Bright Places

Rae Mainwaring

WRITER

She/Her

Rae Mainwaring is a disabled Writer from Birmingham. She was part of Foundry 2019 cohort and is an alumni of Graeae's Beyond program and BBC writers room Cov voices.

In 2023, her play Bright Places won the Peggy Ramsay/Film4 bursary award. Her play, The Last (plastic) Straw; written for young performers, was commissioned by the Playhouse project and performed in several UK theatres.

Rae has a series in early development for screen with Left Bank Pictures and has taken part in a Netflix writer's room.

Jo Gleave

DIRECTOR (2026)

She/Her

Jo Gleave is a freelance Theatre Director and Facilitator based in Birmingham. Previously she was Co-Artistic Director of Tin Box Theatre and Associate Director at Women & Theatre. Her work centres on community and education and she is passionate about theatre having a positive impact and the potential to affect social change.

She has worked for many midlands companies including Birmingham REP, Belgrade Theatre, Talking Birds and Bold Text. She is also a Visiting Director at University of Birmingham and has been a Visiting lecturer at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, De Montfort and Worcester University.

Holly Ellis

LIGHTING DESIGNER

She/Her

Holly Ellis is a graduate of LAMDA's technical theatre course. Her work includes; The Long Run (Touring), The Barber of Seville (Waterperry Opera), I'm Gonna Marry You Tobey Maguire (Southwark Playhouse), The Promise (Birmingham Rep and Touring), Errol's Garden (Touring), The Naughty Carriage on the Orphan Train (Dundee Rep), Bitter Lemons (Bristol Old Vic), Spy for Spy (Riverside Studios), Blanket Ban (Southwark Playhouse), On the Ropes (Park Theatre), A Sherlock Carol (Associate LD, Marylebone Theatre), CASTEing (Roundabout), The Tempest (RCSSD;), Autopilot (Pleasance, Edinburgh), Animal Kingdom (Hampstead, Downstairs); Instructions for a Teenage Armageddon (Southwark Playhouse) *Offie Nominated for Best Lighting Design*, Bobby and Amy (North Wall/UK tour/ Pleasance Edinburgh); Tokyo Rose (Southwark Playhouse/UK tour), Errol's Garden (UK tour).

Clive Meldrum

SOUND DESIGNER

He/Him

Theatre credits include: Peter Pan the Musical (BOA Group), Love & Rebellion, Order & Chaos, Parklife, Uncommon Riches, GrimeBoy, The Play What I Wrote, Sky Comedy Rep, Blue/Orange, Stuff, Elephant, To Sir With Love, The Quiet House, The Rotters' Club, Folk, Unknown Male, The Mother, Respect, Cling To Me Like Ivy, Last Easter, How To Tell The Monsters From The Misfits, Looking For Yoghurt, and Hopelessly Devoted (Birmingham Repertory Theatre)

As Associate Sound Designer: Counting & Cracking - UK tour (Belvoir), Family Tree - UK tour (Actors Touring Company) Audio work: Chase Tales Trail (Cannock Chase Council & Birmingham Rep). Clive is also a visiting lecturer at University of Birmingham and BOA Stage & Screen.

Virginie Taylor

VIDEO & CREATIVE CAPTIONS DESIGNER

She/Her

Virginie Taylor is a London-based video and creative captions designer working across the UK and internationally. Her credits include Bluets, directed by Katie Mitchell at Schaubühne Berlin; Bad Lads, directed by Jenny Sealey at Live Theatre, Newcastle, and on tour; and The Odyssey, directed by Jennifer Tang at the Unicorn Theatre. Further credits include productions at Birmingham Rep, MAST Mayflower Studios, the Royal Academy of Music, Park Theatre, The Egg, The Yard, Southwark Playhouse and The Other Palace. She has worked with companies including Fuel, OperaUpClose, The PappyShow, CRIPtic Arts and Pegasus Opera.

Video design: Windrush the Journey, Roman Fever and the Human Voice by Pegasus Opera, The Odyssey at Unicorn Theatre, Wendy: A Peter Pan Story at the Egg (creative captions only), waiting for a train at the bus stop at Ed Fringe, Press at Park Theatre, Charlie Russell Aims To Please at Ed Fringe and The Other Palace and No Place Like Home at Ed Fringe and Camden People’s Theatre (LET 2022 Award winner).

Gemma Casley-Kirk

SET DESIGNER (2026)

She/Her

Gemma works as a freelance designer and actor. She studied design at Nottingham Trent University, graduating with an exceptional 1st & won the ‘Nottingham Playhouse Prize’ 2020. She also trained at the BAFTA award winning Television Workshop. Gemma enjoys both design and performance equally and feels the skills gained from both crafts complement and influence each other in her work in a unique way. Initially producing work predominantly for theatre, Gemma now also creates art for projects in film, television, photography, puppetry, events & festivals.

Ruth Bagnall

COSTUME DESIGNER (2026)

She/Her

Ruth Bagnall is a costume designer and maker with over 20 years' experience working across theatre, education and the creative industries. A graduate in theatre design, she has designed, made and supervised costumes for a wide range of productions, as well as running her own costume hire company and teaching costume design at university level. Alongside her theatre work, Ruth is the founder of the award-winning children's costume brand A is for Alice Costumes and also runs Ruth Bagnall Organised Living, helping clients create beautiful, functional homes and interiors. She is passionate about craftsmanship, storytelling and bringing characters to life through costume.

