Associate Artists, Creatives and Companies

The Watermill's Associate Artist Programme has a focused approach to both talent development and excellence in areas such as directing, choreography, orchestration and set design. Previously, The Watermill has played a part in developing the careers of many acclaimed directors including Edward Hall, Jonathan Munby, Timothy Sheader and Jessica Swale.

 

Artistic Director Paul Hart says: ‘The expertise, experience, talent and enthusiasm our Associate Artists and Creative Associates bring is invaluable. Their relationship with The Watermill and support of our ethos makes them perfect advocates for the theatre.’

 

The Associate Artists are;

 

Anthony Drewe, Playwright and Lyricist

Barney Norris, Playwright and Author

Caroline Sheen, Actor

George Stiles, Composer, Director and Playwright

Johnny Flynn, Musician and Actor

Katie Lias, Designer

Rosalie Craig, Actor

Sarah Travis, Musical Orchestrator and Supervisor

Sophie Stone, Actor and former Watermill Young company member

Tarek Merchant, Composer, Musical Director and Actor

Tom Attenborough, Director

Tom Jackson Greaves, Choreographer and Director

Danielle Pearson, Playwright

 

‘The Watermill holds a special place in my heart. It’s where one can be creative, reinvent, take risks, play, let the imagination run wild, form wonderful ensembles, and create exciting work.’ Sarah Travis

 

‘The jobs I have had at The Watermill have been some of the most joyous times of my career. I’m thrilled and honoured to become an Associate Artist at this enchanting and exciting venue.’ Caroline Sheen

 

‘‘Over the past few years I have been very proud to collaborate regularly with The Watermill - using movement and dance to invigorate the stories we tell and excite the audiences we welcome. The Watermill’s vibrancy is infectious.’ Tom Jackson Greaves

 

Abigail Pickard Price is Associate Director with a focus on new work and artist development. She has most recently directed Stiles and Drewe's musical Just So, based on the stories of Rudyard Kipling and a comedy adaptation of The Hound of the Baskervilles, both for The Watermill's outdoor theatre seasons during 2020 and 2021. She directed a new version of Burke and Hare by Tom Wentworth which ran at The Watermill, toured to 21 rural venues and transferred to Jermyn Street Theatre, London in 2018 as part of the theatre’s Rebels season.

The Watermill have made Wildcard Theatre an Associate Company, giving them access to the theatre’s resources and artistic support.

 

Wildcard Co-Artistic Director James Meteyard says: ‘Without The Watermill’s support we wouldn’t have been able to create our latest production, Electrolyte, a piece of gig-theatre exploring mental health premiering at The Pleasance, Edinburgh Fringe, as the complexities of the form and the size of the piece would have made it too difficult, logistically and financially. The Watermill team is helping us to achieve our aim of transitioning from a fringe company to a national touring company.’

 

Our Creative Associate Scheme has been set up to support emerging artists. The network provides a safe space in which the artists can share and develop skills and gain industry insights. Mentorship is provided and the members take on roles as both Assistant Director/ Designers and Director/ Designer on productions at The Watermill as part of their involvement with the theatre. Recent sessions have included programming, pitching, goal setting and collaborating with other creatives.

 

The members have also been able to get involved with the work at The Watermill in other ways, running sessions for the theatre's outreach department and working with the Actors Forum, a group of local professional actors, throughout lockdown, reading scripts to keep everyone’s creative brains ticking over.

The directors are;

 

 

The designers are;

 

 

The Directors are mentored by Chief Executive and Artistic Director Paul Hart and Associate Director Abigail Pickard Price, the Designers by Watermill Associate Artist Katie Lias.

 

 

Associate Sound Designer: David Gregory 

 

Over the last three years Danielle Pearson has been Playwright in Residence at The Watermill, writing a number of plays for the Outreach department including Moonfleet and Ann Veronica. 2020 should have seen the premiere of her ambitious new play Camp Albion that was to tour and play at The Watermill, this has been postponed for the foreseeable however Christmas 2020 saw her adaptation of the Christmas classic A Christmas Carol for two actor musicians.

 

Danielle’s placement with the theatre has proved hugely successful, she now takes on the role of Associate Artist and will mentor two new Playwrights in Residence, Becca Chadder and Talitha Wing.

These two writers have had a close relationship with the theatre, previously members of the youth theatre they have now embarked on their own creative journey and we are delighted that The Watermill will be able to play a key part in it. Sessions for the writers have included structure and adaptation and, as with the Creative Associates, sessions are led by industry professionals. Recently, mentors have included Marietta Kirkbride, who wrote Our Church for The Watermill in 2019.

 

With multiple strands the scheme provides invaluable networking opportunities across different departments, and members have already started to work together on productions such as Lone Flyer and A Christmas Carol at The Watermill.