Imagining a National Theatre: The First Drama Seminar Report

Carmel Macaree is the National Theatre, UK, Skills Centre Project Manager, running the flagship technical training project Young Technicians. She has worked in theatre production, participation and producing roles, highlighting pathways and creating accessible routes into technical theatre.

The National Theatre Skills Centre offers resources, training and professional development, with opportunities available nationwide from entry-level to mid-career. Under the guidance of world-leading experts, our programmes will help to develop skills, open career pathways and access specialist training for a career in the creative industries. 

Nishith Mehta is a faculty member at ATLAS SkillTech University, where he leads the History course for the First Year Design Studies and conducts a theatre elective that explores performance as a medium for creativity, collaboration, and critical thinking. With a background in painting and art history, he integrates theatre techniques into pedagogy, emphasizing its relevance in design thinking and communication. His work spans research, scriptwriting, and the development of MOOCs, bridging history, culture, and performance in innovative ways. 

Vivek Madan has been involved in the theatre for over 25 years. As an actor, he has over 30 plays to his credit, some performed to acclaim across the country. 
He has also served as the Programming Executive at Jagriti Theatre (2011-2015), the Festival Director for Writers’ Bloc 4 (2016), the curator of the Ranga Shankara Theatre Festival 2018, Executive Director of Indian Ensemble (2017-2020) and helmed several other independent theatre projects in India.  

In 2021, he founded www.thedramalibrary.com under the aegis of Bhasha Centre for Performing Arts. He remains the director of Bhasha Centre, where he conceptualises and executes capacity-building programmes (Think Big Think Small, From Anywhere to Somewhere, What’s for Dinner, among others), co-producing programmes (Manch) and numerous other engagements to build capacity within the theatre ecosystem in general, and playwriting and producing in particular, working with a team of theatre enablers across the country.  

 He is the recipient of the Shankar Nag Award 2021, presented annually by Ranga Shankara to a young theatre maker who embodies service to theatre. 

Building on over 45 years of professional theatre experience, working as a Technical Director, Production Director and Project Manager for some of the UK’s most prolific, producing, performing arts organisations including The Royal Opera House – Covent Garden, The National Theatre – London, English National Opera, Theatre Royal – Stratford East, The Young Vic, Cameron Macintosh Ltd and Really Useful Group, his TAIT role works to maintain existing and build new partnerships with Artists, Architects, Designers, Producers and Organisations, to create culture defining experience through continuous innovation, especially (but not exclusively) in the Performing Arts sector. 

 Mark is a dyslexic art school dropout with a proven track record for delivering complex capital projects, innovative, award-winning show making and optimising organisation efficiency; skilled at facilitating high performance in creative environments, with a commitment for building inclusive, equitable and brave places of work and an aptitude for the detailed work of culture change.  

 He is also a Fellow and Trustee of the ABTT (Association of British Theatre Technicians), an Honorary Fellow of RCSSD (Royal Central School of Speech & Drama), a Co-Director of Stage Sight, an Associate at Tangle, a member of the Theatre Artists Fund Advisory Committee, the Industry Ambassador for the MPAA (Mulberry Production Art Academy) and is currently also a Trustee of The Genisis Theatre Design Program and The Bush Theatre. 

Previously Mark has been a trustee at Bristol Old Vic and The Yard Theatre. 

With a career spanning over 20 years, Toby brings an extensive and diverse mix of experience to TAIT and the role. Having studied engineering, Toby started his career in brand events before moving into industry sectors including concert touring, theatre, motorsports, corporate engagements, and cruise ships. In recent years, Toby has used his knowledge to focus on more fixed sectors, including location-based entertainment and placemaking markets across the EMEA region and beyond. 

Joining Brilliant Stages in 2016 as Director of Projects and after 10 years of previous experience working for agencies and production companies, Toby played a pivotal role in delivering projects for prominent clients. Collaborations included partnerships with GPJ and Lexus, as well as impressive projects for Beyoncé and Jay-Z, Rammstein, Take That, Spice Girls, The 1975, Fast & Furious Live, London Design Biennale, and United Autosports. These undertakings encompassed a range of skills such as scenic design, automation, and fabrication. 

In 2019, Toby transitioned to the role of Director of Client Services, and with TAIT’s acquisition of Brilliant Stages later that year, he moved into TAIT’s Business Development team as VP and Head of Business Development for the UK and Europe. In this capacity, Toby led efforts in various sectors, including permanent installations, art, branding, sports, architecture, cruise ships, theatre, and turnkey projects within the TAIT group. During this time, his leadership has contributed to the execution and advancement of projects across these domains. 

In March 2024, Toby moved into the EMEA role, well-timed to further TAIT’s support in the region, working with local leadership to deliver strategies in KSA, UAE, and beyond. Toby now leads a team with exceptional and diverse experience in support of our customers. 

Roger is a director of the studio who has been centrally involved in almost all of Haworth Tompkins’ performance arts projects since joining in 1995. Deeply respected by clients, consultants and the specialist supply chain alike, Roger has built a strong international reputation for designing soulful engaging spaces together with thoroughness and detailed design skills and problem solving. He is one of the world’s top performing arts architects and one of the most experienced and innovative solvers of complex challenges, bringing a calm and concentrated intelligence to all his work.

