The Ambassador Theatre Group: Press: Press Releases
Press Releases
Issued : 15 June 2006
Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) is delighted to announce the appointment of two new Chief Executives.
Sue Morley will become Chief Executive of The Ambassadors in Woking (incorporating the New Victoria and Rhoda McGaw Theatres and the 6-screen Ambassadors Cinemas) and Rachel Tackley will become Chief Executive of Milton Keynes Theatre.
The New Victoria and Milton Keynes Theatres are two of the most successful venues on the UK touring circuit, with audiences averaging nearly 80% capacity at each venue.
Sue Morley joined the Ambassadors in Woking, one of ATG’s first venues, when it opened in 1992. For the past seven years, she has been Head of Marketing at the venue and integral to its growth and success. Over the past 14 years, more than 11 million customers have been to see a stage production or film at the complex. The 1,300-seat New Victoria Theatre has consistently staged one of the most successful pantomimes in the country, with Box Office sales regularly topping £1million each year. More recently, Sue added to her role at Woking by joining the ATG Regional Programming team as a part-time Programming Associate.
Rachel Tackley joined ATG in 2002 as Head of Programming, responsible for programming the company’s 13 regional venues, including Milton Keynes Theatre, the New Victoria Theatre and the King’s Theatre in Glasgow. Rachel has been responsible for bringing such large-scale musicals as Miss Saigon, Starlight Express, Cats and My Fair Lady to ATG’s larger theatres, as well as delivering a varied programme of high-quality drama to theatres such as Richmond Theatre and the Theatre Royal Brighton. Rachel is also Producer for English Touring Theatre with whom ATG has recently co-produced Hamlet and The Old Country in the West End.
During the past six years, the 1,400-seat Milton Keynes Theatre has grown to attract an audience of nearly half a million people each year. It offers a wide and varied programme of first class dance, drama, musicals and opera and has been instrumental in putting Milton Keynes firmly on the map as the home of Britain’s most successful presenting theatre.
Sue and Rachel join Karin Gartzke as female Chief Executives with ATG. Karin is Chief Executive of Richmond and New Wimbledon Theatres in south-west London, in addition to her role as Business Development Director for the Group. The announcement increases the number of women in ATG’s Senior Management to 15 out of a total of 27.
Sue will be taking over from David Blyth who has been Chief Executive of The Ambassadors in Woking for ten years. David will continue in an increased role as Operations Director of ATG’s 24 venues. Rachel will be taking over from Richard Wingate, who will be concentrating on his roles as Chief Executive of the Regent Theatre and Victoria Hall in Stoke-on-Trent and the King’s and Theatre Royal in Glasgow.
Rosemary Squire, Executive Director of ATG and recent CBI First Women Award winner said:
“We are thrilled to appoint Sue and Rachel as Chief Executives. Their vision, enthusiasm and wealth of experience will be a tremendous asset to build on the success of our venues in Woking and Milton Keynes. I am very proud that we can support them balancing a career in ATG’s Senior Management with their important family lives. I would also like to thank David Blyth and Richard Wingate for their leadership, commitment and loyalty.”
Sue Morley said:
“I am delighted to be accepting the role of Chief Executive of The Ambassadors in Woking, whilst also continuing my programming responsibilities for the group. Both Rosemary and David have been fantastic role models and I feel privileged to be taking over such a wonderful venue. The Ambassadors in Woking has grown from strength to strength over the last 14 years and I am committed to continuing that success, offering audiences the very best quality entertainment combined with high levels of customer service.”
Rachel Tackley said:
“It is a very exciting time to be joining the team at Milton Keynes, having programmed the work there for the last 4 years. It is a hugely successful theatre with a strong and rapidly-expanding audience who have enjoyed world class theatre, dance, opera, ballet and musicals since its opening. I am looking forward to combining my producing activities with running such a fantastic theatre and taking it into the next stage of development.”
ENDS
Notes for editors:
Co-founded by Howard Panter and Rosemary Squire in 1992, ATG is currently the largest theatre group in the West End and separately, the second largest in the UK regions, with a total of 24 venues. ATG is also one of the country’s foremost theatre producers and has been behind some of the most successful and innovative productions in Britain and internationally including Guys and Dolls, The New Statesman, Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker! and The Rocky Horror Show.
For more information, please contact John Chittenden, ATG Press Officer on 020 8545 7919 or email johnchittenden@theambassadors.com