Chris Harper Productions Appoints Tom O'Connell as Producer

Chris Harper Productions has appointed Tom O’Connell as producer. Chris Harper is a Tony and Olivier Award-winning producer who has produced some of the most acclaimed theatrical successes of the last 15 years.   

“I am thrilled to be joining Chris Harper’s new company as it strives to deliver unwavering commitment to excellence in theatre," O'Connell said in a statement. "With The Roommate soon on Broadway, and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe due to open on its UK tour later this year, as well as several major projects in development, it’s an exciting time to be joining Chris and to bring my own experience to the company.”

Tom is a commercial producer originally from Lincolnshire who has developed and produced several iconic productions in London and across the UK & Internationally.

Recent credits include: Christina Aguilera, Jess Folley & Todrick Hall’s Burlesque the musical (World Premiere & Workshop Presentation), Frank Wildhorn, Ivan Menchell & Don Black’s Bonnie & Clyde the musical (UK Tour), Bonnie & Clyde – Original West End Cast Recording (Album), Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies & Evita - in Concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane).

Original Development Producer: Brokeback Mountain, The Great British Bake Off Musical, Murder on the Orient Express, Club Tropicana the musical and The Way Old Friends Do by Ian Hallard, directed by Mark Gatiss featuring Miriam Margolyes and the late Paul O’Grady.

As Co-Producer for James Seabright/Seabright Productions, he produced Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting Live (Riverside Studios/UK Tour), Dr Adam Kay’s This Is Going To Hurt Live (West End/UK Tours), Brendan Murphy’s Buffy Revamped (UK Tour), Danny Robins’ The Battersea Poltergeist Live (UK Tour), Iain Dale’s All Talk Live with guests including Nicola Sturgeon, Sir Keir Starmer, Angela Rayner and Sir Tim Rice (Edinburgh Fringe).

Productions of note: In 2017 he produced the critically acclaimed fiftieth anniversary production of Joe Orton's Loot at The Park Theatre directed by Michael Fentiman, in 2016 Mart Crowley's The Boys in the Band starring Mark Gatiss directed by Adam Penford at the Vaudeville/Park Theatre/UK Tour, in 2015 Frank McGuinness’ Someone Who’ll Watch Over Mestarring David Haig (Chichester Festival Theatre) directed by Michael Attenborough CBE, and in 2013 the twentieth anniversary production of Jonathan Harvey's Beautiful Thing starring Suranne Jones directed by Nikolai Foster (Arts Theatre/UK Tour/Digital Theatre).

Past production credits include: Hairspray the musical (UK Tours), Priscilla Queen of the Desert the musical (UK Tour), The Man in the White Suit (Wyndhams), Irving Berlin’s White Christmas (Dominion), All That (Kings Head), Patrick Barlow’s The Messiah (The Other Palace), Florian Zeller & Christopher Hampton’s The Height of the Storm (Wyndhams), Sean Foley’s The Miser (Garrick/UK Tour), Ronald Harwood’s Quartet (UK Tour), Terence Rattigan’s The Winslow Boy (UK Tour), Alan Bennett’s Single Spies (UK Tour), David Seidler’s The King’s Speech (UK Tour); Andy Nyman & Jeremy Dyson’s Ghost Stories (Arts Theatre); Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing (UK Tour 2015); Julian Mitchell’s Another Country (Trafalgar Studios/UK Tour), Breeders (St James); Rob Hayes’ Step 9 [Of 12] (Trafalgar Studios), Dick King-Smith’s Babe, The Sheep-Pig (London/UK Tour), Million Dollar Quartet (Royal Festival Hall/UK Tour), Ray Cooney’s Out Of Order (UK Tour), Raising Martha (Park Theatre) and The Wedding Singer the musical (UK Tour).

Tom trained as a producer at Fiery Angel LLP, funded by the Stage One new producers scheme, working on The 39 Steps(Criterion/UK Tour), The Ladykillers (Gielgud/Vaudeville/UK Tour), Ben Hur with four
actors (Newbury Playhouse / The Watermill), Olivier Award-winning Goodnight Mister Tom (Phoenix – West End & UK Tour), Swallows & Amazons(Vaudeville/UK Tour), Peppa Pig Live (Criterion/UK Tour), Ben & Holly’s Little Kingdom Live (UK Tour).

Tom is on the artistic advisory panel for the British Youth Music Theatre and is a mentor to new producers through the Stage One bursary scheme and Central School of Speech and Drama Creative Producer training course. He has previously been awarded the Stage One producers Bursary, Start-Up Award and completed their trainee producer apprenticeship.

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