developing this more through combined art forms together with other artist, creatives and professional practitioners.

Website www.jasminekuti-smith.com
LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasmine-kuti-smith-0663851ab/


Maris Meos (Estonia/South West England)
(she/her)

Maris is a creative professional committed to building in the Forest of Dean, introducing it as a viable location for producer-related activities, supporting artists and fellow producers, and spreading the beauty and necessity of holistic approaches to team building and producing. Maris works at The ASHA Centre – a holistic educational centre in the Forest of Dean – and is the Creative Producer of Eden’s Cave – a laboratory theatre company responding to the global questions of our time. Her previous working experience includes supporting conferences, theatre productions and festivals, including Estonian Music Days and Viru Folk. 

Alongside her current projects with ASHA and Eden’s Cave, Maris dreams of creating a change programme consisting of annual retreats for theatre producers. She is dreaming of forming a Tribe of Heart Producers. Producers. 

LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/in/maris-meos-233a27112 
Email Maris here 


Allegra Nespoli (UK)
(she/her)

Allegra is Producer at Curious Monkey Theatre in Newcastle as well as a freelance theatre and live events producer. She has worked in a range of leading arts organisations including Raindance Film Festival, Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Roundhouse and the Old Vic Theatre, producing creative projects for young people.

Allegra is particularly passionate about human rights and audience development. Her theatre company, 1989 Productions, has commissioned and produced original work about social justice issues such as modern slavery, freedom of speech and women’s rights. (Hackney Showroom, Royal Court Theatre). Allegra is interested in international collaboration, supporting live artists and increasing accessibility in theatre and festivals. She is currently producing a verbatim play about the Grenfell Tower fire.

Email Allegra here


DipCP1 Cohort – November 2020 – February 2021


Lucy Donald (UK)
(she/her)

Lucy is a Royal Holloway Drama graduate based in London. She is a freelance creative producer and the incoming Project Manager for With Flying Colours – a 4 year project funded by Arts Council England and the DCMS which is part of the wider national effort to bring exciting cultural opportunities to young people across England in targeted areas.

Previous Experience Includes: Assistant Producer for Little Amal at COP26 (Good Chance Theatre), Cut Out for Emma Baskeyfield Theatre; Petrol Headz (Barbican Theatre, Plymouth 2021), Block’d Off R&D (Wooden Arrow and El Gordo Theatre Co. 2021) and The Voices in the Back of Your Head  (Side Dish Theatre Company for the Royal Court Young Agitators 2020).

Website www.lucydonald.com
Instagram @lucyproduces 


Lizzie Franks
(England) (she/her)

Lizzie is a freelance director, choreographer and producer. Her producing credits include two Edinburgh Fringe Comedy shows, which she also wrote and performed in, a rehearsed reading of a new play Nadya at The Park Theatre and an Arts Council Funded RnD of a new Musical The Toilers of the Sea at The Old Market (Brighton). She has recently been awarded DYCP funding which is helping her to develop her skills. She is passionate about making and supporting theatre that combines music, dance and strong narratives. Website: www.lizziesarahfranks.com Email lizziefranks [at] hotmail [dot] co [dot] uk


Liam McIntosh
(UK) (he/him)

Liam is an emerging commercial Musical Theatre producer, having also done a lot of work in the Pantomime industry. He started his first production company in late 2013, aged just 16, since then he has written over 20 pantomime scripts. Based in Scotland he has a keen interest and passion in exploring revival and transfer productions of Musical Theatre. As well as currently working on a brand new piece of British Musical Theatre. Liam is always excited to connect and collaborate with other creatives on various work. Connect with Liam; www.liammcintosh.co.uk Email:liam [at] liammcintosh [dot] co [dot] uk  Twitter/Instagram/LinkedIn    @liamamcintosh


Joanna Morley (England)
(she/her)

Joanna is an independent producer working with Marvellous Machine Theatre Company on the early stages of a new coastal community R&D project, and Out of Bounds Theatre on an R&D project about mental health and Dungeons and Dragons. She has also made new connections with Batavia Productions and Company Four, Manchester. Her passion lies in giving young people a platform, by making work with and for them. This platform will be:- An environment where young people can connect, sharing their true thoughts and opinions. An opportunity to learn how to listen and respect others in debate. A place of hope and empowerment. Email: joannamorley [at] hotmail [dot] co [dot] uk


Erin Rooney (Scotland)
(she/her)

