Boxoffice: 020 7503 1646 boxoffice@arcolatheatre.com
Administration: 020 7503 1645
Arcola Youth Theatre: youth@arcolatheatre.com
Marketing: marketing@arcolatheatre.com
Energy: energy@arcolatheatre.com
Volunteer Contact: volunteers@arcolatheatre.com
Arcola 50+ Drama Group: fiftyplus@arcolatheatre.com
Arcola Writers Group: writersgroup@arcolatheatre.com
Ala-Turka Turkish Drama Group: alaturka@arcolatheatre.com

Artistic Director: Mehmet Ergen
Mehmet has been Artistic Director of Arcola Theatre since founding it in 2000. Previously he was Artistic Director of the Southwark Playhouse from 1993 to 1999 which he co-founded. Mehmet is also Artistic Director of Arcola Istanbul which he founded in 2008.
He has won a variety of awards for his work including: the Time Out Award for Outstanding Achievement, the Peter Brook Empty Space Award (twice), a Time Out Award for Best Fringe Production, the Angela Carter Award and the Equity Award for Best Studio Theatre. Directing for the Arcola includes: Release the Beat by J. Johnson/K. Lewkowicz, Plebeians Rehearse the Uprising by Gunter Grass, I Can Get It For You Wholsale by J. Wiedman/Harold Rome, Jitterbug by Bonnie Greer Chasing the Moment by Jack Shepherd and Ibsens An Enemy of the People.
Mehmet directs extensively abroad in Israel, Ireland, Canada and Turkey. He is founder of Yeni Kusak Theatre in Istanbul and runs Turkeys only new writing programme Oyun Yaz with the British Council.

Executive Producer: Leyla Nazli
Leyla co-founded Arcola Theatre with Mehmet Ergen in 2000 and since 2004 has produced all of Arcola’s in-house productions. She is also active in programming all three of Arcola’s studios. Her first play Silver Birch House had a rehearsed reading at Royal Court was staged to critical acclaim at Arcola Theatre by Mehmet Ergen. Her second play Fabrika is currently being work-shopped by Helena Kaut-Howson and she is working on a third. In 2006 Leyla was one of the 50 writers chosen to take part in The Fifty, a year-long project with the BBC and the Royal Court Theatre to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Royal Court. Her credits as a translator include Gogol’s The Government Inspector and Kroetz’s The Nest. Leyla holds a BSc in Computing from London South Bank University.

Executive Director: Ben Todd
Ben joined Arcola Theatre in 2005 and has led the development of its environmental sustainability programme. He holds a PhD in engineering from Cambridge University and has worked in R&D, technical and strategy consulting on both commercial and government projects, including at Cambridge Consultants, Rolls-Royce Fuel Cell Systems and Synnogy. As well as managing Arcola Theatre, Ben speaks internationally on sustainability in the arts and is Managing Director UK for Horizon Fuel Cell developing new markets and applications for fuel cell and renewable energy technologies.

General Manager: Catherine Thornborrow
Catherine came to Arcola from Soho Theatre and has extensive operational and management experience in a number of London venues. She originally joined Soho as Front of House and Box Office Manager in 2000, became General Manager in 2001 and was Acting Executive Director from May to January 2008. Previous experience includes; Theatre Manager at the Mermaid Theatre (93 – 97), Theatre Manager at BAC (97 – 99) and Front of House Manager at The Young Vic (99 – 00). Catherine has also run site specific Front of House and Box Office operations for the Islington International Festival, Soho’s Site Specific Season (1997), Croydon Summer Festival, Paradise Gardens and the annual Ealing Comedy Festival. Catherine has also provided professional mentoring for a number of organisations including Shape, ITC and Graeae.

Business Development Consultant: Steve Harris
A creative and successful consultant with a ‘hands on’ career in young peoples’ theatre, visual arts, education and regeneration. Current and recent work includes business planning, funding and research with a wide range of UK clients including; Hackney Theatre Partnership, Broadway Theatre Barking, Arcola Theatre Hackney, Art Gene Cumbria, the Arts Council of England, Arts Council – London, Southwark Council/Southwark Arts Forum, Y Touring Theatre, Natural History Museum, Science Museum, New Opportunities Fund, Big Lottery Fund, Learning and Skills Development Agency an the Wildscreen Trust. A strategic thinker, networker and communicator with an in-depth knowledge of national, regional and local public policy frameworks for the arts, regeneration and education.

Marketing Manager: Barry Wilson

Marketing and Press Assistants: Doug Cowan & Aaron Robb

Youth & Community Projects Manager: Owen Calvert-Lyons
A strong believer in the power of theatre to transform communities, Owen manages Arcola’s busy community theatre department. Owen brings to Arcola experience from some of the UK’s most prestigious regional theatres including York Theatre Royal, Theatre Royal Plymouth and The Courtyard Centre for the Arts. As well as managing a team of artists, Owen directs plays for and by children and young people. His directorial credits include Boy with a Suitcase and Exotic Tastes (Arcola), 1984, The Children and The UN Inspector (York Theatre Royal) and Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (The Courtyard). Owen is a non-executive director of the National Association of Youth Theatres.

Youth & Community Assistant: Phillippa Augistin

Technical Manager: David Salter
A graduate of Glasgow University, David has worked extensively in technical theatre for the last 10 years. Prior to becoming technical manager of Arcola Theatre, he toured shows to large scale theatres around the UK for Quantum Theatre. He has also worked in a wide range of positions as a freelancer at venues including Hampstead Theatre, BAC, Southwark Playhouse, Young Vic, and the Tron. David has also worked with Hart Ryan TV Productions, 20-20 Television, Blast Theory, and the Royal Albert Hall.

Venue Technician: Hilary Williamson

Asssitant Technicians: Nicola Maddox & David Todd

Front of House and Box Office Managers: Shane Fitzgerald, Charlotte Croft & Harriet Warnock

Finance Assistant: Amanda Koch-Schick