Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has appointed Drew McOnie as its new Artistic Director & Joint Chief Executive, joining Executive Director James Pidgeon, from January 2024, taking over from Tim Sheader following his appointment at the Donmar Warehouse.
He joins the theatre having previously directed and choreographed On the Town, which was Olivier Award nominated for Best Musical Revival, and choreographed its productions of Carousel and Jesus Christ Superstar, for which he received an Olivier Award Nomination for Best Theatre Choreography.
He remains Artistic Director of The McOnie Company, whose production of Nutcracker is currently running at The Tuff Nutt Jazz Club at the Southbank Centre and forthcoming adaptation of The Artist will open at Theatre Royal Plymouth in May 2024.
McOnie said, "for me, there is nowhere in London where the shared experience of live theatre is more electric than at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. It captured my imagination and stole my heart from my very first visit. I believe it’s because of the audience’s direct connection with the performers, each knowing equally that anything could happen and together they will experience something that its relationship with nature may make totally different the following day. It’s a magical setting to experience magical stories together.”