Artistic Director - Mary Swan

Mary Swan joined Proteus Theatre Company as Artistic Director in December 2004. Previously she was Associate Director at The New Wolsey Theatre in Ipswich, Associate Director for Solent Peoples Theatre and Artistic Director of Fortnight Productions. She began her career as an actor and community arts practitioner.

Her work at The New Wolsey included 'Liquidizing Lizards', a collaboration with poet Brian Patten, 'A Midsummer Night's Dream', 'Field', 'Daisy Jones and the Jellybean Conspiracy' and a sell out run of 'Macbeth'. Prior to Ipswich Mary's work at Solent included 'Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead', 'Jolly Jack's Big Adventure' and 'Shrinkwrapped' a multi-media installation piece. Mary's first show for Proteus Theatre Company was the sell-out national tour of 'Peter Pan' followed by 'Whatever Happened to Bette & Joan?'

This year Mary has directed the hugely acclaimed one man production of 'The Elephant Man' for its second UK tour, touring in repertoire with ' Below Zero' and gaining rave reviews at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2008 including 'Critics Choice' from the British Theatre Guide and 3 five star reviews. Mary is further developing 'The Elephant Man' with the possibility of an international tour.

Mary also directed 'The Wedding Present', the first large-scale participatory production of its kind. After the success of 'Beauty and the Beast', last year's winter tour, Mary is currently developing 'Dracula' for Autumn 2009 using the similar aerial techniques as seen in ' Below Zero' and developing another one-man production charting the life and career of Harry Houdini for 2010. This winter Mary has directed the sell out tour of 'The Snow Queen'.

Mary has plans to develop participatory projects in the areas of domestic violence and post traumatic stress disorder working with servicemen and women. Both projects are planned to start in 2009. She lives in Hampshire with a long suffering husband and two smashing daughters; Poppy and Sophia.

Creative Producer - Ross Harvie

Ross Harvie joined Proteus Theatre Company in February 2005 as Administrator and after an internal review was promoted to Creative Producer in May 2007. Ross graduated a year previous to joining Proteus with a BA degree in Drama & Theatre Studies and Film & Television Studies from Roehampton University. Before University, Ross was a drama student at Queen Mary's College where Proteus Theatre Company is based.

Ross is a producer, director and workshop practitioner. Apart from being Creative Producer for Proteus, Ross is Director for Cancelled Slot Productions; a newly formed theatre company who are producing a version of 'Shirley Valentine' for April 2009. He is also Central Studio Bitesize Youth Theatre Director for the 8-11 year olds and also helps to run the Central Studio Big Youth Theatre for local Basingstoke teenagers.

Ross is the first point of contact for the company, books and produces the tours, responds to project commissioners and manages the general day to day administration of the company.

Production Manager- Simon Beckett

Simon joined proteus as Production Manager in September 2005. After working for some of the country's largest theatre companies, Simon is pleased to be back in the all encompassing world of small to mid scale touring theatre.

Business & Development Manager - Mary Rose

Mary joined Proteus in March of this year, having previously worked as General Manager at The Old Vic in London. There her responsibilities included maintaining the Grade II* listed building, generating income for the charitable trust and developing the theatre's Education and Community programmes. Mary was also director of the Waterloo Quarter Business Improvement District (BID), a business-led organisation, committed to improving the area of Waterloo and responsible for securing funding to deliver a range of projects in the local area, including improvement of economic performance and the physical environment.

Since joining, Mary has been building relationships between Proteus and the wider business community and raising the company's profile. She has also been working on securing sponsorship as well as investigating other funding streams. Mary is currently developing a new quarterly Corporate Proteus Newsletter with the team , which will be circulated to businesses later in the summer.

Marketing & Admin Assistant - Samantha Taylor

Samantha is the newest addition to the Proteus team; she initially joined as a volunteer during ‘The Snow Queen' winter tour in 2008, and then began working as their new marketing and admin assistant in early 2009.

Samantha graduated from Bretton Hall in 2007 with a BA Hons in Acting, and before that she was a drama student at Queen Mary's College. After university Samantha went on tour for a year with Rhema Theatre Company as an actress and hopes to use the knowledge gained out on the road, in the Proteus office! She is part time with Proteus, and full time actress!

Board Members

Mark Penfold (Chair)
Noel Jones (Vice Chair)
Duncan Revolta (Treasurer)
Paul Chamberlain
Simon Courtney-Taylor
Esi Hardy
Cllr. Jo Kelly (HCC representative)
Cllr. Horace Mitchell (BDBC representative)
Stephen Sheedy

Board Associates

Karen Booker
Roy Chatfield
Glenn Clarkson
Cllr. Brian Gurden
Sharon Inglis
Jason Knight
Joanna Ridout
Caroline Tiller

proteus are currently looking for new Board Members, please click here to find out some more information.

You can contact us at this address:
proteus
queen mary's college
cliddesden road
basingstoke
hampshire
rg21 3hf

Or by
phone: 01256 354541
fax: 01256 356186
info@proteustheatre.com

If you would like to comment on any proteus productions you have seen we would love to hear from you. Please address your comments to info@proteustheatre.com

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