About Lightning Ensemble
Lightning Ensemble founded in 1995 was originally a company of writers, directors and actors focused on developing and creating new writing. The company was re-launched under the artistic directorship of founder member, Marie McCarthy and Sarah Weatherall in 2006 to create site- specific productions in a variety of locations.
In 2013, Marie McCarthy became artistic director and collaborates with the following associate artists to create surprising, memorable and engaging theatre in a range of locations for a wide and diverse audience.
The Ensemble
Marie McCarthy - Artistic Director
Training: MA in theatre Directing: Birkbeck, University of London. Sir Peter Cheeseman award for achievement.
Marie is also Artistic Director at Omnibus – Clapham
When The Fallen Sang (St Giles-in-the-Fields, London), The Crucible (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch Education), Macbeth (Kents Caverns, Prehistoric caves, Torquay), What You Will (Shakespeare's Globe Theatre & Mark Rylance’s London Theatre of Imagination for the Cultural Olympiad Assistant Director) 1908: Body and Soul, Cultural Olympiad commission, Shore Crabs (Landor Theatre), Pride and Prejudice (National Tour), Ma Kelly’s Doorstep (Attic Theatre Company), Alice in the Walled Garden (Sixteen Feet Productions), The Secret Garden (National Tour), Not In My Name (Associate Director, Theatre Veritae), The Bonds (Oval House Theatre), Wind in the Willows (National Tour) Shakespeare's Sonnets (Shakespeare's Globe Theatre), Regarding X (Old Red Lion), Watch This Space (National Youth Theatre), Lizzy, Darcy & Jane (Tabard Theatre), Dissonant World (Hampstead Town Hall), Like Love (European and American Tour), Love and Understanding (Library Theatre Company, Manchester)
Angie Wallis - Performer
Theatre credits include: As You Like It, The Importance of Being Earnest (Guildford Shakespeare Company), Sweet Love Remember'd (Shakespeare's Globe), Become a Man (Hackney Empire), Then Like My Dreams, Sleeping Beauty, Red Riding Hood, Worlds Apart (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Humble Boy (U/S Gielgud Theatre), Come Dancing (National Theatre Studio), Sunday At The Grand With Sondheim (Blackpool Grand), Gawain, I Due Foscari, Die Meistersingers von Nurnberg (Royal Opera House), Barnum (UK Productions National Tour), I Do (original workshop with dANTE or dIE), Tales of the Arabian Nights (Theatre Venture), Touchwood (Tiebreak TC), with Lightning Ensemble: A Fine Line, Selling Angels, She, The Myths Project, It Is And You Are, Repairing the Damage, National Poetry Day, original workshops for 1908 and When the Fallen Sang. Radio: Do Nothing Til You Hear From Me (Radio 4), TV and film includes The Bill, The Imax Nutcracker (Christine Edzard), Amazing Grace (Michael Apted), Topsy Turvy, Vera Drake, Untitled 13 (Mike Leigh), The World's End (Edgar Wright)
Stephanie Prior - Performer/Composer
Acting credits: When The Fallen Sang (St Giles-in-the-Fields, London), The Weird Little World of William Willow (Original Concept Recording), Cell One (Short Film, Gorilla Movement), Secret Cinema Presents Shawshank Redemption (Future Cinema), Ice Cream and Hot Fudge (Arts Ed London), Billy Bow: A New Musical (Nuffield Theatre, Southampton)
Composition credits: When The Fallen Sang (St Giles-in-the-Fields, London), The Crucible (Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch), Macbeth (Kents Cavern, Torquay), Twelfth Night (Arts Ed London)
Twitter: @stephprior
Glen Supple - Performer/Writer/Director
Theatre credits: Myths (Oval House); Something to Declare (Royal Court Upstairs reading); The BFG (Newcastle Theatre and Opera House);
Linger (Royal Court Young People’s Theatre at The Clink), All Men and Quite a Few Women Are Right (Dundee Rep); Salieri in Amadeus (Edinburgh Fringe); Seascape (Exeter Barnfield); Hospitality (The Old Red Lion); Smoke (Soho Studio); The Fulham Jesus (Baron’s Court); Canaries Sometimes Sing (The Old Red Lion); The Twits (Switzerland Tour).
As a writer: Blue Funk (The Old Red Lion); Heads and Selling Angels (Soho Studio) and Vexed (Royal Court).
As a director: The Corridor (Royal Court Young People’s Theatre at The Ambassadors); Wanda’s Visit (The Courtyard); Vexed (Royal Court at The Duke of York, platform show); and Transmissions (The Door, Birmingham Rep). TV and Film work: The Bill, Casualty, Double Act and winner of Sundance Best International Short, Tomo. Amongst a vast experience running drama workshops, Glen spent one year running BBC’s Casualty’s youth workshop and three years youth project with ITV’s The Bill.
Kate McStraw - Assistant Producer/Designer
Kate is an emerging artist in the realms of theatre making, working as a designer, supervisor and producer. Based in Dorset, Kate runs a small-touring theatre company, Shakespeare by the Sea, and has designed shows including Breathe, for the 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremonies in Weymouth, Much Ado About Nothing, (touring production); Road (Lighthouse Theatre, Poole); Macbeth (Kent’s Cavern, Torquay); On the Razzle (ArtsEd, London) and Hamlet (Poole’s Cavern, Buxton). Kate also works with community engagement projects, including workshop sessions within local schools and adult education establishments teaching skills in drawing, designing and 3D textiles.
Trustees
Jimmy Livingstone Musician & Actor
Joanne Price Education Consultant
Rory McSwiggan Media
Sandra Schembri CEO House of St Barnabas
Tom O'Mara Accountant