ORIGINS 5.0
Five exciting emerging directors.
Origins is a year-long programme developing and celebrating emerging directors from across the country. We were delighted to work with Namoo Chae Lee, Casey, Lloyd, Jessica Mensah, Amy Reade and Samuel Tracy. During the year they attended residencies, saw work at Manchester International Festival, met top tier industry professionals and more.
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![Black and white headshot of smiling South East Asian woman]()
Namoo Chae Lee
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![A white man, unsmiling, with copper-coloured hair and goatee]()
Casey Lloyd
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![A black woman with a bob looks directly at the camera.]()
Jessica Mensah
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![A young white woman with hair tied back and large framed glasses, leaning on her hand and smiling.]()
Amy Reade
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![A black man smiles at the camera, his face friendly and open.]()
Samuel Tracy
testimonials
“Origins provided me with paid opportunities and the financial stability I needed to get through the year. It allowed me to travel to theatres I’d never heard of before, expand my industry networks, and ultimately secure a paid Associate Director role.
I’m incredibly grateful for the experience, especially at a time when I’d been considering leaving the industry. The programme arrived at exactly the right moment for me.”
— Jessica Mensah
“As an early career director from a benefits-to-working class background, theatre often feels inaccessible and impenetrable.
Being an Origins director has felt like a breath of fresh air.
Paid observation has allowed me to take time off work to see how rehearsal rooms run at the mid-scale. Paid Assistant Directing opportunities and Research and Development periods have helped build my professional networks and add more nationwide credibility to my CV.”
— Casey Lloyd
“To be recognised as an artist of the future by Headlong has given me the confidence to pursue my creative ideas, and gives the wider industry confidence in me, which has already begun to open doors. This recognition and support is hard to come by and as a freelancer, makes you feel far less alone.
As I emerge from the programme, I have the confidence to take my directing work to the next scale, the practical knowledge to pitch my ideas, and the inspiration to run my own company one day.”
— Amy Reade