Masterclass – How a Director Prepares with Michelle Payne

Michelle is a director and published playwright from Essex. She is currently associate director on the Nottingham Playhouse revival, UK Tour and Asia transfer of Dear Evan Hansen.

Michelle was short-listed as one of eight directors for RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2022 and for the Young Vic Genesis Future Director Award 2023 and long-listed for the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2023 and in 2024.   In 2021 Michelle worked on artist-led programme Future Forms with the Donmar Warehouse under the guidance of director Sacha Wares.   Michelle was a 2019 recipient of the Regional Theatre Young Directors’ Scheme completing a three month residency at the Mercury Theatre Colchester.​

Directing Credits: Vivian Panka: What’s Next? (Crazy Coqs), Flip: A new skateboarding musical (National Youth Music Theatre), AiTopia (Young Vic), American Idiot (Chichester University), Pippin (Mountview, BA Musical Theatre), Good Enough Mums Club (UK Tour), To Have & To Hold (The Bush, Mercury Theatre Colchester), Mind Over Matter Musical (Theatre Peckham, finalist for The LET Award 2022), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Chichester University), The Liberators by Michelle Payne (PPA), My Three Sisters by Holly Rose Hawgood (R&D, The Bush), Jess by Stephanie Silver (The Space UK Online, ONCOMM nomination for Digital Theatre – The Offies), Squad Goals by Michelle Payne (Dagenham & Redbridge FC), Find Me by No Fixed Address (VAULT Festival).

As Associate: Dear Evan Hansen – WhatsOnStage Awards Nomination: Best Revival of a Musical and Best Regional Production (UK Tour), Errol’s Garden (UK Tour) Pigs Might Fly from Michael Morpurgo’s MudPuddle Farm [associate choreographer] (UK Tour), Summer Camp for Broken People (Pleasance), Headcase by Kirstin Mcilquham (The Bush), Split by Emma Pritchard & Tamar Broadbent (Brighton Fringe, &choreographer). ​

As Resident: The House With Chicken Legs – Olivier Nominated: Best Family Show (UK Tour), Bugsy Malone (London & UK Tour)   As Assistant: Princess Essex by Anne Odeke (Essex Tour), Cinderella (Mercury Theatre Colchester, nominated for Best Pantomime at the Great British Panto Awards 2019/20).

Recent Writing Credits: HYPER! An ADHD Musical (Overture Showcase, The Other Palace), The Storytellers (Our Voices – Small Truths – Caravan Theatre), The Grind – Commission (i.e. Productions – Matt Cole & Morgan Large), Chelsea for the End of the Line Podcast, S3 (InkJockey), Enthusiastically, Yes! A New Musical (Long List: Adam Lenson & Aria Entertainment Chamber Musical Competition) at The Garrick, West End. Memory Box (winner: Mercury Monologues), Squad Goals (published by Salamander Street), Sad About the Cows (Tristan Bates Theatre). ​

Michelle is currently developing new musical Personality Hire with Charlie Turner & Vivian Panka about female ambition, influencer culture and the modern meaning of success.