Common Players Creative Associates:
In 2007, Common Players began the process of recruiting a new generation of artists to oversee the company's future creative development. This new team of Creative Associates is a group of experienced practitioners working in everything from site specifics to theatre-making, music, digital arts, festivals, processions, environmental theatre and Early Years play projects.The team meets four times a year to generate creative ideas in line with the company mission statement, and these ideas are considered by the Board of Trustees for approval and further development.The team is renewed every two years and we are always on the lookout for new artists interested in joining us on our journey, so if you think you have something to offer, please get in touch with our Project Development Director Graham Stoate, or any of the Creative Associates.
Jon Croose: Jon first became involved with the Common Players as playwright for the Tracks and Traces project. He is a bit of a theatrical jack of all trades: writer, actor, musician, workshop leader, stage-sweeper, director and stage manager. Jon has worked with Welfare State International, English Touring Theatre, Tiebreak, Blind Ditch, and Wimbledon Theatre, and is artistic director of the Means of Production Community Arts collective, a group of artists which produces socially-engaged participatory arts projects involving communities of all types. You can find more info about MOP by clicking here
Anthony Richards: Anthony is the founding director of Common Players. He conceived and directed the majority of the company's theatre projects between 1989 and 2007, and works as a freelance Director and Actor. Away from Common Players, Anthony has recently directed a large-scale community play in Lewdown, Dartmoor, and Fallen, a film which was projected as a part of a new multimedia presentation of Early Music. This was rewarded with a four star review in The Independent. Anthony also works as a role play actor and trainer for public sector and corporate clients through being a director of Dramatic Improvement www.dramaticimprovement.co.uk .
Mary Richards: Mary is a graduate of Exeter Art College and a freelance artist. She is also an Early Years Professional, working creatively with young people. Mary first met the Common Players in the autumn of 1999 after a show in her local community hall, when she found herself helping to load costumes and set into a large green pantechnicon driven by an energetic chap who ran the company. Soon she found herself designing and making the set and costumes for Taylor’s Tractor and the Trailer Factor (2002) and then the costumes for Mrs Macbeth’s Hostile Bid (2003).
Jonathan Stokes: Jonathan’s relationship with The Common Players began when he appeared as an actor in Taylors Tractor and the Trailer Factor (2002), followed by Stormy Weather (2005). His most recent work for the company is as a playwright. Jon wrote three plays for the Players' CiderWithRoadies project about Devon apples: The Peasgood Nonsuch Music Hall Extravaganza, Worm Food and The Big Squeeze. His other credits include Strings, LabRats, and Pineapple for Raised Eyebrow Theatre and Weekending for BBC Radio 4. He lives on the Yorkshire Wolds with his wife Rebecca and two-year old son Ronnie.
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Ashley Wengraf: Ashley is an accomplished actor, set-maker, director and stage technician whose life in theatre began as a child, sitting in the wings watching his mother performing for Siddons Old Time Music Hall. He claims to have been the only 5 year old who could sing all the words to Any Old Iron. Ashley studied Drama and Theatre Studies at Kent University and has toured all over the UK and USA as an actor, as well as producing and directing Tracks and Traces, WormFood and The Peasgood Nonsuch Music Hall Extravaganza for Common Players. He says: “I don’t really have much time for theatre that takes itself too seriously and even when playing serious roles I always have an urge to pull out a rubber chicken. As Brecht said, 'If you aint having fun, you aint got a show’.”
Jon Croose: Jon first became involved with the Common Players as playwright for the Tracks and Traces project. He is a bit of a theatrical jack of all trades: writer, actor, musician, workshop leader, stage-sweeper, director and stage manager. Jon has worked with Welfare State International, English Touring Theatre, Tiebreak, Blind Ditch, and Wimbledon Theatre, and is artistic director of the Means of Production Community Arts collective, a group of artists which produces socially-engaged participatory arts projects involving communities of all types. You can find more info about MOP by clicking here
Anthony Richards: Anthony is the founding director of Common Players. He conceived and directed the majority of the company's theatre projects between 1989 and 2007, and works as a freelance Director and Actor. Away from Common Players, Anthony has recently directed a large-scale community play in Lewdown, Dartmoor, and Fallen, a film which was projected as a part of a new multimedia presentation of Early Music. This was rewarded with a four star review in The Independent. Anthony also works as a role play actor and trainer for public sector and corporate clients through being a director of Dramatic Improvement www.dramaticimprovement.co.uk .
Mary Richards: Mary is a graduate of Exeter Art College and a freelance artist. She is also an Early Years Professional, working creatively with young people. Mary first met the Common Players in the autumn of 1999 after a show in her local community hall, when she found herself helping to load costumes and set into a large green pantechnicon driven by an energetic chap who ran the company. Soon she found herself designing and making the set and costumes for Taylor’s Tractor and the Trailer Factor (2002) and then the costumes for Mrs Macbeth’s Hostile Bid (2003).
Jonathan Stokes: Jonathan’s relationship with The Common Players began when he appeared as an actor in Taylors Tractor and the Trailer Factor (2002), followed by Stormy Weather (2005). His most recent work for the company is as a playwright. Jon wrote three plays for the Players' CiderWithRoadies project about Devon apples: The Peasgood Nonsuch Music Hall Extravaganza, Worm Food and The Big Squeeze. His other credits include Strings, LabRats, and Pineapple for Raised Eyebrow Theatre and Weekending for BBC Radio 4. He lives on the Yorkshire Wolds with his wife Rebecca and two-year old son Ronnie.
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Ashley Wengraf: Ashley is an accomplished actor, set-maker, director and stage technician whose life in theatre began as a child, sitting in the wings watching his mother performing for Siddons Old Time Music Hall. He claims to have been the only 5 year old who could sing all the words to Any Old Iron. Ashley studied Drama and Theatre Studies at Kent University and has toured all over the UK and USA as an actor, as well as producing and directing Tracks and Traces, WormFood and The Peasgood Nonsuch Music Hall Extravaganza for Common Players. He says: “I don’t really have much time for theatre that takes itself too seriously and even when playing serious roles I always have an urge to pull out a rubber chicken. As Brecht said, 'If you aint having fun, you aint got a show’.”
Common Players Core Staff:
Graham Stoate - Project Development Director:
Graham comes from a background in Education where he taught Drama and English for many years at secondary level in Dorset and Devon. He has also acted (Bluntschli in Shaw’s Arms and The Man, Simon in Stoppard’s Real Inspector Hound!) and directed many school and adult productions. As a former Head of Drama, Graham has two drama practitioner’s books to his credit Themes from Life and Dramastarters! For the last six years he has worked for the Royal Navy at Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, as English and Defence Communication Subject Matter Expert, helping to train young Naval officers.
Please feel free to contact him with any query or question. If she doesn’t know the answer he will most likely know who will be able to help you.
Common Players Trustees:
Richard Feltham - Chair of Trustees
Richard Jennings
Rebecca Megson
Richard Jennings
Rebecca Megson
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