Artistic Director, Graeae Theatre: Jenny Sealey MBE Playwright: Mike Kenny

Jenny Sealey’s directing career began with Interplay Theatre, where she co-directed Sea Changes, Stepping Stones, and Mad Meg. Jenny has been Graeae’s Artistic Director since 1997. Graeae is a force for change in world-class Theatre, boldly placing D/deaf and disabled actors centre stage and challenging preconceptions. Jenny’s UK directing credits for Graeae include: This Is Not For You, Reasons to be Cheerful (2017, 2012, 2010 and concert versions), The House of Bernarda Alba (in a co-production with Royal Exchange Theatre), Blood Wedding (in a co-production with Dundee Rep and Derby Theatre); The Threepenny Opera (with Pete Rowe in a co-production with New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Nottingham Playhouse, and Birmingham Rep); Belonging (with Vinicius Daumas and performed in Brazil & London); as well as Signs of a Star Shaped Diva; Static; Blasted; Whiter than Snow; peeling; Bent; Iron Man and Rhinestone Rollers. International credits include: Blood Wedding (Setagaya Public Theatre, Tokyo); Romeo and Juliet (Saitama Arts Theatre, Tokyo); and at Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) then touring outdoor arenas: Against the Tide; The Garden; The Limbless Knight – A Tale of Rights Reignited. Jenny co-directed the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony alongside Bradley Hemmings (GDIF). She also won the Liberty Human Rights Arts Award and was on the h.Club 100 list of the most influential people in the UK creative industries. - Mike Kenny is one of England’s leading writers specialising in Theatre for Young People. He was included in The Independent on Sunday’s (a UK newspaper) list of Top Ten Living Playwrights and his plays are performed regularly throughout the UK and all over the world. In 2000, he was Arts Council England’s first recipient of The Children’s Award for Playwriting for Children and Young People. His Olivier Award-winning adaptation of The Railway Children for York Theatre Royal has had several successful revivals at Waterloo and Kings Cross stations, as well as at the National Railway Museum. The first production, directed by Damian Cruden, starred Sarah Quintrell, Colin Tarrant, Marshall Lancaster, Elizabeth Keates, and Marcus Brigstocke and featured a working Stirling Single (GNR 4-2-2 No.1) steam locomotive on a real rail track. In Canada, it won the People’s Choice Award following its record-breaking run in Toronto. Mike also won the 2015 Writers Guild Award for Best Play for Younger Audiences with Three Wise Monkeys and the Deutscher Kindertheaterpreis in 2012 with Electric Darkness. In July 2013, Mike was awarded an honorary Doctor of Letters by the University of Nottingham for his work in Theatre for Young People.