Stratford East appoints Lisa Spirling as new artistic director and joint CEO

Stratford East has revealed that Lisa Spirling will take over as artistic director and joint CEO next spring, succeeding Nadia Fall.

Spirling, who has served as chief executive and artistic director of Theatre503 since 2016, commented: “I’m thrilled to be joining Stratford East as it embarks on its 140th year of making groundbreaking theatre for the borough of Newham, London, and the nation. So much of the work that has given me my faith in the power of theatre has come from this very special building. I’m hugely inspired by the work of Nadia and her predecessors and it’s an honour to take on the task of leading Stratford East in this moment.

“Stratford East exists to shine a light on the hopes, dreams and realities of the communities and generations from across the kaleidoscope of contemporary London. I can’t wait to work with the team and our world-class creatives to carry that torch forward. My purpose is to celebrate all that this theatre has done, energise those currently delivering its fantastic programme of work, and envision a bold future.

“For the last eight years as artistic director of Theatre503 and more recently as part of the team at Eleanor Lloyd Productions, I’ve experienced the joy of working with many of the most talented artists of our time, both emerging and established, and have seen the transformational impact theatre can have both on individuals and on our communities. Throughout my career, I have focused on amplifying the voices of those who are, all too often, silenced. I’m unapologetic in wanting to provide a great night out, especially for those that feel theatre is not for them. I’m looking forward to embodying the values of my past experiences and the incredible mission of Stratford East as we continue to hold space for the many, unleash creativity in all, and create meaningful moments of theatre magic.”

Margaret Hodge, chair of the Stratford East board, added: “We are very excited to be welcoming Lisa Spirling to Stratford East. We were privileged to have a very strong field of candidates and after a very impressive interview, we chose Lisa as our new artistic director. Her commitment to our values and history, her breadth of experience, her involvement with developing emerging artists and championing new work on both subsidised and commercial stages, her understanding of running a theatre, will give Stratford East the leadership we need at this moment in our history. The board is looking forward to working with Lisa and we are confident that she will build on what we have achieved to reach new heights, serving our local community, putting on excellent shows and always extending our reach in terms of audiences, who we work with and who and what we put on our stage.”

Prior to her duties at Theatre503 and as creative associate at Eleanor Lloyd Productions, Spirling worked as the coordinator of the JMK Trust regional director’s program and was a founder of Buckle for Dust Theatre Company.

Her productions for Theatre503 include the likes of The Boys Are Kissing, Wolfie, Milk and Gall, In Event of Moone Disaster and Cotton Wool. Other credits have seen her productions staged at Hampstead Theatre, Rose Theatre, Soho Theatre, and Theatr Clwyd. She was also recently represented in the West End with Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial.

Erica Whyman, outgoing chair of Theatre503, said: “We appointed Lisa at Theatre503 because of her visionary determination to platform the widest possible range of debut voices, to find new ways to make the theatre sustainable and to create a studio dedicated to writers and writing. Through tough and unpredictable times, she delivered all of this whilst producing a string of groundbreaking hits, and she has done it with care, humility, and a fierce commitment to equity. Lisa is a person of immense integrity and passion and I know she will be a tremendous leader of Stratford East. Theatre503 will begin seeking her successor shortly, at which point we will also announce the new chair of our board. For now, we are taking a moment to be exceedingly proud of Lisa and all she has achieved.”

You can find out more about Fall’s final season as artistic director of Stratford East here.

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