Jermyn Street Theatre, the West End smallest producing venue has revealed a new leadership team consisting of new Artistic Director Stella Powell-Jones, Executive Producer David Doyle and co-founder and Executive Director Penny Horner.
Powell-Jones and Doyle succeed Tom Littler, and will work alongside Penny Horner to lead the theatre into the future.
Stella Powell-Jones says –“Tom’s transformation of Jermyn Street Theatre into a producing house is an extraordinary achievement. It is a huge honour to be returning to Jermyn Street Theatre to continue that work with David and Penny.
JST will continue to produce outstanding new plays, rare revivals, new versions of European classics, and high-quality musicals. I’m excited to give more new voices the stage to make the classics their own and the space for their original stories to find their place. I’m enormously grateful to Philip and Christine Carne whose support through The Carne Trust made it possible for me to join JST as Deputy Director, back in 2017.”
David Doyle says – “When Stella and I first worked together on Orlando, it was clear that we shared an artistic vision to champion new and exciting creative voices to create bold work that challenges and entertains audiences in equal measure. I’m incredibly excited to be working with Stella on this new chapter in Jermyn Street Theatre’s history alongside Penny Horner and the wonderful staff at the theatre who make the venue such a unique space in the heart of the West End for artists and audiences.”
Executive Director Penny Horner on behalf of the board says – “We are delighted to welcome David and Stella as Executive Producer and Artistic Director in an exciting new chapter for the organisation as we approach 30 years in the West End. Stella is an exceptional director who played a vital role in transforming our theatre into a producing house during her time as Deputy Director – we look forward to having her back in the building! It’s been a joy working with David over the past year as he supported us through reopening last year, and we’re thrilled that he will continue his brilliant work, helping shape our business strategy. They are an exceptional pairing, and I look forward to working closely with them both.”
Tom Littler says – “Stella and David are a dream team to lead Jermyn Street Theatre’s next chapter. David’s impact on JST over the past year has been obvious to all – he is an exceptionally forward-thinking, compassionate, and creative producer. Stella, through her first tenure as Carne Deputy Director, is already responsible for many of the best things about JST – she’ll be a tremendous Artistic Director. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish together.”
Stella Powell-Jones returns to Jermyn Street Theatre following her 2017-19 tenure as Deputy Director, and her recent critically acclaimed, Offie nominated production of Sarah Ruhl’s Orlando. Her previous work at Jermyn Street Theatre includes directing the European premiere of both Bathsheba Doran’s Parents Evening and Boo Killebrew’s The Play About My Dad , as well as new plays by Jenny Ayres, Emma Harding, Morna Young that responded to Noel Coward’s Tonight at 8:30, under the umbrella title, Tomorrow at Noon. She was previously based in the United States.
Powell-Jones will will take charge of programming and artistic development work at Jermyn Street Theatre which will continue to stage a mix of rediscoveries, new work and classics.
David Doyle joined Jermyn Street Theatre in 2021 as Resident Producer. He worked on the theatre’s reopening season and has produced a number of successful productions at the theatre including Samuel Beckett’s Footfalls & Rockaby, This Beautiful Future, and most recently the world premiere of Howard Brenton’s Cancelling Socrates. Prior to joining Jermyn Street Theatre, he worked at the Abbey Theatre, Ireland’s National Theatre, as part of the producing team. Doyle will take charge of the theatre’s creative producing and strategic development and will work alongside Powell-Jones in leading the theatre’s creative output.
Powell-Jones and Doyle will work alongside Littler over the coming months to programme the theatre’s 2023 spring season.
Jermyn Street Theatre is the West End’s smallest producing theatre. The programme includes outstanding new plays, rare revivals, new versions of European classics, and high-quality musicals, alongside one-off musical and literary events. It collaborates with theatres across the world, and its productions have transferred to the West End and Broadway.
