THE CREATIVE TEAM
PAUL ANTHONY MORRIS · FOUNDER & ARTISTIC DIRECTOR ·
Paul Anthony Morris attended Barbara Speake Stage School and went on to work as an actor in theatre for many years.
In 2003 Paul began to turn his attention to writing and directing. His first play, an epic tale entitled ‘The Seer’ was showcased in collaboration with West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2005. In 2006 Paul founded Crying in the Wilderness Productions (CITWP) and began his directorial debut in 2007 with the play ‘35 cents’ at the Blue Elephant Theatre. Paul has since gone on to direct 9 full length productions and has been commissioned to write numerous plays for various theatre companies in the UK and abroad.
Paul has also delivered more than 20 creative learning programs for a host of companies such as the Globe Theatre, Centre Stage (USA), STEPS, ADMAF, Southwark College, Theatre Royal Haymarket, Hammersmith and West London College and the United Nations to name but a few.
Paul is also recipient of The Adopt A Playwright Award (2008) and the Peggy Ramsay Award in 2011 and 2017.
PUBLICATIONS: Oberon published 35 Cents (2008) and Identity (2011), with featured introductions from the theologian, cultural critic and activist, Dr. Robert Beckford and the educationalist and social activist, Chris Searle for his play, Identity.
AWARDS: Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Theatre Festival for ‘The Guise’. An Achievement Award for best short film for ‘Once Upon A Time’. Let’s Dot It Award South London Press.
COMPANY DIRECTORS
ANTHONY OFOEGBU · DIRECTOR / ARTIST ·
Anthony Ofoegbu started performing in 1981 and in 1988 co-founded Four’s Company Dance Theatre with choreographer and dramatist, Christine Cubberley. Between 1991-1998 he was Resident Collaborator and Artist for Bayie Busuofo Mas Band, for the annual Notting Hill Carnival. In 2005, under Tony Hall’s Lordstreet Theatre Company in Trinidad, Anthony developed and researched the conceptual correlations between the theories of carnival and Western theatrical practice with Arts Council funding. From 1995 Anthony worked with Nigerian Nobel Laureate and playwright, Professor Wole Soyinka, on The Beatification Of Area Boy, Oyedipo (an adaptation of Oedipus At Colonus) and Death And The King's Horseman, which toured Australia, America, Africa and Europe. In 2001 Nàwáo Produktions, Zurich, appointed him to be head of casting for King Baabu which toured Nigeria, Switzerland and Germany. In 1997, Anthony was a founding member of The Seventh Twelfth Collective Limited, an independent film production company which produced the feature films: Dead Room, Killing Zone and Bad Day. In 2009 Anthony became an associate for Collective Artistes Theatre Company and collaborated to bring into production, The Lion And The Jewel, at London’s Barbican Theatre. In 2014 he was an associate Creative collaborator with Crying in the Wilderness Productions and Nomad Creative Consultancy on The Hero Inside program for Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation, UAE. In 2015 Anthony became Company Director for Crying in the Wilderness Productions, an associate theatre company of the Young Vic Theatre.
Anthony has been a keen photographer for over 30 years. Highlights include the OffWestEnd Offie Awards Ceremony. He also designed and produced their award trophies.
ASSOCIATE ARTISTS
TREVOR BLACKWOOD · ASSOCIATE CREATIVE DIRECTOR
Trevor Blackwood, director of Nomad Creative Consultancy, was one of the original directors of The Watch-Men creative agency in Knightsbridge whose clients included Levis, Sony Music, Island Records, Caterpillar Boots and the seminal lifestyle magazines the Face and I-D.
He published music reviews for The Wire Magazine and his Sunday Times Magazine feature: 'The Influence of Hip-Hop Style on Mainstream Leisurewear' was syndicated internationally. He was an image consultant for numerous recording artists including Desree, Dodge City, Silent Eclipse, Roachford, Brian Eno & jazz musician Ronny Jordan - consultancy included marketing campaigns, TV appearances, album covers and music videos. Trevor devised a short Style Feature on James Brown for the BBC 2 youth programme Dance Energy.
In 1999 Trevor decided to leave the media industry to find more fulfilment in his life and re-connect to his cultural heritage. He worked for a NGO and travelled extensively across West Africa and North Africa on a journey of self-discovery. Influenced by these life-changing experiences, Trevor began to challenge conventional perceptions about his identity and history, developing a more holistic approach to his work that advocated - Art for Social Change
SARAH LOUISE NUNN · ASSOCIATE CREATIVE PRODUCER ·
Sarah is currently Head of Education and Public Programmes at Louvre Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates and also the Founder of Creative Elements.
She has worked extensively in the performing arts, education and the cultural sector, devising and managing projects and events at festivals in the UK, United Arab Emirates, Sultanate of Oman, New Zealand and Germany.
Previous roles in the MENA region include Strategic Arts Advisor for Art Jameel International, Senior Manager, Community and Education Department at Abu Dhabi Music and Arts Foundation (ADMAF) and Abu Dhabi Festival.
In London, Sarah was a Learning Consultant at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, Course Director for the MA Creative Arts in the Classroom with Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre and University of London. Alongside the Globe Education consultancy, Creative Elements produced ‘The Hero Inside Programme: London’ with Nomad Creative Consultancy and produced a range of research and development projects for Crying in the Wilderness Productions.
SHANE SHAMBHU · ASSOCIATE CHOREOGRAPHER & MOVEMENT DIRECTOR ·
Shane Shambhu is an actor, dancer, director and award-winning choreographer leading his company Altered Skin.
His work seamlessly integrates differing artistic disciplines and languages drawing on his experience of the Indian performing art of Bharatanatyam and his extensive performance career spanning numerous artistic genres and includes work with Film 4, Complicite’s triple-award winning A Disappearing Number (NT Live, BBC Radio 3), Royal Opera House, Icon Theatre’s award-winning Release and Shobana Jeyasingh Dance Company to name a few.
Shane Shambhu is an Associate Lecturer at East 15 Acting School and he collaborates to share his thinking and artistry that stems from a unique intercultural standpoint to individual projects and companies. He is currently touring his solo production Confessions Of A Cockney Temple Dancer.
RODNEY CHARLES' · FILM DIRECTOR · WRITER · PRODUCER ·
Rodney Charles’ first screenplay won the Greater London Arts Advanced Film and Video Award.
The resulting film “Once Upon a Time” was broadcast by BBC television and screened at the Venice Film Festival and FESPACO winning achievement awards. His screenplay Reclaimed won the BHERC screenwriting award.
In 2008 Rodney completed his debut feature “The Disciple” as Writer, Director and Producer, opening the 2008 BFM Film Festival to a sell-out UK premier at the BFI South Bank. The Disciple also won Best New Director honor at the Pan African Film Festival in Los Angeles. Later, Rodney directed the short film “African Cowboy” which was nominated for five Namibian Academy Awards.
Rodney is also an alumni of several international writer/director labs, including the BingerLab (Amsterdam) and B3 Media Lab & Film 4 (London). As a film actor Rodney has collaborated with notable directors such as Wim Wenders, Mike Figgis and Antoine Fuqua.
See more: Rodney Charles' website