Kyle Falconer
Songs

Kyle is a Mercury Prize-nominated artist whose career hit the headlines with the band The View with their number 1 debut album Hats Off to the Buskers. He has since gone on to write another 5 albums with The View as well as featuring on Mark Ronson’s album and touring with him for 5 years. He went on to have his first daughter, Wylde, during this time. Kyle wrote his debut solo album No Thank You, which received the Scottish Album of the Year award. After travelling around the world with his family and having his second child Winnie, he then went on to write his second solo album No Love Songs for Laura. He welcomed his third child, Jett, during this time. After a 5-year break, The View released their 7th album Exorcism of Youth, which topped the Scottish Album charts in 2023.
Laura Wilde
Book

Laura is starting her career in writing after taking time out to focus on having her three children. She studied an HND in Fashion Textiles during this time and travelled around the world with her family and is now focusing on pursuing her passion for writing.
Johnny Mcknight
Book

Johnny is an award-winning writer, director, dramaturg and performer. He has been described as the “vanguard of post-modernist panto,” with over 30 productions and accreditations. Screen credits include BBC’s Queen of the New Year, Holby City and River City (for which his 20th anniversary special won the 2023 Royal Television Award Scotland for Best Drama). Johnny was director of Douglas Maxwell’s The Promise, nominated for a Drama Desk Award in 2010. He served as Associate Artist at National Theatre of Scotland (2020-2023) and Playwrights Studio Scotland. Recent credits: Director of Thrown (Edinburgh International Festival/National Theatre of Scotland), Radiant Vermin (Tron Theatre), book writer of 101 Dalmatians: The Musical (Number 1 UK Tour) and Rubble (Scottish Opera). Current work includes 2 main-stage musicals for National Theatre of Scotland and a feature and sitcom for Fable Pictures. Johnny holds the position of Reader of Playwriting & Screenwriting at St Andrews University.
Andrew Panton
Co-Director

Andrew is Artistic Director and Joint CEO of Dundee Rep Theatre. He is an award-winning director, working internationally across theatre, music and television and was previously Associate Director at Royal & Derngate and Perth Theatres and Assistant Director at the Stephen Joseph Theatre.
For Dundee Rep: Scottish Premieres of Tracey Letts’ Pulitzer Prize winning August: Osage County and Lucy Kirkwood’s The Children. Andrew commissioned and directed Tay Bridge (Peter Arnott) and A Christmas Carol, Oor Wullie, The Snow Queen (Noisemaker). He has staged revivals of The Yellow on the Broom, Passing Places, Spring Awakening, Love Song and The Mill Lavvies. Most recently, Andrew co-directed a new gig-theatre musical, No Love Songs (Kyle Falconer /Johnny McKnight / Laura Wilde) which had its world premiere at the Traverse Theatre as part of the Edinburgh Festival, then transferring to London and will open in New York and Sydney in 2025. This year, Andrew directed A History of Paper (Oliver Emanuel and Gareth Williams), winning a Scotsman Fringe First award.
Previously for the National Theatre of Scotland: Out of the Woods (starring Alan Cumming), A Sheep Called Skye, Black Watch (Staff Director – original UK & International Tours). In collaboration with Goodspeed Musicals, he directed the world premiere of Hi, My Name is Ben. Andrew has directed productions for Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, Citizens Theatre Glasgow, Royal & Derngate, Perth Theatre and The Stephen Joseph Theatre.
Andrew’s work for television includes: Children in Need, The Naked Choir and The Voice (BBC) and he was creative director for the opening ceremony of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games. He was creative and vocal director for Susan Boyle, collaborating on five of her albums and conceiving and directing her premiere UK and international tours. For Unigram, Andrew directed a new, immersive production of Peter Greenaway’s The Cook, The Thief, His Wife and Her Lover, which premiered at the Faena Theatre in Miami. Andrew was previously Artistic Director of Musical Theatre at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland where he is now a Visiting Professor and Fellow and is a previous winner of the Bruce Millar Award for directing.
Andrew lives in Dundee with his husband and their eight year old son.
Tashi Gore
Co-Director

