Billy Cowan

Billy has a BA(Hons) in Imaginative Writing and Theatre Studies from Liverpool John Moores University and a MPhil(B) in Playwriting from Birmingham University. Besides writing plays, Billy also works as a freelance drama and creative writing facilitator. He runs the Writing Lab at The Oldham Coliseum and works part-time for M6 Theatre Company as a Youth Theatre Leader. He has also worked for The Library Theatre, Contact Theatre and The Bolton Octagon – all in the North West of England.

Other work, besides the plays mentioned in Productions, include:

Web Pal – a monologue about internet grooming for teenagers. Produced by M6 Theatre Company in association with North West Playwrights. Part of Small Change production which toured with 4 other monologues to venues around the North West July 08.

Transitions – a play about the cultural, political and sexual changes occurring in Northern Ireland since Peace. Verity Bargate 2007 special commendation.

Sidelined – an emotional health issue based forum play for Bolton Octagon’s Activ8 group.

Antigone – an adaptation of the greek tragedy for the Stockport Garrick Youth Theatre.

Links

24:7 - Daisy Wang meets Billy Cowan

Natalie Wilson

Natalie studied Theatre Studies at University of Glasgow. After graduating, she collaborated with writer/academic Dee Heddon to create new feminist performance which toured Scotland, Belgium and Morocco. She was invited to Trinity College Dublin to direct Sea Plays; an innovative pairing of new Scottish and classic Irish drama. She went on to be part of the team that launched Glasgay!, the largest LGBT International arts event in the UK.

She was appointed Trainee Director with 7:84 Theatre Company Scotland, working on the Scottish premiere of Angels In America by Tony Kushner and the World Premiere of Caledonia Dreaming by David Grieg. Natalie was later appointed Associate Director at the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme before becoming an independent Director. She has since directed numerous productions at theatres and drama schools across the UK. She has continued to devise and facilitate innovative participatory projects to widen access to theatre-making with people from all backgrounds.

Her productions include Her Other I (Theatre Off the Fence), With Respect (Big Stramash), Sea Plays (Samuel Beckett Centre), Forbidden Pleasures (Traverse Theatre), Talking Bollocks, Tongues, Valley Song (7:84), Travels With My Aunt, Neville’s Island, Loot, East Is East, Misery (New Vic Theatre, Stoke), The Tenant of Wildfell Hall, Things We Do For Love (Salisbury Playhouse), Amy’s View (Salisbury Playhouse/Northampton Theatres), King of Spin (Leicester Haymarket), Beautiful Thing (Nottingham Playhouse/National Tour), Brighton Beach Memoirs, Be My Baby, Midden (Oldham Colieum), Forward (Birmingham Rep), Daddy (Truant Co/Birmingham Rep), Cut To The Chase (Complete Productions/Tour), Martha Loves Michael (Ruffian Productions/Pleasance), Smilin’ Through (Truant Co/Contact/Birmingham Rep) and Stigmata (Truant Co/Drill Hall).

In 2005, Natalie received the Rose Bruford Memorial Trust Directors Award to research new work through different media including secondments with BBC Radio Drama and Hampstead Theatre. In 2006 , she was Associate Producer for Queerupnorth International Arts Festival. She has also directed the HIV Candlelit Vigil at Manchester Pride between 2003 and 2005 and is Artistic Director (with Billy Cowan) of Truant Company.