Gitika Buttoo
is a British Indian Director from Yorkshire. She graduated from Liverpool in 2016 with a BA Hons in Drama & English. Winner of the JMK Trust Bursary 2017, she became resident Assistant Director at Leeds Playhouse. She then went on to work for The Octagon Theatre in Bolton as their Participations Director where she was Assistant Director on main house productions and also directed all their youth theatre productions. After directing Beyond Shame for Derby Theatre in 2018, she became the Artistic Associate of Birmingham Opera Company. After one year in post she moved on to work with the National Theatre & CAST, Doncaster on Public Acts 2020. She also works closely with LUNG Theatre, SBC Theatre and Opera North.
Her most recent credits include (The Caucasian Chalk Circle by Chris Bush, National Theatre & CAST Theatre. Trojan Horse by Matt Woodhead & Helen Monks, UK Tour. Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk by Shostakovich, Birmingham Opera Company. Beyond Shame by Karim Khan, Derby Theatre. East is East by Ayub Khan Din, The Octagon Theatre.)
Julia Head
is a director of live work from Bristol. She is the Artistic Director of FullRogue, a theatre company that exists to stress-test new writing and the limits of live performance. She works extensively with Bristol Old Vic’s Engagement department and was awarded the Henry Augustine Forse Award for her contribution to Engagement. She is the Company Director of Young SixSix that collaborates closely with young people to make new work and supports them to realise their creative potential. In 2018 she received a Bristol Old Vic Ferment Leverhulme Arts Scholarship to develop her practice. Julia is an Associate Director of Twisted Theatre and is also a trustee of MAYK. Julia is BAD at sitting still or being quiet, so her practice rigorously investigates live work and the MESS, MISTAKES and SPACE that exists within its walls.
Currently: MASSIVE by Charlotte Josephine (Audible Original Productions), Son of Helios (Young SixSix), Wild Swimming by FullRogue (BristolOldVic//59E59, NYC). Recent credits include: A Short Haired Cat which Claws at the Furniture by Joe Harbot (Young Vic 5 Plays), Love and Information by CarylChurchill (Boomsatsuma), Our House is on Fire (BTA, The Egg Bath), Chaos by Laura Lomas (YTM, Tobacco Factory Theatres).
Jack Nurse
is a director and theatre-maker from Dumfries and Galloway. He co-founded Glasgow-based theatre company Wonder Fools in 2014.
Training: Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and the National Theatre Studio Directors’ Course.
As Director: 549: Scots of the Spanish Civil War, Home Made, McNeill of Tranent, The Coolidge Effect (Wonder Fools); Larchview (National Theatre of Scotland); The Lost Elves (Citizens Theatre/Royal Conservatoire of Scotland); Lampedusa (Citizens Theatre); The Mack (Play, Pie, Pint/Traverse Theatre).
As Associate/Resident Director: Red Dust Road (National Theatre of Scotland/HOME); The Broons (Sell A Door); Dr Dolittle (Music & Lyrics).
As Assistant Director: Oresteia: This Restless House (Citizens Theatre/National Theatre of Scotland), Blackbird (Citizens Theatre); The Winter’s Tale (Royal Lyceum); Hay Fever (Royal Lyceum/Citizens Theatre).
Sita Thomas
has a keen interest in increasing representation of marginalised communities. She is developing expertise in audio, digital and site-specific work, and is dedicated to mentoring and skill-sharing with early-career artists. Theatre as Director: Under the Mask (Oxford Playhouse and Tamasha), Vixen by Timberlake Wertenbaker (Damsel Productions), The Edelweiss Pirates (Mountview), Queer Tales (National Theatre Wales), We Are Shadows: Brick Lane (Tamasha), The Rose and the Bulbul (Stockwood Park, Horniman and Geffrye Museums). Sita leads Tamasha’s Directors Programme. As Staff Director: Top Girls (National Theatre). As Associate: The Glee Club (Out of Joint, Kiln, Cast), Bitched (Tristan Bates); Zigger Zagger (Wilton’s Musical Hall). As Assistant Director: Dick Whittington (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Pity (Royal Court); Mass (Southbank Centre); Peter Pan Goes Wrong (UK Tour). Sita holds a PhD from the University of Warwick and a Masters in Movement Direction from Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. She is also a presenter on Channel 5’s milkshake!
Twitter: @sitathomas5