Paul Miller has been announced as the new Artistic Director of the Orange Tree theatre, succeeding the country’s longest-serving Artistic Director and venue founder Sam Walters.
Miller, who is currently Associate Director at Sheffield’s Crucible theatre, takes the helm of the Richmond venue, having already made his mark on the capital’s stages. The director’s past productions have included Democracy, which transferred from Sheffield to the Old Vic last year, Olivier Award nominated show Elling at the Trafalgar Studios, and numerous productions at the National Theatre including Sing Yer Heart Out For The Lads, Baby Girl and DNA.
A former Associate Artist at the Bush theatre, where his productions included Goldhawk Road and Bad Company, Miller will take on his new position in July 2014, when Walters, who founded the capital’s only purpose-built theatre-in-the-round, steps down from his role alongside his wife, Associate Director Auriol Smith.
Talking about his forthcoming role and replacing the man who spent more than four decades at the venue, Miller said: “I am thrilled and honoured to succeed Sam Walters at the Orange Tree. Sam has created a very special place: an intimate in-the-round space where new plays and neglected treasures shed light on each other. It’s a privilege to take his vision forward and I can’t wait to start putting the new and the rare together in the Orange Tree’s unique way.”
His predecessor Walters, who oversaw the Orange Tree’s move to new premises and directed plays encompassing everything from Shakespeare to Martin Crimp during his 42 years at the helm of the venue, commented: “I am delighted that Paul Miller is taking over from me. I wish him all the very best and know that he will find our audiences as committed, supportive and demanding as I have.”
The Orange Tree’s 2014 season, which is currently programmed until April next year, includes The Middlemarch Trilogy, It Just Stopped, Stephen Sewell’s piercing allegory about what happens when the world outside grinds to a halt, and Torben Betts’ drama about class collisions, Invincible.