Meet The Team

Artistic Director
Annie Rigby (she/her)

Annie was Resident Director at Northern Stage (2003-08). Productions included On Top of the Town, performed at Noordenzon Festival, Tattercoats, Thumbelina, and The Golden Bird, devised work such as From the Beginning and returning in 2015 to to direct Up & Out Christmas Sprout.

Annie was Northern Rock Foundation Fellow (2007/08) on the Clore Leadership Programme. Her fellowship included secondments to the V&A Museum, Edinburgh Festival Theatre and research into theatre made by non-professional performers. Annie studied English at Downing College, Cambridge University.

Directorial credits include Hold On Let Go, Putting The Band Back Together, Lands of Glass, Best in the World, Building Palaces, Miracle!, Lord of the Flies (Gala Theatre Durham).

Creative Associate: Community
Alex Elliott (he/him)

Alex is a performer and filmmaker for Unfolding Theatre. He is a deviser and performer in Hold On Let Go, Putting The Band Back Together, solo show Best in the World, What If? and Building Palaces. He also produced visuals for Let Me Tell You.

Alex is Artistic Director of Operating Theatre, creating thought provoking theatre and film on health and social issues. He created Squirrels, a piece about Mental Health and Making for the Light for CANDO; a pioneering treatment for focal epilepsy. He was a founder member of Northern Stage Ensemble (1998-2005), playing major roles in productions including Clockwork Orange, Edmond, Homage To Catalonia and Manifesto for a New City.

He also works with Leeds Playhouse Associate Artist, Alan Lyddiard (Anniversary, The Bus Pass Project).

Executive Producer
Michael Barrass (he/him)

Michael joined Unfolding Theatre in November 2019. He previously worked at The Cultural Spring, the Creative People and Places Programme for South Tyneside and Sunderland, where he undertook the role of Community Engagement Co-ordinator and Project Co-Director (maternity cover).

Michael is also an (occasional) independent producer and recently produced Northern Stage’s Out on the Toon Neighbourhood Programme. He has also worked as an event/stage manager at various festivals and events across the North East over the last few years.

Creative Associate: Digital
Garry Lydon (he/him)

Garry is a music and film producer working within the creative communities and music industry of the North East.

He is a graduate of Newcastle University’s Creative Arts Practice MA and resident artist of Biscuit Tin Studios with music duo SQUARMS.

Marketing Manager
Victoria Sanderson (she/her)

Victoria has over seventeen years of experience working in the cultural sector and a background in Arts Management and Policy.

Victoria has held positions at Seven Stories, the National Centre for Children’s Books, The Campaign for Drawing, The RSA and the London Borough of Enfield Cultural Services team.

Victoria also freelances in marketing and communications.

Producer (National Touring)
LittleMighty, Dick Bonham (he/him)

LittleMighty is an independent production company led by Dick Bonham.

From their home in Leeds they work with remarkable artists from across the UK to make brilliant theatre happen. They collaborate with Unfolding Theatre to help get their work on tour and raise their national profile.

They also collaborate with an exciting portfolio of theatre-makers including Move to Stand (VAULT Festival Pick of the Year) Adam Robinson (★★★★★ Northern Soul) Fidget Theatre (“Utterly enchanting” – Sheffield Star) and Testament (“Suffused with honesty and wit” – ★★★★★ The Stage).

Creative Associate
Becci Sharrock (she/her)

Becci is a writer, theatre maker, creative producer based in Gateshead. Her socially engaged practice has seen her create short stories and poetry inspired by living legends in Corby; develop theatre show Letters to Myself following six months of public engagement in Sunderland and South Shields and tour it nationally; and run workshops with participants of all ages and backgrounds. She is the Project Producer for New Writing North’s Young Writers’ City Gateshead and in her freelance work, is currently adapting The Secret Garden for the stage, restructuring the creative process to ensure it is accessible.

Previous writing credits include Christmas With the Hobs (Digital Christmas show, Queen’s Hall Hexham, Alnwick Playhouse and The Maltings), Northern Pulse (Film Poem, N18 Programme, GEOTN), Living Legends: Hidden Histories (Published book & exhibition, Made In Corby), Night Trade (Alphabetti Theatre) and Letters to Myself (UK tour).

Creative Associate
EJ Raymond (they/them)

EJ is freelancer actor, writer & author, BSL advertiser/promoter based in Newcastle upon Tyne.

In 2018, they graduated from Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, Glasgow. They have recently written and performed Lockdown Hairy, a short film as part of Deafinitely Theatre’s Talking Hands series.

EJ is also the founder of Turtléar, an organisation that supports the deaf community to have greater access to the arts. EJ is profoundly deaf non-binary gay.

Creative Associate
Abigail Lawson (she/her)

Abigail is an actor/director and theatre facilitator from County Durham.

Abigail began working with East End Story Makers in 2022 and the Wednesday evenings she spends with the story-makers gang have sharp became a highlight of her week.