Award-winning theatre company Headlong has today announced the appointment of Kathy Bourne as the new Chair of the Board. Kathy, who is Executive Director of Chichester Festival Theatre, will take up the position from Donna Munday in June 2023. Donna Munday has stepped down after 13 years on the board with just over 3 years as Chair.
With over 30 years’ experience working in theatre, Kathy has held the position of Executive Director of Chichester Festival Theatre since May 2019, during which time Chichester has originated over 30 productions and co-productions. In her previous position as Associate and Festival Producer (2006 – 2015), Kathy managed over 75 shows as well as Chichester’s touring productions and many of its West End transfers (The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui, Gypsy and Sweeney Todd).
In 2015 she left Chichester to become Executive Producer at Jonathan Church Productions where she managed all business matters for the company, producing shows in the West End (Frozen, Pressure and Misty), internationally and on tour. Prior to joining Chichester, Kathy was Producer at Spymonkey; Head of the Theatre Division at Tiger Aspect; General Manager of Tamasha Theatre Company; and Development and Events Manager at the Dublin Theatre Festival.
Kathy Bourne says: “I’m delighted to be succeeding Donna Munday as Chair of Headlong’s Board. I’ve always viewed Headlong as one of the leading and most dynamic UK touring companies, and Chichester Festival Theatre’s relationship with them has delivered some outstanding productions over the years including Hedda Tesman and Enron. Under the forward-thinking leadership of Holly Race Roughan and Lisa Maguire, Headlong’s aspirations and plans for the future promise a new and exciting era for the company. I’m honoured to be joining the Board as we look ahead with optimism and energy.”
Donna Munday says: “After 13 years as a Headlong Trustee, the last 3 as Chair, I know that I am leaving the company in incredibly exciting and safe hands, with Holly and Lisa at the helm, a fabulous and talented board of trustees and the amazing Kathy Bourne taking over as Chair. It has been a privilege to have chaired Headlong, and it’s very hard to walk away from such an exceptional company that has been a big part of my life for so long. I know Headlong will continue to make phenomenal, exhilarating and unique work, and I am very proud to have been a small part of the company’s success.”
Alongside Kathy’s appointment as Chair, Headlong has also recently appointed Anna Cornelius and Claire Heaney to the board of trustees. They join existing board members Justin Audibert, Cas Donald, Sarah Ellis, Julia Head, Jacqueline Hurt, Prime Isaac, Lil Lambley, Lesley Wan, Paddy Dillon, Lucinda Harvey, Toni Racklin and Sir Trevor Phillips OBE.
Headlong is currently touring its groundbreaking experiment into sustainable theatre making, A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction which plays at York Theatre Royal from 27 September. This summer Headlong is co-presenting Kimber Lee’s untitled f*ck m*ss s**gon play (a Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester International Festival, the Young Vic and Headlong co-production) at the Royal Exchange Theatre until 22 July as part of MIF 2023 followed by a run at the Young Vic from 18 September. In the autumn, the company will tour a new production of A View From the Bridge (a Headlong, Chichester Festival Theatre, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Rose Theatre co-production) which will play at the Octagon Theatre Bolton from 8 September, Chichester Festival Theatre from 6 October and the Rose Theatre from 31 October.