Keiren Hamilton-Amos

MOVEMENT DIRECTOR (2026)

He/Him

Keiren Hamilton-Amos is a movement director learning his craft with the internationally recognised Strictly Arts Theatre Company.

His work is grounded in character, rhythm and clear physical storytelling. He collaborates closely with directors and performers to create movement that supports the text, strengthens relationships on stage and helps shape the world of the production.

Keiren has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, Birmingham Rep, Belgrade Theatre and Nottingham Playhouse. He was also Associate Movement Director on a production nominated for a Royal Philharmonic Society Award.

Josh Tomalin

PRODUCTION MANAGER

He/Him

Josh Tomalin is a lighting designer, photographer and production manager working predominantly in contemporary dance. He has worked with and designed works for companies including: Joss Arnott Dance, James Wilton Dance, Denada Dance Theatre, Lea Anderson, Company Chameleon, Emergence Dance, Joseph Toonga, Gerrard Martin, Jamaal Burkmar, Jaivant Patel, Vidya Patel, Sharon Watson and Wubjke Kuindersma.

Jeanette Maggs

Stage Manager
She/Her

Jeanette has a background in Sound, AV and Production Management, and has been working in Theatre as Company Stage Manager and Deputy Stage Manager roles for the last ten years.

Recent credits include Northanger Abbey (Orange Tree Theatre, London / Octagon Theatre, Bolton / SJT Theatre, Scarborough / Theatre by the Lake, Keswick 2023), Little Red Riding Hood (The Rep, Birmingham 2023), Not The Last (Women And Theatre, Birmingham 2023), Biscuits For Breakfast (Hampstead Theatre, London 2023), and Run Rebel (Pilot Theatre, Tour, 2023)

Elliott Grant

Assistant Stage Manager

He/Him

Elliott Grant is a Stage manager and Creative from the South West. He studied Drama with Creative Writing at the University of the West of England, with further training from the Emma Rice Company Summer Camp, Exeter Northcott’s Tech Futures and Bristol Old Vic’s Made in Bristol residency. Elliott has worked with RED Entertainment, Show of Strength, Burn The Curtain, Landmark Theatres, Multi Story Theatre, Beaford, The Bristol Improv Theatre, Kook Ensemble, MakeShift Theatre, Above Bounds, Rhum+Clay and Tiny and Tall; As well as creating his own shows with i.e. theatre.

Sasha Georgette

COMPANY ACCESS MANAGER

She/Her

Sasha is a multidisciplinary artist with a specialisation in accessibility. She received an MA in Playwriting from University of Manchester and a BA in Acting from Liverpool Institute for the Performing Arts.

Credits include: Is It Too Late Now To Say Sorry (Access Coordinator, Summerhall Arts), Game Theory (Access Coordinator, LAMDA), Now That’s What I Call… The Afterlife (Dramaturg, HOME), Flyby (Access Coordinator, Southwark Playhouse), Cable Street (Access Coordinator, Marylebone Theatre & 59e59), Precipice (Access Support, New Diorama), Pests (Associate Producer & Access Lead, Wisteria Theatre), How Disabled Are You? (Access Support, Brighton Dome), Sink (Associate Dramaturg), Vile (Access Lead & Assistant Director, 53two), Toxic (Rehearsal Assistant, UK Tour), Borrowed (Writer, HOME & Unity Theatre), Acceptance Day (Writer, Rope Ladder Fiction), Red Flags (Director, theSpaceUK), Richard's Little World (Director & Dramaturg, Contact Theatre), Confessions (Assistant Director), Ladyfriends [A Period Drama] (Dramaturg, Hope Mill Theatre), Blackbird (Director, Liverpool's Royal Court)

Tessa Walker

Dramaturg & Originating Director

She/Her

Tessa has been an Associate Director at Hampstead Theatre and at Birmingham Rep. Recent productions include: All The Rage, by several female-identifying playwrights, (Theatre Deli), Bright Places by Rae Mainwaring (Carbon Theatre) on tour, Fatherland by Nancy Farino (Hampstead Theatre), Northanger Abbey, adapted by Zoe Cooper (Orange Tree Theatre and tour,  Biscuits for Breakfast by Gareth Farr (Hampstead Theatre) and Run, Rebel by Manjeet Mann (Pilot Theatre). Previous productions include: Ravenscourt by Georgina Burns (Hampstead Theatre) Big, Big Sky by Tom Wells (Hampstead Theatre), The Glad Game by Phoebe Frances Brown (Nottingham Playhouse and tour), Symphony of Us created with Paul O’Donnell (Coventry Cathedral, Coventry City of Culture). At Birmingham Rep, productions include The Whip Hand by Douglas Maxwell (also Traverse Theatre), Circles by Rachel De-Lahay  (also Kiln Theatre) and Folk by Tom Wells (also Hull Truck and Watford Palace).

Rachel Bunce

Filmmaker

She/Her

Rachel Bunce is a UK filmmaker and director working specifically with artists and arts organisations to create films. Rachel has a collaborative approach and works with other creatives to keep the heart of each project alive throughout the production process. Her specific interest lies within capturing the ‘liveness’ that theatre and the arts audiences experience and trying to convey this sense on screen. 

Rachel is now based in Sheffield and recent projects include behind the scenes on The Royal Military Tattoo, Rotherham Children’s Capital of Culture filmmaking workshops and Birmingham’s Fierce Festival documentation.