Adaya Henry is to become artistic director and Katherine Hewitt will be executive director of Birmingham-based company Women & Theatre.
It follows the announcement that founder member and artistic director Janice Connolly and executive director Jess Pearson are to stand down later in 2023.
Henry is a multi-disciplinary artist with nearly a decade’s experience of working in theatre, film and spoken word. For the past two years, she has been working with MAIA, an arts and social justice organisation. During her acting career, she performed at Coventry’s Belgrade, Stratford’s The Other Place and Birmingham REP.
She said, “I’m over the moon to be taking on this role. Janice and the team have been some of my greatest teachers in using art to create social change. I can’t wait to reach more communities and work with more incredible artists in this city. We’ll continue to make high-quality theatre about stories that matter.”
Hewitt’s background is in community development. She said, “I’m excited about working with the talented team at Women & Theatre. I’ve seen for myself how powerful theatre can be in terms of inclusivity, building confidence and helping people find their voice. They’ve built an excellent reputation and I want to assist them in continuing to deliver the valuable work they’ve done over the past 40 years for many years to come.”
Henry and Hewitt will join Women & Theatre in the autumn to coincide with the company’s 40th anniversary season which includes a new theatre production Not the Last performed by Connolly and Henry.