Press Releases

NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE FOR CHURCHILL THEATRE, BROMLEY

Issued : 8 January 2003

The Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) has appointed a new Chief Executive for its premier producing theatre in the regions, the Churchill Theatre, Bromley.

He is Derek Nicholls, currently the Director of Northern Ireland’s principal presenting theatre, the Grand Opera House, Belfast.

His career in the arts has spanned over 25 years in the leadership role at several of the UK’s leading venues. He is also the author of several plays and publications. Originally in education, Derek became director of the Midlands Arts Centre in Birmingham in the late 1970s. He then became Associate Director at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre, and established the theatre’s acclaimed and pioneering Community Education Department as well as directing a wide range of productions. From 1989 to 1993, Derek was the Artistic Director at the York Theatre Royal, a major producing and presenting theatre, where he produced and directed a variety of successful productions.

Derek became the Director of Belfast’s Grand Opera House in 1994. In common with ATG’s regional theatres, the Grand Opera House’s programme includes musicals, ballet, opera, drama, children’s shows and pantomime. Since 1994, the theatre has achieved one of the highest average occupancy figures of any theatre in the UK (78%), has become one of the leading pantomime houses in the UK with average attendance of over 90%. The theatre has also won the TMA/Barclays Award for the Most Welcoming Theatre.

Howard Panter, ATG’s Managing Director said “We are very much looking forward to welcoming Derek into the Group. The Churchill Theatre is a key venue for us, being our main producing theatre in the regions, where many recent successful co-productions including Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! and The Rocky Horror Show have been produced. Derek’s wealth of experience in producing and presenting houses will be a tremendous asset to the Churchill Theatre and to ATG as a whole.”

“I would also like to thank Lori Dorman, who has been the General Manager at the Churchill for the past two years, for all her hard work in helping to consolidate the operation at Bromley.”

Derek Nicholls said “I am thrilled to be taking up this position at the Churchill Theatre, which is one of the key producing and presenting houses in the South East. I look forward to building on the tremendous success that has been achieved at the theatre so far, and strengthening its pivotal position as a base for co-productions between ATG and its current and future partners. I have admired the vigour and success of ATG for some time, and shall relish being part of the Group.”

As Chief Executive of the Churchill Theatre, Derek will oversee the producing as well as the presenting function of the theatre. He is expected to take up the post in May 2003.

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