The Annie Castledine Award
Annie Castledine was a powerful, bold and dynamic figure in British theatre for over 50 years.
Described by her longtime collaborator Stephen Daldry as ‘a giant, a mother and a force for all that’s best in the theatre’ and by Michael Coveney in the Guardian as ‘rigorous, demanding, noisy, funny and fierce’, her important contribution to theatre during the 1980s and 90s and throughout her career influenced successive generations of directors, inspiring them to be courageous, outspoken and to challenge the status quo.
Her creative legacy is now being celebrated by the Regional Theatre Young Director Scheme (RTYDS) with the launch of a Director’s Award in her name.
Annie started her career as a teacher, a vocation which never truly left her. She believed passionately in supporting talent development and widely championed opportunities for the next generation of gifted directors to learn and hone their craft. In doing so, she opened up the profession to new voices and fresh ideas. She worked with RTYDS for over 20 years, supporting our work in seeking out and nurturing talented theatre directors at the early stage of their careers and developing their skills and experience.
Her impact resonates on stage and amongst those she inspired and influenced, colleagues and students alike, and RTYDS is delighted to have joined forces with her family to recognise her contribution and support an emerging director in her name and with her spirit.
The Award
Annie understood the need for directors to have time to find out who they are as both individuals and artists. She recognised that an 18-Month Residency in a leading regional theatre would give emerging directors an extraordinary opportunity to assist on productions, learn about the operations of a theatre company, and importantly direct their own show.
The Annie Castledine Director’s Award will embody what Annie felt were the defining characteristics of RTYDS, it will be ‘warm, paid, rigorous and creative’.
Find out more about the Award.
You can support this special opportunity for a gifted director
You can become an Annie Castledine Award supporter with a gift of any size. By doing so you will provide an extraordinary experience for an early career director or theatre-maker.
By becoming an Annie Castledine Award supporter, you will be helping to champion the next generation of talent and opening up the profession to new voices and fresh ideas.
If you’d like to find out more about supporting the Annie Castledine Award, please get in touch with Artistic Director Sue Emmas or Katherine Rainwood via sueemmas@rtyds.co.uk.
