About Holly
Holly is a Theatre Maker, Director, Facilitator, and Events Programmer based in Thornaby, Teesside interested in new work that speaks about the world we live in today and stimulates an audience's imagination. She is passionate about making work with and for her local community.
Key Experience
Holly is an Associate Artist at ARC Stockton Arts Centre.
Holly's Directing credits include My Mate Ren (National Tour 2022), Northern Girls Redcar (Pilot Theatre), Last Seen Bensham Road (Live Theatre), as Associate Director Quarter Life Crisis (Jade Lewis - Ovalhouse, Underbelly/Edinburgh Fringe), and as Assistant Julie (Rebecca Frecknall - Northern Stage) and Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune (Mark Calvert - Northern Stage).
Her work is regularly ACE funded and solo shows Before (the line is lost) and Tensile Strength toured nationally. She was a commissioned writer for Northern Girls Redcar, and has performed as a part of The Desire Paths with Third Angel. Her latest project, The Silliness Show, worked with over 150 young people from Stockton and Barnsley to co-create a new interactive performance workshop and activity booklet on themes of silliness and growing up.
Holly currently works as a Creative Programmes Officer at Stockton on-Tees-Borough Council where she programmes outdoor artistic activity in the borough, and supports North East artists and new commissions as a part of the Stockton International Riverside Festival (SIRF).
Training and Development
Holly has an MA with Distinction in Theatre and Performance from Northumbria University.
She has been a recipient of the Third Angel Mentorship Scheme, a NEADN residency, the Barnsley Civic CARP scheme as Sticky Theatre, and working with Samantha Neale a Live Theatre Elevator Bursary 2020.
Holly has also completed directing residencies with Young Vic/York Theatre Royal, and as JMK Assistant Director at Northern Stage.
Courses and Institutions
| MA Theatre & Performance at Northumbria University (Distinction) | 2015-2016 |
| 1st Class (BA) Hons Performance at Northumbria University: | 2012-2015 |
| National Youth Theatre of Great Britain Epic Stages | 2015 |
Holly takes the stories of ordinary people and elevates them to the level of the profound.
— Kieran Hurley