Dame Heather Rabbatt’s appointment as Chair of Soho Theatre marks a team restructure.
Dame Heather Rabbatt’s appointment as Chair of Soho Theatre marks a team restructure. David Luff is the new Creative Director following Steve Marmion’s recent departure, and Lakesha Arie-Angelo in a new role as Associate Artist.
David, Soho Theatre’s Theatre Producer for seven years, has worked closely on shows including Fleabag and Touch, and most recently Underground Railroad Game. David has also worked as an independent producer, recent credits include Network, which he commissioned, co-produced with the National Theatre, and is now one of the Broadway producers in its successful run there. Prior to Soho he produced new writing and ran programmes and festivals in a number of Off West End and Fringe venues as well as overseas in Berlin and New York. He has an MA in Dramaturgy and his background is in script development and independent producing. Working alongside Executive Director Mark Godfrey, David will have responsibility for Soho Theatre’s creative output and artistic leadership.
Soho Theatre is one of London’s busiest producing venues with a year-round festival programme of new theatre, comedy and cabaret. Like the programme itself, the team is made up of more established practitioners, refreshed and challenged with new voices and emerging talent.
Alongside Steve Lock, whose role as Comedy Producer broadens to Head of Comedy, Associate Director Charlotte Bennett, Touring and Digital Producer Sarah Dodd and Associate Dramaturg Adam Brace, Soho Theatre announces one of UK’s most exciting upcoming director’s Lakesha Arie-Angelo in the new role of Associate Artist. Lakesha’s responsibilities will include directing and actively contributing to programming, in particular working with developing BAME artists.
For the last two years Lakesha has been Resident Director at Soho Theatre during which time she assisted on Vicky Jones’ critically acclaimed Touch and The One; Mary Laws’ Blueberry Toast (co-produced with Platform Presents); and was Director of Hampstead Theatre’s hit, the Tony Craze Award shortlisted, The Hoes, by first time playwright and Soho Six 2019 artist Ifeyinwa Frederick. Lakesha is currently in rehearsals with soft animals, a tender and unflinching story about motherhood, self-destruction and the way women help each other heal, written by Soho Theatre’s latest emerging writer Holly Robinson, which opens this week.
David Luff says, ‘I am honoured to move into a creative leadership position at Soho Theatre. We have a superbly talented team at Soho and I look forward to working closely with them to discover, develop and present to our audiences bold new voices in theatre, comedy and cabaret. Recently we announced our newly reimagined Soho Six flagship commissioning programme – featuring some of the most exciting new talent I’ve known since being at Soho – and this week we open soft animals, written on our Writers’ Lab programme and shortlisted for our Tony Craze Award.’
Executive Director Mark Godfrey says, ‘Alongside the whole team at Soho Theatre, I’m thrilled to be working with Dame Heather who is an inspirational chair with a wealth of experience, whilst continuing to collaborate with David who will bring tremendous passion, commitment and knowledge to his new role. In keeping with Soho’s mission and track record for nurturing new talent, Lakesha has impressed everyone in her time as Resident Director and we’re delighted to welcome her in her new role of Associate Artist.’