TS Eliot US/UK Exchange Showcase Presents Seven Short Plays at Vineyard

Top British artists in Kevin Spacey'S OLD VIC THEATRE's transatlantic talent program - The TS Eliot US/UK Exchange - present seven new short plays at the Vineyard Theatre
The group of 46 emerging British actors, writers, directors and producers won the chance to come to New York from a pool of over 1000 applicants

All on the cusp of major success in the industry, the company includes award-winning artists with West End and international production credits
The show takes place on Friday May 6th at 3pm with a special guest host tba

A group of Britain's best young theatre artists are coming to New York as part of The Old Vic's 2011 TS Eliot US/UK Exchange and presenting seven new short plays at the Vineyard Theatre. From Royal Weddings, to rural love affairs, the plays offer a series of contrasting, tragic-comic perspectives on life in modern Britain.

Tickets for the performance on Friday May 6th at 3pm are completely free and available by emailing exchangetickets@oldvictheatre.com. Following the show, a reception will be held with the artists.

The TS Eliot US/UK Exchange is a unique program run by Old Vic New Voices - The Old Vic's education, community and emerging talent department. It is designed to introduce the best young British and American theatre practitioners to their counterparts across the Atlantic. Supported by the T.S. Eliot Estate, and hosted in partnership with the Vineyard Theatre, The Exchange offers 21-30 year old artists the unrivalled opportunity to engage in a week of cultural activity and artistic development, culminating in a showcase of original plays.

Following the NY Exchange, 50 American artists will travel to London in late May to take part in a similar programme at The Old Vic, the historical home of theatrical legends including Laurence Olivier, John Gielgud, and now under the artistic direction of Kevin Spacey.

Full information about the program is available at www.ideastap.com/Community/Partners/ovnv/usuk

Kevin Spacey, Artistic Director at The Old Vic said:
"The TS Eliot US/UK Exchange shows The Old Vic's dedication to encouraging transatlantic collaboration. Last year's programme was an extraordinary success and we have found another exciting team to forge lasting creative partnerships across the Atlantic. There is no doubt that relationships created on this project will bear fruit for many years to come."

Steve Winter, Director of Old Vic New Voices at The Old Vic said:
"We were thrilled to see the impact that the project had on 2010's participants, widening their creative horizons and instilling a new-found sense of ambition and possibility. We know that the same transatlantic success is in store for 2011's company who are all exceptional artists in their field."

The 2011 British artists are:

Writers:
Jonathan Brittain (The Wake - National Student Drama Festival Judges' Award Winner for Comedy)
Jake Brunger (Jet Set Go! at the Edinburgh Festival, Theatre503 and Jermyn Street - special commendation, MTM: UK Awards, Royal Court Theatre Supergroup)
Steven Hevey (Peggy Ramsey Foundation Award Winner, In My Name - Old Red Lion and West End)
Ella Hickson(Eight at Trafalgar Studios (London), PS122 (New York), Ringling Festival (Florida)- Carol Tambor Award)
Sabrina Mahfouz (That Boy - Westminster Prize, End of the Line - IdeasTap Group Award, 2011 Theatre and Poetry Creative Residency at The Hospital Club)
Ruth Pickett (International Emmy Award Nominee)
Hannah Rodger (One of The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester's 'Twelve')

Directors:
Russell Bolam (Athol Fugard's The Road to Mecca at the Arcola)
Suba Das (youngest ever resident director at The National Theatre Studio. Artistic Director of Custom/Practice)
Natalie Ibu (IdeasTap Innovators' Fund Winner, Lillian Baylis Award for Theatrical Excellence) Oliver Rose (Artistic Director of Rogues' Gallery, assistant director on Mike Leigh's West-End hit Ecstasy)
Luke Sheppard (Bed and Sofa at the Finborough, Jet Set Go! at the Edinburgh Festival, Theatre503 and Jermyn Street - special commendation, MTM: UK Awards)
Lotte Wakeham (The Kissing Dance atJermyn Street, assisted Matthew Warchus on the RSC's Matilda and The Old Vic's The Norman Conquests)
Kirsty Patrick Ward (short listed for the JMK award, Resident Assistant Director for nabokov)

Actors (Male):
Nicholas Banks (Punk Rock by Simon Stephens, Lyric Hammersmith and UK tour)
Nick Blakeley (Newton Blick Award)
Mattie Crowley (Macbeth, Tristan Bates Theatre)
Samuel Donnelly (Laurence Olivier Bursary nominee)
Paul Joseph (Branded, The Old Vic Theatre)
Nick Lawson (Old Vic New Voices: Time Warner Ignite 2 winner)
Sam Marks (A Cavalier for Milady, c*ckTavern)
Patrick Myles (Laurence Olivier Bursary nominee, Best Supporting Actor nominee at Thessaloniki Film Festival)
David Mumeni (The Inbetweeners feature film)
Benjamin O'Mahoney (Lawrence Olivier Bursary Award, Hobsons Prize, Leverhulme Scholarship)
Alex Papadakis (Platform, The Old Vic Tunnels)
George Taylor (Sherlock Holmes: Game of Shadows directed by Guy Ritchie)
Slinky Winfield (Skunk at Soho Theatre, Killing Bono - Paramount Film)

Actors (Female):
Lucy Benson-Brown (Platform, The Old Vic Tunnels)
Emma Dennis Edwards (Sam Wanamaker Festival, Shakespeare's Globe)
Jessica Ellis (Doctors, BBC1)
Lesa Gillespie (BBC & Actor's Centre screen training scholarship)
Annie Hemmingway(Breakfast at Tiffany's, West End; The Syndicate, West End)
Heather Johnson (Off West-End Award Nominee for Best Actress, Sam Wanamaker Festival Nominee)
Samantha Kissin (Civil Unrest by Ben Ellis at Old Vic New Voices' Coming Up Festival)
Anna Maguire (Saving Private Ryan)
Samantha Pearl (Charged at Soho Theatre)
Fiona Skinner (Spotlight Prize Nominee and Carleton Hobbs Finalist)
Abigail Unwin-Smith (La Boheme at Soho Theatre - Olivier Award for Best New Show, Amphibians at Bridewell Theatre - nominated for 6 Off West End Awards, Chantacleer and Pertalotte - Total Theatre Award nominee)
Alice White (Best Performance in a Theatrical Production, RSAMD)

Producers:
Dan Baker (Producer, Emptybox Theatre and Box of Tricks Theatre, First Time Voters at Bush Theatre)
Sara Doctors (Producer, Molten Festival)
Vicky Graham (Producer for Olivier Award winning venue, Theatre503)
Katie Harper(Programme Manager for Stage One)
Lucy Jackson (Amphibians at the Bridewell - nominated for six Off WestEnd awards)
Natalie Macaluso (The Rover at Southwark Playhouse - Time Out Critics' Choice)
Harriet Usher (Producer for Red Handed Theatre and State of Unrest)