He has a particular passion for adaptive auditorium design sparked by the seminal 2007 Stirling Prize shortlisted Young Vic project and the Stirling Prize winner 2014 Liverpool Everyman Theatre, he has gone on to design several innovative adaptable auditoria including the Bridge Theatre, the @sohoplace Theatre which together won the prestigious AJ100 Innovation of the year award 2023.

Dr. Priyanka Pathak is a trained Theatre Director, Scenographer and Performance Studies Scholar. She is a proud alumna of the National School of Drama and an executive committee member of the International Federation of Theatre Research. To make life more difficult, she endured a PhD in Theatre & Performance Studies from JNU’s School of Arts & Aesthetics and a Fellowship at the Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in London. Priyanka is privileged to be a part of 25+ national and international performances, including Bharat Rang Mahotsav Delhi, Serendipity Goa, Freie University Berlin, Theatre Academy Shanghai, and the Cultural Centre of Korea. Her vision is to help bridge the gap between the diverse global academia in theatre studies and dynamic stagecraft of theatre-making using an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach.

Chaitanya has had a multi-faceted 2-decade career in the Film, Media & Entertainment industry. He is currently at Whistling Woods International – India’s premier Film & Creative Arts institute, in the capacity of Vice President & Business Head. He also serves as the Chief Technology Officer for the institute and heads its Emerging Media initiatives.

Over the past 2 decades, he has worked towards strengthening India’s Film, Media, Creative & Performing Arts education landscape, both in higher education & in India’s K-12 education including spearheading Whistling Woods’ initiatives to work with Emerging Technologies like Virtual Production, Virtual Reality & AI by pioneering curriculum development around them. He has also established Tech Development labs & partnership with giants like Sony, Apple, Google, Intel, Foxconn, Reliance Jio and many more.

Asad Lalljee is SVP, Essar Group, CEO of Avid Learning, a public programming initiative and creative platform under the Essar Group, and Curator, Royal Opera House, Mumbai. Prior to relocating to India, Asad worked for 14 years as one of the ‘Mad Men’ advertising executives on New York’s Madison Avenue. Asad has transformed Avid Learning into India’s leading cultural hub through international collaborations and partnering with the biggest art platforms in the country. As a distinguished member of FICCI Art and Culture Committee since 2018l, Asad has convened multi stakeholder conferences in Mumbai and Bengaluru to democratise the arts. His is a story of drive, intent and fearlessness. Since the restoration of the Royal Opera House, Asad’a curatorial programming has re-established its reputation as the city’s cultural crown jewel. He is also serving on the Kala Ghoda Association’s Executive Committee and the advisory board of the Mumbai Urban Art Festival for 2022-23. In the midst of the pandemic (April 2020), Asad pivoted from AVID to AVID ONLINE, presenting 240 programs in a year. An early technology trend adopter, he takes a special interest in new media curating programs around NFTs and the cyberfuture. Asad holds a B.A. in Economics from St. Xavier’s College (Mumbai) and an M.A. in Global Marketing Communications from Emerson College (Boston). 

Yuki Ellias is an actor, director and business coach. As an actress, she has performed in the UK, US, Canada, Australia, Italy, Hong Kong, Singapore, Zimbabwe and India in leading venues like The Roundhouse, The Sydney Theatre Company, The Lowry and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Her theatre company Dur Se Brothers has produced several shows in multiple languages including the multi-award winning play Elephant in the Room, Hello Farmaish and The Far Post. Her first short film, “Lovely & Tip Top” won the Jury Honorable mention at the Indian Film Festival LA and is being screened at several film festivals globally. Yuki is the founder and director of the company “The Next Stage” which designs and delivers business coaching programs for global leaders and teams across industries

Shruti Sharma is a media professional with over 15 years of experience across theatre, film, and event production. Her career is defined by a consistent ability to conceptualize and execute grand-scale productions that captivate audiences and redefine industry benchmarks.

Vivek is an Executive Producer at QTP, overseeing in-house productions and line producing shows like Still Dancing, Monsoon Wedding The Musical, and Sing India Sing. He has brought international productions to India, including Helios, Lives of Clay, and Going Viral. A mentor to Thespo – A Youth Theatre Community, he is also part of the core team running Literature Live! The Mumbai LitFest. Since 2020, Vivek has expanded QTP’s reach by producing and managing digital webinars and festivals, reinforcing the company’s impact in the evolving world of theatre and the arts. 

Brian Tellis is a pioneer in the events, experiential and entertainment industry with a career that spans over 3 decades. He co-founded Fountainhead Promotions and Events, one of India’s most successful experiential marketing agencies and is also a founding member of EEMA, where he served as its president for 2 terms. 
 
With a passion for the performing arts, Brian is an accomplished emcee, musician, actor and radio host, having anchored shows since the inception of FM Radio in India in 1993. He was also a Jury Member at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. 
 
Currently, he is a consultant for the Aditya Birla Group and the Founder of Radioactive Ventures which launched The Chinwag Collective (a podcast that explores the worlds of media, arts and entertainment through panel discussions with industry stalwarts) and The Indian School of Protocol, which designs and conducts workshops and courses on soft skills, professional development and corporate etiquette.