MKA announces new Company Members

MKA editorialFollowing the recent departure of co-founder and co-creative director, Glyn Roberts, to La Boite Theatre in Brisbane, Creative Director Tobias Manderson-Galvin has taken the opportunity to expand and announce a number of the new changes to the company.

Joining Tobias Manderson-Galvin at the helm will be new Co-Creative Director, John Kachoyan, who has come from a year as Resident Director at Bell Shakespeare.

John recently directed Midsummer for Red Stitch and has spent the past half a decade staging new writing, more often than not Australian, in the UK at companies such as SOHO, Finborough, the Old Vic and his own company Ironbark.

“I’m thrilled to be joining the company as it continues to place playwrights at the centre of brave new works,” said John Kachoyan.

“Writers are what keep me coming back to the theatre – as a director and especially as a dramaturg – they’re at the centre of the work I make and the theatre I see.”

“I am thrilled to join Tobias in expanding the work that’s already gone into making such a vibrant company.”

Director Kat Henry (About Tommy, Foxfinder) will join MKA as Resident Director, directing a series of readings as well as new full scale work. Mark Wilson joins the company as Resident Dramaturg – a new position for MKA that will put greater emphasis on the development of new writing in a rehearsal context.

David Finnigan, former director and founder of both Crack Theatre Festival and Canberra’s You Are Here Festival will join MKA as Creative Associate (International), while Eric Gardiner will join the company as Creative Associate (Melbourne), direct from jointly running Melbourne University’s Mudfest and Union Arts Offices.

Natalia Cheng joins MKA from Melbourne Writers Festival to undertake Marketing and Communications. Sarah Walker, who has been creating film and still work for MKA since it’s first season will retain the position of Resident Photographer/Videographer. While critic and academic, Jana Perkovic will remain as MKA’s Literary Manager! Corey Reynolds leads the company’s accounts as Financial Consultant.

Glyn Roberts will stay an artistic associate of the company, maintaining a relationship of guidance and involvement in at least one artistic project in 2014.

For more information, visit: www.mka.org.au for details.

Image: courtesy of MKA