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Printers Playhouse

Printers Playhouse opened its doors in June 2015 as a brand new theatre, music venue and workshop space in central Eastbourne. Offering a wide artistic programme of productions, workshops, actor training and music.

This Eastbourne Community Arts Hub offers a safe space for local artists and musicians to share, collaborate, learn and develop new skills.

Get in contact:   Call - 01323 301333

 Visit - 49A Grove Road, Eastbourne BN21 4TX

Our Staff Team

John Berry

Director

John Berry is an Actor/writer/director  and Artistic director of the professional theatre company here at Printers Playhouse. He founded Printers Playhouse with his good friend Andrew Olsen. John trained as an actor and director at the Birmingham School of Acting (Royal Birmingham Conservatoire) and HB Studios in New York. 

As a Director John’s credits include a variety of plays at the Croydon Youth Theatre, Printers Playhouse productions and Dark Unicorn productions. 

Most recently ‘Doubt - A Parable by John Patrick Shanley.  The Unsafe Seat & Treble Twenty- By Scott Kingsnorth and Rabbit Punch By Calum Speed. As an actor recent credits are: ‘SUS’ by Barrie Keeffe  & Happenings by John Berry. 

Johns plays include: Code of Conduct. COLDSTREAM, Cracks, Stick some shoes on and let’s go, Brain, Happenings, Bangkok Rules and a stage adaptation of Crime & Punishment. By Fyodor Dostoevsky. 

Viv Berry

Director

Having trained as an actor Viv graduated with a First Class Musical Theatre & Acting degree from Mountview Academy. Viv has worked professionally as a performer for several years for companies such as Theatre Centre and The Coventry Belgrade Theatre.

 

Viv became Artistic Director of Croydon Youth Theatre Organisation in 2003 and since then has directed numerous productions, commissioned new works and established and run all sorts of workshops for all sorts of people! She has been involved in National events at Theatre Festivals and created pieces of work that have won national acclaim: SHANK a play on knife crime at Tate Britain and RUBBISH PIRATES in Irelands Spraoi Festival.

 

Viv has also been Artistic Director at the Chicken Shed satellite company, Shed@ The Park, is a session singer and privately coaches voice, singing and accents.

Chris Berry

Director

Chris has an abiding passion for live theatre and music and continues to be excited about being a founding partner and Director of Eastbourne’s liveliest community arts hub. His career in planning and development has spanned private, public and voluntary sectors, including a leading role in London Docklands regeneration and overseas development programmes for the World Bank and United Nations Development Programme, amongst others.

Having lived in Eastbourne for many years, where he has owned hotels and been politically active, he continues to value and support the town’s important theatrical heritage. He looks forward to Printers Playhouse pioneering new theatrical writing, supporting local community arts projects and promoting a wide range of live and original music.

Sarah Dean

Company Manager

Sarah has worked in the Arts and Charity sectors for the past 15 years, with a focus on communications, project management, arts administration and community development. Joining Printers Playhouse has been a welcome return to her first love, theatre, having studied the subject at The Brit School of Performing Arts many moons ago.

Since studying for her MA in Political Philosophy at the University of York, Sarah has worked as a manager for Card Aid: Oxford Street, Information and Communications Officer at Sutton Carers Centre, and Student Participation Coordinator at The University of Arts London, Students Union. She thrives best when working with volunteers and using her own creative skill set to best achieve the objectives of the charitable organisation she is working for.

Sarah is also a freelance artist, her own creative practice explores themes of identity and wellbeing, using art to build emotional literacy in her own work and the workshops she delivers. She is a member of TURF Studios, part of Inspiral Artist Network, and has curated group exhibitions shown at Eastbourne’s Devonshire Collective, and Croydon Arts Store.

Harriet Thorpe

Patron

Harriet Thorpe attended London’s Central School of Speech and Drama before appearing on our screens in The Brittas Empire, playing Carole Parkinson, an emotionally unstable receptionist who permanently kept her children in the drawers under her desk. Thorpe also starred in a celebrity edition of The Weakest Link as Madame Morrible, in which she was voted off in the first round.

Harriet also played Fleur in Absolutely Fabulous, an eccentric and somewhat odd work-colleague and along with working extensively with Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, she has also appeared in Alexei Sayle’s Stuff, A Bit of Fry and Laurie, Casualty, The Bill and Midsomer Murders.

She also notably played Beverley Osman in the BBC children’s comedy drama No Sweat starring boyband North and South.

Ross Smith

Bar Manager

Ross has been involved in performing for many years, attending the university of Chichester, he gained his degree in performing arts for his love of acting. 

Shortly after completing his course, he was whisked away to America and joined the carnival cruise line working as a entertainment host on many of the company’s ships, before being flown around to help struggling ships boost morale and gain tgem (the comment card system at the time).

After returning to England, he worked in many hotels and bars continuing to gain knowledge and skill becoming manager in many different locations, training and teaching others plus making successful nights.

Alongside the managing of bars, he also runs his own quiz franchise under ginja ninja entertainment, hosting quiz’s and events at bars, hotels and social events including weddings.

Ross still has his passion for acting including recent performances in Coldstream, Coldstream final recall, unsafe seat and some more in the pipeline.

Oli Piotrowski

Technical Supervisor

Oli can be found in his red wig hosting our weekly karaoke night or dressed in black, operating the sound and lights upstairs in the playhouse. Although a newcomer to theatrical technologies, Oli has been involved with the technology industry since the millennium. He has supported application servers in the defence and telecoms sectors and was part of the admin and development team for one of the first browser games. In addition, his company provides 3d modelling services and eCommerce hosting and management for several manufacturers in the tabletop games industry.

Jake Packham

Live Music Supervisor

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Hannah Atfield

Kitchen Supervisor

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Pea King

Bookings

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