The JMK National Programme across our partner venues is curated and run by our four Director Practitioners (DPs) – who are established, locally-based directors.
These DPs curate our Programme for their region, working with their nearest partner venues to tailor our Programme to the needs of local directors. The emerging directors who take part in our Programme benefit from the mentorship, guidance and support of their local DP, who is in place to oversee their creative and professional development. The DPs also lead workshops at each others’ venues, exchanging knowledge and skills to benefit all our participants.
The Director Practitioners (DPs) that lead our groups at our partner venues are:
Maria Crocker: North East and Scotland
Maria is originally from Middlesbrough in the North East of England. Her theatre credits as a Director include: Growth (Northern Stage Studio); Brian Looks Like Alan Rickman (York Theatre Royal Studio); Found (Alnwick Playhouse). Theatre as Associate Director: Meek (Headlong); Gods Are Fallen And All Safety Gone (Greyscale, International Tour); The Gamblers (Greyscale, Dundee Rep). Theatre as Movement Director: Leaving (Curious Monkey). Theatre as Assistant or Staff Director: Hadestown (National Theatre); Mood Music (The Old Vic); Pinocchio (National Theatre); Animal Farm (Northern Stage); Catch 22 (UK Tour). Theatre as Deviser: No Miracles Here, Five Feet In Front, Bonenkai (The Letter Room).
Christa Harris: Midlands
Christa is the Resident Director of Olivier-award winning Back to the Future the Musical and artistic associate of Olivier-nominated Les Enfants Terribles. She is also the co-founder of arts organisation WildChild which champions new voices from unrepresented backgrounds and aims to create social mobility in the arts. Christa was the recipient of the regional Leverhulme Arts Scholarship for the Birmingham REP with the JMK Trust in 2015. Her directing credits include: Inside Pussy Riot (Les Enfants Terribles); One Duck Down (Vaults; Paines Plough, Pleasance Theatre et. al.); The Hole (Rachel De-Lahay/NYT); Mr Men Little Miss On Stage (Selladoor/World Tour & WestEnd); United Queendom (Les Enfants Terribles); Love & Information (DTA, Birmingham) and Park Bench (Park Theatre) With her assistant and associate credits being: The Game’s Afoot (Les Enfants Terribles); The First Hippo on The Moon (Les Petits Theatre); Kiss Me Quickstep (New Vic; The SJT; Oldham Coliseum); Only on Sundays, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe (Birmingham REP); A Third (Finborough Theatre).
Helena Middleton: South West
Helena is an award winning theatre and film director and founding member of The Wardrobe Ensemble, a theatre company committed to making devised, ensemble-based theatre. She has dedicated the past 11 years to making theatre for all ages with a particular focus on devised work and new writing. Helena’s theatre directing credits include, Robin Hood: Legend of the Forgotten Forest (Bristol Old Vic), Education, Education, Education (Royal and Derngate, Trafalgar Studios), The Star Seekers (National Theatre) and Pippi Longstocking (Royal and Derngate). She has also worked as dramaturg, associate and assistant director on various productions, including Witness for the Prosecution which has been running for over 4 years at London County Hall.
If you would like to join any of our groups at these partner venues, simply email info@jmktrust.org
