Stage One Reveals Eight Emerging Producers for Placement Scheme

Stage One has announced its 2026/27 Placement Producers, with eight emerging producers set to spend the next year working across some of London's leading commercial production offices and the UK's major national theatres as part of its Producer Placement Scheme.

The 2026/27 cohort will take up paid, 12-month placements with Sonia Friedman Productions (SFP), Francesca Moody Productions (FMP), Rodeo Productions and the Royal Court in London, and Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Citizens Theatre, Mercury Theatre Colchester and Sheffield Theatres regionally. Across their placements, the producers will gain hands-on experience across producing, general management, development, programming, co-productions and in-house projects.

Since 2006, Stage One has facilitated over 100 paid placements in West End producing offices, alongside over 40 placements in national theatres since the launch of its National Placement Scheme in 2013.

This year's London placements will see producers work across major productions, national tours and commercial projects, gaining first-hand experience alongside some of the UK's leading producing organisations. Across the regions, placement producers will work across programming, co-productions and in-house projects, building a broad understanding of the different producing models, audiences and creative opportunities that exist across organisations and venues throughout the country.

Joseph Smith, Chief Executive of Stage One comments, 'The Placement Scheme is one of our most popular programmes and sits at the heart of what Stage One does. The year long, paid placement is an opportunity for emerging producers to learn through hands on experience in dynamic commercial producing offices and nationally recognised producing theatres across the country. We're delighted by the candidates chosen to take on this year's placements, coming from a variety of backgrounds and locations. We look forward to working with them and seeing how their skills develop across the year. Many of our industry leading producers began through this very scheme, and it continues to strengthen the future of commercial theatre across the UK.'

The 2026/27 Placement Producers

Syania Shaharuddin – Sonia Friedman Productions
Originally from Singapore, Syania began her career in stage management before moving into producing, with experience across creative development, production and fundraising. Having previously taken part in Stage One's Bridge the Gap programme, she is now producing The Dragon Boiz and Stumbling, alongside developing sustainable commercial models for ambitious, play-led work.

Lydia Power – Rodeo Productions
Lydia began her career in theatre in 2022 after graduating with a BA in Musical Theatre. She has worked in administration and operations at ATG Entertainment and the Society of London Theatre, helping deliver major events including the Olivier Awards, UK Theatre Awards and West End Live.

Aya O'Shea Freke – Francesca Moody Productions
Aya is a theatre producer working across commercial touring family theatre and fringe-scale new writing, with a particular interest in dramaturgy and developing new work. Currently Assistant Producer at Freckle Productions, her recent credits include the UK and Ireland tour of ZOG and productions of Stick Man in London, Sheffield, Hong Kong and Singapore.

Ben Walter – Royal Court Theatre
Originally from Naarm / Melbourne, Australia, Ben is a London-based producer, actor and director, and the founder and Artistic Director of Patalog Theatre. His producing credits include critically acclaimed productions of Far Away, Punk Rock and Tusk Tusk, while he is also recognised for playing Albus Potter in the Australian production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Neve Adams – Citizens Theatre
Neve is a Glasgow-based producer with a strong focus on community engagement and new writing. Her experience includes working with the National Theatre of Scotland, Traverse Theatre, Tron Theatre and A Play, A Pie and A Pint, where she was Associate Producer, supporting the development of 30 new plays a year and leading the company's pantomimes.

Molly Keating – Pitlochry Festival Theatre
Molly is a Scottish theatre producer, actor and writer from Loch Lomond and a graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. She began producing at the Edinburgh Fringe aged 19 and has since produced more than ten shows there, alongside work at Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Sydney Festival and Adelaide Festival, with a particular passion for funny, female-centred and socially engaged work.

Linxi Shi – Sheffield Theatres
Linxi has experience across theatre, festivals and outdoor arts, having worked as Programme Coordinator at Lowry and Festival Partnerships Manager at Without Walls. Originally trained in film and television production in China, she later studied theatre, film and performance design in the UK, followed by a master's in curating contemporary design, bringing a varied creative background to her producing practice.

Jonathon Prestney – Mercury Theatre
Jonathon is an award-winning creative producer and Associate Producer with Dance Horizons Ltd, supporting the Innovations Platform with Capital Theatres. His work spans new writing, artist development, casting, research and development, and multi-partner collaboration, with productions recognised at Colchester Fringe and San Diego International Fringe Festival. Originally a performer across regional and West End stages, European tours and live broadcast, he has since moved into creative leadership, working as an Artistic Director and Choreographer across a range of productions and residencies.

Syania Shaharuddin, Placement Producer at Sonia Friedman Productions comments, 'I am so grateful for the opportunities Stage One has offered me, not just the knowledge that I've built but it is the people that I've met who have made these experiences memorable. I'm incredibly excited to get the ground running at SFP, finally putting into context the information from all the workshops I attended as a Bridge-the-Gap participant.'

Neve Adams, Placement Producer at Citizens Theatre comments, 'I started with the Citizens Theatre at the start of September and already feel totally at home. Everyone is so lovely and I have been learning so much already. Making the jump into the commercial sector has been such an exciting opportunity, and I'm really looking forward to gaining more experience, taking on new challenges and seeing where the year takes me. I'm so grateful to be part of the team and excited for everything that's ahead!'