Erin is a multiple-disciplinary artist focusing on producing, directing and acting based in Glasgow but with transport for all of Scotland. Erin gained a first-class honour degree in Performance from UWS and completed her diploma in Creative Producing with the Chris Grady Institute. She created and is the artistic director of Etcetera Theatre Company Scotland which was founded in 2019. She directed, co-wrote, and performed in their first performance and continues to compile work for the company. She has moved to Glasgow to immerse herself in the city’s diverse theatre scene and is passionate about creating new and exciting Scottish theatre. She has produced 2 shows in the fringe in 2021 and her niche sits within improvisational theatre and new writing, but she cannot wait to extend her skills to find other inspirations and new genres to explore. Contact via CGO chris [at] chrisgrady [dot] org


Megan Schadler (USA/France/UK)
(she/her)

Megan Schadler is a New York-based producer & writer originally from Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, Megan began working as a freelance & independent Producer in NYC. Megan joined Yonder Window Theatre Company in 2018 as the Assistant to the Artistic Director and departed in 2022 as the Artistic Line Producer. Megan is also a playwriting member of Yonder Window’s New Works Collective. Megan is the co-founder of Stagepunch.com, a subscription-based website dedicated to helping teens get into drama school. As an independent producer, Megan’s work has focused on creating safe and exciting spaces for artists to thrive, centering on new work and emerging playwrights. In September 2020, Megan produced The Birth Control Series, a collection of scripts reflecting the writers’ unique experiences with contraception. The series was created, filmed, and live-streamed remotely by artists in France, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Megan is also the Co-Creator and Producer of A Night of Play, a monthly play-reading party supporting a diverse community of theatre artists (Brooklyn, 2018-2019), and a new reading series called Connect the Dots (2022). In 2021, Megan completed the CGO Institute Diploma for Creative Producing course (UK). She co-founded The Fifth Producer, a collaborative and support network for Early Career Producers that advocates for better inclusion, diversity, and sustainability in the theatre industry. In 2023, Megan is producing a reading of Ivan Faute’s Lost Sock Laundry for the TRU Voices New Plays Virtual Reading Series. Megan is also working as the Assistant to Broadway producers Nelle Nugent and Kenneth Teaton. Instagram: @MeganSchadler  Website: meganschadler.com or Email: megschadler [at] gmail [dot] com


Phoebe Schenk (England)
(she/her)

Phoebe is a London-based theatre producer, tour manager, and Assistant Producer of Waterperry Opera Festival. Graduating from Cambridge University specialising in Race & Gender relations, she is professionally and academically committed to platforming intersectional voices. She booked and led three international theatre tours to East Asia, South Asia, and Western Europe. Additional experience includes managing live music events for London Jazz Festival and programming St John’s May Ball.  Email: Phoebeschenk99 [at] gmail [dot] com


Niels van Doormalen (The Netherlands)
(he/him)

Niels is a freelance creative producer and graduated from the University of Amsterdam (Theatre and Drama Studies). Niels continued his studies at Goldsmiths, University of London (Musical Theatre Producing). During his studies, Niels worked as an assistant producer and marketing strategist. Theatre credits (NL) include The Color Purple, Fun Home, The Bridges of Madison County, Soof- de Musical and Expeditie Eiland. Niels is currently working as an executive (co-)producer with Solo Stories and Studio Immersief on immersive and site-specific theatre. His start-up Oatmilk studio produces the world premiere of the British musical Before After, by Stuart M. Price and Timothy Knapman. Website: www.nielsvandoormalen.com

Supported by PPO Fund from Platform ACCT (Ministry of Education, Culture and Science – The Netherlands) 


Siva Zagel (South East England)
(she/her)

Siva is currently Head of Programming at The Courtyard Theatre in London. She is also a freelance Creative Producer, Programmer and General Manager. Honing skills from Edinburgh Festival Fringe, working with companies and venues including STFW (Edinburgh), Outside Edge Theatre, Hoxton Hall, Metal Culture, also extensive touring experience. Interested in Real life stories, Dance, Opera, Visual Arts, Immersive Theatre, Sensory Theatre and Arts Community.  Current projects ‘Unknown Soldier’ –  www.alisonraydancecompany.co.uk and ‘We Need To Talk About Death’ – www.joannarosenfeld.co.uk  (updated 31st Mar 21). Email: siva.zagel.co.uk