Tashi is a UK-based artist working as a director, facilitator, producer and consultant predominantly in socially engaged contexts, co-creation and artist development. She specializes in autobiographical performance and devised theatre. From 2020-2024, Tashi was Associate Director at Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre, where she first co-directed No Love Songs. Tashi is Co-Artistic Director of multi award-winning Glass Performance, a company that makes innovative performance collaborating with individuals, families and communities including within the justice system. Tashi is a visiting lecturer at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and a facilitator and trainer in the Liz Lerman Critical Response Process. She co-authored A Beginners Guide to Devising Theatre (Bloomsbury, 2019). Tashi has worked with organizations such as the National Theatre of Scotland, Edinburgh International Children’s Festival, Roundhouse in London, Dance Exchange in Maryland, Bridge Park in Washington DC, Rogaland Theatre in Norway and The British Council. In 2025 Tashi will begin a new role as a Relationship Manager in Theatre for the Arts Council of England.
Gavin Whitworth
Arrangements

Gavin is a graduate of York University, and the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. He has spent many years working on new writing with organisations such as Perfect Pitch, Mercury Musical Developments, and Goodspeed Musicals (USA). Musical Directing credits include Oor Wullie and The Snow Queen (Dundee Rep); Hi, My Name Is Ben (Goodspeed Musicals, USA); But First This and The Witches of Eastwick (Watermill Theatre, Newbury); Beauty and the Beast and Hansel and Gretel (Citizens Theatre), Wasted Love and The Improvised Musical (Edinburgh Fringe); Glasgow Girls (Raw Materials) and Room (NTS/Stratford East/Grand Theatre Ontario). Composition credits include Some Small Love Story (Hartshorn Hook), Neverland (Theatre Deli), White Fang (Park Theatre), and The Importance of Being Earnest (Perth Theatre).
Mark Chamberlain
Music Director

