Chris Bridgman
Chris joined North West Playwrights in 1999 as temporary cover
for the then Director, Louise Mulvey. He then became Co-director with Judith
Rose, and has been Director since 2005. He has worked extensively on new
scripts, as dramaturg and/or director, for North West Playwrights, English
Touring Theatre and Manchester
Metropolitan University,
among others. He is artistic director of small-scale touring company boojum,
for which he has directed Garden of the Heart and Peacock Boy,
both by Crystal Stewart. Other productions include Small Change for M6
Theatre Company, two new plays in the 24/7 Festival and two experimental
theatre pieces for the Manchester Poetry Festival at the Royal Exchange. Chris
has directed a piece in each of the first four programmes of JB Shorts - short
theatre plays by established TV writers. In 2010 he received a Writers` Guild of Great Britain Theatre Encouragement Award for his work with NWP.
Other work includes delivering training in media, presentation and interpersonal
skills for commercial concerns and local authorities. Previous experience
includes a spell as an actors' agent (with Piccadilly Management), and a
lengthy period as freelance radio journalist and producer, working for bodies
including BBC World Service and COI Overseas Radio. Chris was instrumental in
setting up the Northern Actors' Centre (now Actors Centre North).