Hannah Stone, Co-Artistic and Executive Director

Hannah Stone is director, theatre maker and producer who has been working in theatre for 15 years. Last year she directed Aidy the Awesome for the company. Hannah has produced or co-produced all activity to date including numerous tours, most recently a tour of aerial theatre show Tarzanna which visited 12 venues in the UK. She also co-directed the show alongside Ria Ashcroft. 

She has been working with young people for 15 years in youth theatres, drama sessions and projects. For example she made a brand new musical with a youth group in Chesterfield, a shadow puppetry performance with a group of Polish Girls in Mansfield and a show about bullying with a group of girls in care. She also directed 4 National Theatre Connections Plays with Mansfield Palace Theatre.

Hannah directed Pinocchio for the Nottingham Playhouse in 2019 and an R&D of SHEWOLVES by Sarah Middleton in 2020. She is also a freelance producer who has worked with The Party Somewhere Else, a collective who put on events that platform women led work. She has also produced for Tilly Branson, Beth Shouler and currently Notnow Collective. She lectured in Marketing and Management at DMU, is a consultant producer with the Big House and was on the freelance taskforce. She recently Assistant Directed the Nottingham Playhouse Panto, Beauty and the Beast.

Ria Ashcroft, Co-Artistic and Executive Director

Ris is a freelance theatre & circus artist based in the East Midlands. She is a director / theatre maker, actor & physical performer, devisor & creative producer. All of her work is underpinned by her interest in women’s voices in theatre & circus. Ria Co-Directed Tarzanna and Associate Directed Aidy the Awesome.

She is also Co-Artistic Director of Circus Hub alongside Kay Monrose. She is a founding member of The Party Somewhere Else and runs Acting Out a medical role play training company.