Mark is a music director, accompanist, and music production programmer/orchestrator. His most recent credits include: Associate Music Director, Chicago: The Musical (Crossroads Live); Music Director, The Dismissal: An Extremely Serious Musical Comedy (Squabbalogic); Assistant Music Director/Associate Keyboard Programmer, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Tim Lawson); and Associate Music Director and Hammond Organ programmer for 9 to 5 The Musical (John Frost for Crossroads Live).
Other credits include Associate Music Director, School of Rock (GWB Entertainment); Assistant Music Director, Cats, Asia tour, (S&CO, Lotte Entertainment, R&D Works, RUG); and Ghost – The Musical, Australia tour, (ATG, GWB Entertainment, and Red Live). His performance credits also include playing Keyboards for Jurassic Park in Concert (TEG Dainty); Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Michael Cassel); The Sound of Music (GFO and RUG); Strictly Ballroom (Global Creatures and Bazmark); The BBC ‘Planet’ Series Concerts (Sydney Opera House and BBC Earth Live Events); and Jersey Boys (New Theatricals, Dodger Theatricals). Mark was invited to be Music Director for the Invictus Games Australia launch for former Prince Harry of Wales and honourable guests, and has been Music Director for artists such as Mark Vincent, Courtney Act, and Colleen Balinger (Miranda Sings). Mark has also been a music arranger/music programmer and orchestrator for Amazon ‘Alexa’ devices in Australia and internationally, and has guest tutored/been music director for student productions at the National Institute of Dramatic Art (NIDA), the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), the Victorian Collage of the Arts (VCA), and Brent Street, Sydney.
Leila Kalbassi
Scenic Design
Design at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School in 1996, and has a degree in Film Design. Designs for Dundee Rep Theatre include: The History of Paper, No Love Songs, The A-Z of Dundee, The 39 Steps, Arturo Ui, Spoiling, Midsummer, Talk to Me like the Rain, Hecuba. For Scottish Dance Theatre / Stellar Quines / Edinburgh Lyceum: The Lover. Leila has also designed numerous productions for Rep Engage. She has worked extensively as a freelance model maker, Scenic Artist, and Design Assistant. Leila has also worked with National Theatre of Scotland, Scottish Ballet, Perth Theatre, CBBC, Girl Guiding UK, and Planet Hollywood Restaurants. She has also been involved in UNESCO/Dundee City Council pavement art projects. Leila leads workshops on Stage Design and Scenic Art for schools, students and adult Professional Development groups.
Cate Mackie
Costume Design
Cate is Head of Costume at Dundee Rep and Scottish Dance Theatre, having worked as a costume maker and supervisor in costume departments across the UK and as a Costume Tutor at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She has costumed shows such as The Steamie and Dracula, musicals including Cabaret and Copacabana and operas including Cendrillon and Gianni Schicchi. She has designed costumes for shows including Far From The Maddening Crowd, Lysistrata, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Last Days of Judas Iscariot as well as Dundee Rep’s tours of The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, The 39 Steps and History of Paper.
Grant Anderson
Lighting Design
Grant is a lighting designer for the entertainment industry whose work covers the worlds of theatre, music, events, fashion and architecture. Grant trained at The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland receiving the Dean of Drama Award for Best Individual Work. Theatre projects include work for The National Theatre of Scotland, The Edinburgh International Festival, Dundee Repertory Theatre, The Lyceum Edinburgh, The Citizens Glasgow, The Tron Glasgow, Noisemaker, Birds of Paradise, Sleeping Warrior and Sell A Door Worldwide. Grant is the lighting designer for some of Scotland’s major events including The Enchanted Forest, GlasGLOW, Elfingrove and Edinburgh’s Hogmanay. As well as the UK, Grant designs internationally for the team at Woodroffe Bassett Design, WBD. For more information on Grant’s work please visit www.grantanderson.design.
David Letch / System Sound
Sound Design
System Sound was founded in 1979 and services the live theatre industry with sound and communications engineering, equipment and expertise. With a large facility in Melbourne Australia, the company has an inhouse team of Designers, Supervisors, wireless, and equipment service technicians, with a broad background of experience in all facets of live sound production. Over the years, System has established relationships with local and overseas equipment suppliers and manufacturers, Designers and sound production companies, notably on Broadway and the West End.
System engineered the original Australian touring productions of Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Les Miserables, Starlight Express, Mamma Mia!, The Producers, We Will Rock You, Billy Elliot, Rock of Ages, Love Never Dies, Jersey Boys, War Horse, Legally Blonde, King Kong, Once, Matilda The Musical, and Kinky Boots, Beautiful, Rocky Horror Show, Moulin Rouge, Groundhog Day, An American in Paris, Evita and world tours of Les Miserables, School of Rock, and The Phantom of The Opera. Current productions include Wicked and Sunset Boulevard.
Hugh Hamilton
Associate Lighting Design
Hugh Hamilton has been Associate Lighting Designer on The Phantom of the Opera, Miss Saigon, A Christmas Carol, Hamilton, Jagged Little Pill, Come from Away, Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, My Fair Lady (Opera Australia), Wicked, The King and I, The Addams Family Musical, Legally Blonde, Rock of Ages and Guys and Dolls. Hugh has also designed, amongst others, Miracle City, Sideshow (Hayes), One Billion Beats (CAC), Ladies Day (Griffin), I am My Own Wife Tour (Oriel), Eora Crossing, On the Case (Legs On the Wall), HMS Pinafore (Bel Rosa Opera Company), Freefall (Sydney Dance Company), Del Del (Sydney Theatre Company), and Ursula (Brink Productions), as well as designing shows for dance companies, events and the site lighting for Opera Australia’s Turandot, Carmen and La Boheme. Internationally he has worked on The Phantom of the Opera, Cats, Wicked, Billy Elliot, Les Misérables, Kinky Boots, Miss Saigon, and Mamma Mia!.
Leanne Cherny
Casting
Leanne boasts over an illustrious 30-year career in the entertainment industry, where she has transitioned from being a sought-after performer to an esteemed creative director and accomplished casting director.
With an early career as a performer in theatre and film Leanne has now transitioned to working as the Artistic Director on The Voice Australia and most currently the Series Creative Director on Australian Idol. Other creative direction credits include Aria Awards, Dancing with The Stars and So You Think You Can Dance where she was also involved in casting for all television programs.
Over 10 years ago, Leanne also made her mark as a leading Casting Director and has led the casting for Disney Theatrical on their productions of The Lion King, Aladdin, Frozen and the current production of Beauty And The Beast. As well as Magic Mike Live (GFO) and the 50th Anniversary of The Rocky Horror Picture Show (Crossroads Live). Most recently Leanne cast the dancers for upcoming Australian feature film The Deb directed by Rebel Wilson and choreographed by Rob Ashford.
Justin Nott
Associate Director

