JMK Trust Announces New Opportunities For Directors Supported By The Victoria Wood Foundation

Theatre charity the JMK Trust today announces that, through the generous funding of the Victoria Wood Foundation, it is launching vital new opportunities for theatre directors.

Hosted at northern venues Manchester Royal Exchange and Northern Stage, Newcastle, and part of its National Programme, two new bursaries will see the recipients work alongside, and receive mentorship from Roy Alexander Weise MBE and Maria Crocker, both previous beneficiaries of the JMK Trust.

Stephen Fewell, Chair of the JMK Trust, commented, "Many will know that Victoria Wood's own career journey, and her uniquely precise grip on the rhythms of British humour, led her eventually to direct her own work. Just as she worked so skilfully to make the very most of each opportunity that led her there, we hope these new bursaries in her memory provide similar chances for talent to be inspired and recognised. As her comic voice endures, we hope they'll attract people of all varieties to make themselves heard in positions of creative leadership."

In addition, the Trustees of the JMK Trust today launch a 6-month mentoring scheme for 24 theatre directors around the country, generously funded by the Noël Coward Foundation. As the industry returns to life, this gives access to monthly one-to-one sessions with a mentor and the opportunity to meet and work with fellow mentees. This aims to build a cohort of peers and a supportive learning opportunity for directors as we emerge from the pandemic and the devastating impact it has had on the theatre industry. The mentors are directors Nik Partridge, Piers Black, Atri Banerjee, and Nel Crouch.

Royal Exchange Manchester Bursary

The bursary at the Royal Exchange Manchester enables a director to assist Roy Alexander Weise on a new production of Katori Hall's The Mountaintop this autumn. Roy Alexander Weise MBE is joint Artistic Director of the Royal Exchange and won the JMK Award 2016 with The Mountaintop, which ran at the Young Vic in October-November 2016, before touring the UK in 2018.

Roy's other theatre credits include: BR'ER COTTON (Theatre 503) and NINE NIGHT (National Theatre), HERETIC VOICES (Arcola Theatre); JEKYLL AND HYDE (National Youth Theatre); DEAD DON'T FLOSS (National Theatre); THE UGLY ONE (Park Theatre, Buckland Theatre Company); THE DARK (Fuel & Ovalhouse); ZERO FOR THE YOUNG DUDES (Young & Talented in association with NT Connections); PRIMETIME (Royal Court, Jerwood Theatre); and STONE FACE (Finborough Theatre). At the start of 2020, Roy was awarded an MBE for his services to drama.

Roy says "I am delighted to be working with The JMK Trust as we look for a new Assistant Director for my upcoming production of THE MOUNTAINTOP at the Royal Exchange Theatre.

As a recipient of the Award, I've seen first-hand the incredible opportunities that the Trust provides for those who wouldn't usually get the chance to work in Theatre, as well as the knock on effect it has on the entire cast and creative teams. They supported me as Director of THE MOUNTAINTOP at The Young Vic in 2016 and its national tour back in 2018, so it's great to come back full circle, and work with them again as I direct a new version of the play - my first production as Joint Artistic Director here in Manchester.

Both The JMK Trust and The Victoria Wood Foundation have been extremely supportive of the Royal Exchange Theatre and we look forward to working with them as we rebuild and get back to making theatre for our communities."

Northern Stage Bursary

The bursary at Northern Stage is for an associate director to work with Maria Crocker on her production of The Sorcerer's Apprentice, opening November 2021. Maria Crocker was herself the first recipient of a JMK assistant director bursary at Northern Stage in 2014, and she is one of the Director Practitioners running JMK's National Programme. Maria is a Headlong Origins associate artist and runner up for the Sir Peter Hall RTST Directors Award 2019. Her work in theatre as director includes ASSASSINS at Mountview, LITTLE BITS OF LIGHT (workshop) at National Theatre Studio/ARC Stockton; PRONOUN at ALRA; GROWTH at Northern Stage; BRIAN LOOKS LIKE Alan Rickman at York Theatre Royal Studio; and FOUND at Alnwick Playhouse. Her work as associate director includes LOCAL HERO, for The Edinburgh Lyceum; HADESTOWN for The National Theatre; MEEK for Headlong and Birmingham Rep; GODS ARE FALLEN AND ALL SAFETY GONE for Greyscale (International tour); THE GAMBLERS for Greyscale and Dundee Rep.

Maria says, "I'm thrilled to be working with a JMK associate director on this magical Christmas production, in my home town of Newcastle. The JMK has played a big part in my directing journey to this point, and I know first hand how important these opportunities are for directors, particularly those wanting to work on a larger scale outside of London."

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