Stage One has announced its 2026/27 Placement Producers, with eight emerging theatre producers set to undertake paid 12-month placements across some of the UK’s leading commercial production companies and producing theatres.
The new cohort will be placed with Sonia Friedman Productions, Francesca Moody Productions, Rodeo Productions and the Royal Court in London, alongside regional placements at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Citizens Theatre, Mercury Theatre Colchester and Sheffield Theatres.
The Producer Placement Scheme offers practical training and industry experience across producing, general management, programming, development, co-productions and in-house projects. Since launching in 2006, Stage One has facilitated more than 100 paid placements within West End producing offices, alongside more than 40 placements at national theatres since 2013.
This year’s placement producers are Syania Shaharuddin at Sonia Friedman Productions, Lydia Power at Rodeo Productions, Aya O’Shea Freke at Francesca Moody Productions, Ben Walter at the Royal Court Theatre, Neve Adams at Citizens Theatre, Molly Keating at Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Linxi Shi at Sheffield Theatres and Jonathon Prestney at Mercury Theatre.
Joseph Smith, Chief Executive of Stage One, said: “The Placement Scheme is one of our most popular programmes and sits at the heart of what Stage One does. The year long, paid placement is an opportunity for emerging producers to learn through hands on experience in dynamic commercial producing offices and nationally recognised producing theatres across the country.
“We’re delighted by the candidates chosen to take on this year’s placements, coming from a variety of backgrounds and locations. We look forward to working with them and seeing how their skills develop across the year. Many of our industry leading producers began through this very scheme, and it continues to strengthen the future of commercial theatre across the UK.”
Among the successful candidates is Syania Shaharuddin, who joins Sonia Friedman Productions after previously completing Stage One’s Bridge the Gap programme. Her recent producing work includes The Dragon Boiz and Stumbling.
Neve Adams, who has taken up her placement at Citizens Theatre, brings experience from organisations including the National Theatre of Scotland, Traverse Theatre, Tron Theatre and A Play, A Pie and A Pint.
Speaking about her placement, Syania Shaharuddin said: “I am so grateful for the opportunities Stage One has offered me, not just the knowledge that I’ve built but it is the people that I’ve met who have made these experiences memorable. I’m incredibly excited to get the ground running at SFP, finally putting into context the information from all the workshops I attended as a Bridge-the-Gap participant.”
Neve Adams added: “I started with the Citizens Theatre at the start of September and already feel totally at home. Everyone is so lovely and I have been learning so much already. Making the jump into the commercial sector has been such an exciting opportunity, and I’m really looking forward to gaining more experience, taking on new challenges and seeing where the year takes me. I’m so grateful to be part of the team and excited for everything that’s ahead!”
Stage One is the operating name of the Theatre Investment Fund Ltd and is the only UK charity dedicated solely to the training, development and support of emerging theatre producers.
More information can be found here.
