Actors Touring Company has announced a major expansion of its leadership team with the appointment of five new trustees: Laila Alj, Eleni Gill, Sarita Godber, Feeroza Patel and Teunkie Van Der Sluijs.
The new trustees will officially join the Board later this month, bringing a wealth of professional expertise and lived experience to support Actors Touring Company in its mission to produce and present international plays across the UK and globally.
In addition, Helen Jeffreys has been named Interim Executive Director, working alongside Artistic Director and CEO Matthew Xia. Helen succeeds Jo Royce in the role.
Helen joins Actors Touring Company from TARA Theatre, where she served as Executive Director and CEO. She is currently CEO parental cover at City of London Sinfonia and has held leadership roles at Theatre Centre, Akademi South Asian Dance, the Young Vic, Hampstead Theatre, and Bush Theatre.
Matthew Xia said:
“We’re thrilled to announce the beginning of an exciting new chapter at ATC, which will see a big injection of energy, ideas and sharp new thinking. I’m delighted to be joined by Helen Jeffreys as ATC’s Interim Executive Director. Her extensive producing and leadership experience is invaluable, and I’m already enjoying collaborating with her to shape the company’s future.
We’re also welcoming five fantastic new trustees: Feeroza, Laila, Teunkie, Eleni, and Sarita. Each of them brings something unique, from communications and law to directing, producing, performing, and cultural change, united by a deep love of theatre and a shared belief in ATC’s globally minded mission.”
Geraldine Brodie, Chair of the Board of Trustees, added:
“We are delighted to announce the appointment of Helen as Interim Executive Director and our five new trustees Laila, Eleni, Sarita, Feeroza and Teunkie, who between them bring such a broad spectrum of experience, knowledge and skills to the organisation alongside a genuine passion for theatre. My fellow trustees and I are very much looking forward to working closely with them all and there is no doubt that they will enable us to build upon and further develop ATC’s work championing underheard voices and creating bold theatre that connects artists and audiences across borders, languages and cultures.”
Laila Alj is an actor, voiceover artist and theatre producer from Casablanca, Morocco, and a founding member of MENA Arts UK. She is currently the producer at Theatro Technis in Camden.
Eleni Gill is a deputy director in the Government Legal Department, advising the Department for Education and co-chairing GLD’s Pro Bono and Volunteering Network.
Sarita Godber is Chief People Officer at the Science Museum Group, with a background in organisational transformation across arts, culture, and education sectors.
Feeroza Patel is a senior communications leader with two decades of experience, most recently serving as Director of Communications at London & Partners.
Teunkie Van Der Sluijs is a Dutch-British theatre-maker whose directing credits span the UK and the Netherlands, including A Raisin in the Sun, Beneatha’s Place, Clybourne Park, and Yasser.
The new trustees join existing Board members Geraldine Brodie (Chair), Sudha Bhuchar, Alan Evans (Vice Chair), Maria M Delgado, Sarah Grochala, Sanpreet Janjua, Margherita Laera and Nick Tyler.
Earlier this year, Actors Touring Company completed a national tour of Dave Harris’s Tambo & Bones, directed by Matthew Xia. The production played at Royal & Derngate, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse, HOME Manchester, Belgrade Theatre, Stratford East and Leeds Playhouse.
Actors Touring Company continues to be a leading force in presenting international plays, with recent productions including The Architect (2023), Family Tree (2023), and Bodies of Water (2024).
More information can be found here
