Joshua McTaggart to Step Down as Artistic Director of The Bunker Theatre

Joshua McTaggart will step down as Artistic Director of The Bunker Theatre in September. David Ralf will continue to lead the London off West End theatre in his new role as Executive Director alongside a new Artistic Director, who will be appointed this summer. Applications for the role of Artistic Director are open today (Wednesday 11th July).

McTaggart has been appointed as Artistic Director and CEO of the Chelsea Theatre, in West London, and from September will oversee a major capital redevelopment project.

The Bunker has also announced a musical theatre development initiative with Trafalgar Entertainment Group. The initiative will support, amongst other projects, a new musical based on Glasgow's Ice Cream Wars of the 1980s, which is to be developed and directed by McTaggart, continuing his creative relationship with The Bunker.

McTaggart comments, In just over two years, our team has taken this abandoned underground car park and transformed it into a thriving hub of creativity and performance. I am immensely proud of everything we have achieved, and I have had the true privilege of working and collaborating with some of the most generous and talented artists our country has to offer. I cannot wait to hand over this building to another creative mind to lead it on the next steps of its journey. I will certainly be taking along the lessons and the triumphs from my time at The Bunker to the Chelsea Theatre.

Ralf says, Over the last two years, Joshua's vision and energy as Artistic Director have led the building through its opening, three world-premiere in-house productions, two editions of our signature Bunker Without Borders festival, our first Breaking Out programme for emerging companies, and the hugely fruitful relationships with our two Resident Companies, Damsel Productions and Pint-Sized. He has inspired hundreds of artists to make something new, modern and exciting in our unique space. The Bunker wishes him the very best with all his future endeavours, and I am thrilled to lead this young and energetic off West End venue into its third year.

The application process for a new Artistic Director for The Bunker closes on Friday August 3rd at midnight. To encourage applications from as many backgrounds and abilities as possible, applications can be made in a number of forms, including video submissions, voice recordings or emails. Applicants can apply via The Bunker's website, https://www.bunkertheatre.com/get-involved/work-with-us.

Housed in a former underground parking garage, The Bunker is a unique 110-seater deep beneath the pavements of Southwark Street. An eclectic mix of seating surrounds a large, square thrust stage on three sides, and a craft beer bar stays open long after performances while audiences mingle with artists in the auditorium.

With ambitious, emerging artists at the centre of its work, The Bunker's programming has included the world premieres of award-winning sell-out Skin A Cat by Isley Lynn, Devil With The Blue Dress by Kevin Armento, ABIGAIL by Fiona Doyle, Eyes Closed, Ears Covered by Alex Gwyther, 31 Hours by Kieran Knowles, an experimental new adaptation of La Ronde, and Cardboard Citizen's 25th Anniversary epic nine-play cycle Home Truths.

The Bunker is the current home of resident companies Pint-Sized Plays and Damsel Productions who as well as Grotty by Izzy Tennyson produced their festival Damsel Develops at The Bunker, London's first all-female director-led festival of work-in-progress.

The Bunker was founded by Joshua McTaggart and Joel Fisher, who were aged 25 and 24 at the time. Two-thirds of The Bunker's audience are under 35 and 10 tickets for under 30s are available for just £10 at every performance.

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