Justin is an independent theatre maker, writer and arts programmer from Melbourne/Naarm. His practice encompasses new writing, queer dramaturgies and visual theatre. He holds a Master of Theatre (Directing) from the Victorian College of the Arts for which he received the Orloff Family Charitable Trust Scholarship for excellence.
Justin most recently directed Adam Fawcett’s sprawling family drama, Every Lovely Terrible Thing for LabKelpie, and Angus Cameron’s For Love Nor Money for Victorian Theatre Company. Other directing credits include Variations or Exit Music, Can’t Be Tamed and Human_Error. He is the Creative Director of queer arts festival Get Bent Fest!, and founded The Glass Theatre queer performance festival in London. Justin also performs with Dazza & Keif as his alter-ego, Gay Jordan and was the associate director for the Australian premiere of The Inheritance at fortyfive downstairs. Justin recently began development on a new project, Gay Shame, with Darebin Speakeasy.
Rodney Rigby
Producer
Rodney Rigby founded Newtheatricals; a producing group operating across Australia and on Broadway.
On Broadway: Water For Elephants, Good Night, Oscar starring Tony Award Winner Sean Hayes, Come From Away (also Australia, North American tour, London – Winner of four Olivier Awards including Best Musical, Toronto), Diana, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, Children Of A Lesser God, Rocky, Catch Me If You Can and Lend Me A Tenor. Off Broadway productions: David Bryne’s Joan of Arc: Into the Fire, Here Lies Love and Helder Guimarães: Verso. Regional: Marie (Little Dancer).
In Australia: Gaslight, Come From Away 2019-2023, Darkness, Jersey Boys 2009-13 and 2018-19, Blue Man Group, The Addams Family, Rock of Ages, Boeing Boeing, Mum’s the Word 2: Teenagers, Burt Bacharach and the Sydney Symphony, The Woman in Black, Jamie Oliver Live, Bryn Terfel – In Recital, David Campbell – Wild with Style, Anthony Warlow – Under the Stars, Stuff Happens, Leader of the Pack, Lesley Garrett and Anthony Warlow – The Magic of The Music, Via Dolorosa (written and performed by David Hare), La Fura Dels Baus XXX and The Helpmann Awards (2001, 2004 and 2005). Awards include Live Performance Australia Life Member, Olivier Award for Best Musical 2019 (Come From Away) six Helpmann Awards including Best Musical 2010 (Jersey Boys) and Best Play 2006 (Stuff Happens), two Sydney Theatre Awards including Best Musical Production (Jersey Boys), eighteen Greenroom Awards and three time Tony Award nominee.
Neil Croker
Producer
Neil has an extensive national and international career in major events, producing, promoting, tour directing and consulting to artists as varied as Bette Midler, AC/DC, Carole King, and Andrea Bocelli, events ranging from Olympics, World Expos’ and sporting code championships, and theatrical productions including Riverdance, Steel City and Madiba the Musical. Neil was also the CEO who revitalised the Palais Theatre in Melbourne to be one of the leading concert theatre venues in the world. In 2024 The Prestige Presents presented national concert tours by artists including Martha Wainwright, Fun Lovin’ Criminals and the spectacular Piaf the Show. Just announced for 2025 is a tour by Joan as Police Woman with several more tours to be announced soon.
Originally Produced in the United States by BPM Theatrical
US Premiere Presented by Goodspeed Musicals
Originally Produced and Developed by Dundee Rep Theatre; Dundee, Scotland
Riverside Theatres Parramatta
Venue Partner
Riverside Theatres is Western Sydney’s leading performing arts and theatre centre, attracting more than 180,000 patrons and visitors to more than 1,000 performances and events each year. Riverside is home to the National Theatre of Parramatta, which cultivates Western Sydney’s next generation of artists, performers and creators and offers an extensive educational program for young people and people with disability. After three decades of award-winning performances and events, Riverside Theatres is preparing for a set change of epic proportions as plans to redesign and expand the popular arts centre progress to the next stage. The reimagined Riverside will undergo a transformation into a world-class performing arts centre featuring a major new commercial Broadway-style theatre and multiple new and refurbished performance spaces when completed in mid in 2028.