Rose Theatre Welcomes Eight New Trustees, Including Netflix and Live Nation Execs

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New board members bring expertise in producing, digital media, and global partnerships as the theatre enters its autumn season.

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Rose Theatre has announced eight new industry leading trustees to join its board, strengthening its governance and vision for the future as the theatre turns eighteen years old and continues in its mission to entertain audiences, elevate artists and empower communities.

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New additions include Managing Director of the Netflix-owned Roald Dahl Story Company Bernie Bhangoo, Theatre Producer and co-founder of Kindred Partners Diane Borger , Digital Media Leader Caroline Maddison, Financial Services industry expert Neill Penney, Business Journalist, book publicist and Liberal Democrat Councillor Cllr Tom Reeve, Live Nation Entertainment's experienced international business leader and Chartered Accountant Alan Ridgeway, Global Partnerships Director at Onclusive Inc and Liberal Democrat Councillor Cllr Sarah Wait-Sillett, and senior arts leader and director of Audiences at Grange Theatre Guy Verrall-Withers.

They strengthen the experienced current board members at Rose Theatre of Sian Alexander, Simon Edwards, Louisa Green, Rubi Gubara‑Sannie, Radhika Kapur, Robert O'Dowd, Gary Pell, Elizabeth Wilkinson, chaired by Bill Price.

The announcement comes after a successful year of creative output at Rose Theatre, during which their co-production with Chichester Festival Theatre of Marie and Rosetta, starring Beveley Knight, transferred to the West End at @sohoplace, their co-production with Nicoll Entertainment, Curve, Mayflower Southampton and Unicorn Theatre, of Rachel Bright and Jim Field 's The Koala Who Could toured internationally across the UK, Ireland, Singapore and Hong Kong, including a run at London's Southbank Centre , they co-produced Welsh National Theatre 's first production Our Town, starring Michael Sheen , which toured Wales before opening to sold-out auditoriums at the Rose, and their co-production with Children's Theatre Partnership, The Boy at the Back of the Class, toured the UK, including a run at London's Southbank Centre , and received an Olivier Award in March 2026 for Best Family Show.

These new trustees are announced as Rose Theatre prepares to open their Autumn Season with Three Men in a Boat, the latest production directed by Rose Theatre's Artistic Director Christopher Haydon , after the success of Ava Pickett 's hilarious 21st-century adaptation of Emma, with a cast consisting of Jonny Weldon (Disney+'s Rivals, Netflix's One Day, and 101 Dalmatians at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre) as Jerome, Bronté Barbé (Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder!, Disney's Newsies: The Musical, and Oklahoma! at Chichester Festival Theatre) as Harris, Richard David -Caine (The Witches at The National Theatre and BBC's Horrible Histories) as George and Calum Donald-Bruce (Dinosaur World Live) as Montmorency and creative team including writer Al Smith , Tony Award nominee Grant Olding (One Man, Two Guvnors) and John Nicholson (Movement Director & Comedy Consultant), based on the classic novel by Jerome K. Jerome . The production will play at Rose Theatre in Kingston upon Thames in south west London, from Friday 18 September to Saturday 10 October 2026 (Press Performance: Wednesday 23 September).

Other shows previously announced for Rose Theatre's 2026/2027 season include Jane Eyre, a new production of the adaptation by Sally Cookson , Mike Akers and the original company, of Charlotte Brontë's novel, directed by Lily Dyble produced alongside Mercury Theatre Colchester and Storyhouse Chester in association with Northern Stage, supported by a grant from The Royal Theatrical Support Trust; The Wind in the Willows, a new festive family adventure by Rob Evans with songs by John Biddle, directed by Owen Horsley ; and Frankenstein, a new adaptation written and directed by Jeff James , after Mary Shelley , premiering in 2027, co-produced by Leeds Playhouse.

Christopher Haydon , Artistic Director at Rose Theatre, said: “I am thrilled and humbled to be welcoming such an impressive group of people onto our board at the Rose. These new trustees, many of them leaders in their fields, bring with them a wealth of experience and expertise from both within our industry and beyond. The Rose is at a major inflection point in its history as an organisation. In the last year we have celebrated: an Olivier Award for our production of The Boy at the Back of the Class; a West End transfer for Marie and Rosetta starring Beverley Knight ; a major world-premiere of rising star Ava Pickett 's smash hit adaptation of Emma; and the launch of the Welsh National Theatre with our coproduction of Our Town which starred Michael Sheen and played to sold out houses with record breaking box office results. The quality of the trustees joining us now reflects our creative strength as an organisation and bodes well for the future as we seek to create ever more ambitious work for our audiences in Kingston, London and beyond.”

Robert O'Dowd, Chief Executive Officer at Rose Theatre, said: “We are pleased to introduce this fantastic selection of sector-leading new Trustees to Rose Theatre as we open our Autumn season, full of energetic and exciting productions. As we continue to grow following the recent successes of the organisation and strengthen our vision for the future with Artistic Director Christopher Haydon , we are thankful for the continued experience, passion and wisdom of our Board under chair Bill Price.”

Bill Price, Board Chairman at Rose Theatre, said: “This is an exciting and important time for Rose Theatre and I am grateful to all of the wonderful new trustees for joining us on the board. They have a stunning breadth of experience between them that will be invaluable to us at the Rose as we look to guide our theatre through its eighteenth year and beyond.”

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_Originally reported by [BroadwayWorld](https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Rose-Theatre-Adds-Eight-New-Trustees-to-Board-20260916)._