Kneehigh Welcomes Ali Robertson as Executive Producer

Kneehigh today announced the appointment of Ali Robertson as the company's new Executive Producer. Ali will take up the position in June taking over from Paul Crewes, who, after 10 extraordinary years with Kneehigh becomes Artistic Director of the Wallis Annenberg Center for Performing Arts (aka The Wallis) in Los Angeles .

Ali Robertson will continue to build on the company's success working alongside Artistic Director Mike Shepherd and his creative team of associate artists. He will bring his wealth of expertise to developing new and existing partnerships across the sector, as well as growing the Company's hugely successful national and international touring programme in creating ambitious, bold and ground-breaking new work.

Ali has been Director of Tobacco Factory Theatres since August 2007. In that time the organisation has built itself a second theatre; installed one of the largest renewable energy systems of any arts organisation in the UK; produced and co-produced over forty shows that have toured nationally and internationally; and brought work from around the world to Bristol. Highlights include co-producing the Olivier-nominated and Off West End Award-winning Cinderella: A Fairytale and the Sky Arts Award winning Dracula.

Prior to working in Bristol, Ali ran the Cork Midsummer Festival for four years, building it up to be one of the largest arts festivals in Ireland, including being a major featured strand of European Capital of Culture 2005.

Mike Shepherd, Artistic Director of Kneehigh said 'Although I'm sad that Paul is leaving our shores, I heartily congratulate him on his new appointment and look forward to the ongoing association with him in America and Emma at the Globe. So this is a new Kneehigh era and I am delighted to welcome Ali as a fellow adventurer, he has a reputation for making things happen against the odds. Bring on the next big adventure in a spirit of creative enterprise!'

Ali Robertson said 'Nine years ago I saw a Kneehigh show for the first time and was instantly smitten. I am enormously excited by the prospect of joining a much-loved company whose name is synonymous with passionate, skilful and exciting theatre. I look forward to working with Mike Shepherd and other brilliant Kneehigh artists to develop a new generation of wonderful work both at home in Cornwall and nationally and internationally."

Alan Livingston, Chair of Kneehigh's Board of Directors, said 'We are delighted to welcome Ali as our new Executive Producer. Ali's impressive professional pedigree, combined with his creative energy and obvious passion for contemporary theatre make him a perfect fit for Kneehigh. I am very much looking forward to Ali and Mike Shepherd, our Artistic Director, working together to further develop Kneehigh's international reputation for remarkable and spell-binding theatre'.

During 2016 Kneehigh will be touring The Flying Lovers of Vitesbk, a new play by Daniel Jamieson about the life of artist Marc Chagall and his wife Bella, directed by Emma Rice. This production will open at Bristol Old Vic before playing at Shakespeare's Globe, The Nuffield and The Asylum. Last year's show-946, The Amazing Story of Adolphus Tipps by Michael Morpurgo and directed by Emma Rice returns this summer for a season at The Globe before touring nationally and internationally. Dead Dog in a Suitcase is currently touring New Zealand, Columbia and South Korea. Plans for the Asylum season at Heligan will be announced shortly

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