Jenny Sealey and Paulette Randall Appointed Ovalhouse Patrons to Support Move to Brixton

It was announced today that artistic director of Graeae (the UK's leading disabled led theatre company), Jenny Sealey MBE and acclaimed theatre director and associate director of the 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony, Paulette Randall MBE will join former James Bond Pierce Brosnan OBE and The Kumars at No 42 star Sanjeev Bhaskar OBE as patrons of the legendary South London arts centre Ovalhouse. Together they will front the campaign to raise funds for the venue's new home in Brixton, which is expected to open in 2019.

The appointment of the two reflects the role Ovalhouse has played in each one's career. Jenny and Paulette are both leaders in their fields and throughout their careers, the venue has offered both the opportunities to present work, develop ideas and create new projects. Each of the women has a strong track record in the counter-cultural movements that forms the basis of the artistic diversity that characterises the venue and shapes its reputation.

Jenny, Paulette, Pierce Brosnan and Sanjeev Bhaskar whose careers all had roots at Ovalhouse will together front the fundraising campaign for the venue's new home. At the beginning of last year the relocation was granted planning permission and given Lambeth Council's unanimous support as part of a significant regeneration scheme of the Somerleyton Road area of Brixton. With £6.5 million already raised and an Arts Council Award of £3 million, a further £2.5 million needs to be raised to see the project through to opening. The aim is to achieve this through a series of fundraising initiatives, which will take place over the next two years with the support of the strong team of patrons. The next fundraising event, a gala performance of Redefining Juliet, Storme Toolis's unique retelling of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet will take place on May 4 at Ovalhouse. Redefining Juliet features six actresses, all with disabilities and differences, who play the iconic role of Juliet. The special gala performance of the work, which seeks to challenge perceptions of beauty and disability, follows the 2016 BBC documentary which went behind the scenes of rehearsals for Redefining Juliet at the Barbican. All proceeds raised from the night will be donated to the Ovalhouse Capital Campaign.

Deborah Bestwick artistic director of Ovalhouse says

"We are delighted that Jenny and Paulette will join the drive to help facilitate the much needed move of the venue to Brixton. As a springboard for every radical and counter-cultural movement for over 50 years Ovalhouse's work has existed side by side with their's. Jenny and Paulette are part of our history and, like the venue itself, they continue to be as vibrant and fresh and innovative as they always have been."

Jenny Sealey's, whose first production for Graeae was at Ovalhhouse, began her career with Interplay Theatre, co-directing Sea Changes, then directing Stepping Stones and Mad Meg. Jenny has been Graeae's Artistic Director since 1997. Directing credits for Graeae include: Blood Wedding (in a co-production with Dundee Rep and Derby Theatre); The Threepenny Opera (with Pete Rowe in a co-production with New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Nottingham Playhouse and Birmingham Rep); Belonging (with Vinicius Daumas and performed in Brazil & London); also Reasons To Be Cheerful; Signs of a Star Shaped Diva; Static; Blasted; Whiter than Snow; peeling; Bent; Iron Man and Rhinestone Rollers. International credits include: Blood Wedding (Setagaya Public Theatre, Tokyo); Romeo and Juliet (Saitama Arts Theatre, Tokyo); and at Greenwich+Docklands International Festival (GDIF) then touring outdoor arenas: Against the Tide; The Garden; The Limbless Knight - A Tale of Rights Reignited. Jenny co-directed the London 2012 Paralympic Opening Ceremony alongside Bradley Hemmings (GDIF). She also won the Liberty Human Rights Arts Award and was on the h.Club 100 list of the most influential people in the creative industries.

Paulette Randall is a theatre director and producer of Jamaican descent. She joined the classes and workshops at Ovalhouse as a local young person, and returned as a director Her TV credits include, Holby City,The Real McCoy, BBC2, Desmond's, Porkpie, C4, The Crouches, Comin Atcha, CITV, Kerching! CBBC. Paulette was creative consultant on The Little Miss Jocelyn Show and 3 Non Blondes, BBC. Her work for live sketch shows include; Funny Black Women on the Edge, with Angie Le Mar, and several shows with The Posse. Stand up tours include working with Lenny Henry and Richard Blackwood. Paulette's is best known for her work in the theatre. Here most recent credits include; Five Guys Named Moe (Underbelly and Cameron Mackintosh), The Disappearance of Dorothy Lawrence (Vital Exposure), Obama- ology (RADA), Play Mas (Orange Tree Theatre), Frankie and Johnny in the Clair De Lune (Chichester Festival Theatre), Rudy's Rare Records - starring Lenny Henry (Birmingham Rep and Hackney Empire) , Fences (Theatre Royal Bath, Tour and West End) Cinderella- Rock 'n' Roll Panto (Stafford Gatehouse Theatre), Sleeping Beauty- Rock 'n' Roll Panto (Stafford Gatehouse Theatre). Paulette was also the Associate Director of the Opening Ceremony London Olympics, 2012. She recently received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from Brunel University.

The new Ovalhouse building will be a fully accessible, fit for purpose and sustainable modern theatre which will enable Ovalhouse to develop quality arts provision in a vibrant and richly diverse community.

Building work for the new home, which is part of a new development on Somerleyton Road and Coldharbour Lane in Brixton, will begin in 2017 with completion in 2019. Ovalhouse new home will offer two theatre spaces plus seven multi-use accessible studios - for rehearsal, participatory work and community activities - and will comprise a significant suite of cultural workspace, bringing jobs and opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises and supporting the already strong cultural sector in Brixton. The flexible theatre spaces will have the facilities needed for artists to make innovative new work and there will also be an increased range of training within the youth leadership programmes, ensuring professional opportunities and cross-transferable skills for local young people. The needs of vulnerable young people will be met in terms of access, safe spaces and purpose-built space, while the building will generate an income stream that will make Ovalhouse resilient and safer from financial shock.

Full details of, the fundraising campaign and the move can be found at http://www.ovalhouse.com.

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