Theatrical Management Association Elects Majority Female Council for 1st Time in Its History

The Theatrical Management Association (TMA), the UK's largest and longest established theatre trade association, announced today that the results of the elections to its ruling council mean that for the first time it will be governed by a female majority. The organisation President Rachel Tackley begins a second three-year term as President. Anna Williams succeeds John Stalker as elected Vice President.

Rachel Tackley commented:

'When I started my career in the theatre industry there was a widely-held perception that the TMA was an exclusive club with a faintly visible sign over the door saying 'Men Only'. When I attended my first ever TMA meeting over 20 years ago, I was one of only two women in the room! Fortunately things have moved swiftly on over the last two decades and there has been enormous progress in making it more inclusive. I am now the fourth female President, but in the past we have all led a board that was largely male.

'I think this is a really important moment for the industry. For many decades a career in theatre producing and management has attracted large numbers of intelligent and talented women, but their majority in the workforce has not been reflected in senior management posts, particularly in larger organisations. I hope today we can celebrate that the glass ceiling in theatre has been broken for good and that it is talent not gender that counts.

'There is much more that we as theatre leaders need to do encourage a much more diverse new generation of talented future leaders into a career in theatre management. The TMA has exciting and ambitious plans to engage with a far broader range of professionals in the performing arts that we will start to deliver in 2014.'

Newly elected to the TMA Council were:
Julien Boast (Hall for Cornwall), Elizabeth Jones (Watershed Productions), Conrad Lynch (Wales Millennium Centre), Janet Powell (Playful Productions), Sheena Wrigley (West Yorkshire Playhouse)

Re-elected for a second term:
Fiona Allan (Curve, Leicester), Karin Gartzke (Ambassador Theatre Group), Michael Ockwell (Mayflower, Southampton), President Rachel Tackley (English Touring Theatre), Vice President Anna Williams (Birmingham Royal Ballet), and Chair of the Industrial Relations Committee Max Finbow (David Ian Productions)

Seven previously elected members continue to serve on Council: Dan Bates (Sheffield Theatres), Philip Bernays (Newcastle Theatre Royal), Henrietta Finch (Headlong), Jessica Hepburn (Lyric Hammersmith), Andrew Jowett OBE (Town Hall and Symphony Hall, Birmingham), Anna Stapleton (Citizens Theatre, Glasgow), Paul Tyrer (Booking Office).

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