Katerina Pushkin

Theatre Director Writer Performer Sensory Designer Songwriter

I’m a director, writer and performer from Birmingham (she/her).

My theatre for family audiences weaves live music, playful audience interaction, puppetry, projections and sensory effects into the storytelling.

www.katerinapushkinplays.wordpress.com

I’m Artistic Director of Cloud Cuckoo Land, which makes theatre for and with children growing up in systemically marginalised communities across Birmingham. The stories we tell respond to their lives, celebrate their creativity, and explore some of the challenges they face.

www.cloudcuckoolandtheatre.com

I also direct and support fresh, surprising theatre for adults which foregrounds vivid natural voices and plays with innovative sound, music and projection techniques.

I direct plays written by writers and composers, and create new ones using different combinations of ensemble devising and my own solo writing. I put audience experience first, and my plays for adults and young people normally include sensitively-crafted participation which welcomes people into the heart of the story.

I also dabble in sensory design / installations and music making / songwriting, and enjoy playing with the relationship between Tourettes, improvisation and creativity.

Credits

DIRECTOR, Planet Me, CCL / Flatpack, Online, 2020
DIRECTOR, Plaisteach, Jane English / First Bite Festival, work in progress, 2019
DIRECTOR, Ariel on The Cliff, CCL / Stan’s Café / RSC, Touring, 2017-19
DIRECTOR, The Land of Green Ginger, Festival Arts, 7 nights, 2018
DIRECTOR, Nobody, Birmingham Theatre Uncut, rehearsed reading, 2018
DIRECTOR, The Wizard of Oz, Festival Arts, 7 nights, 2017
DIRECTOR, Ding Dong, CCL / Barry Jackson Trust, Touring, June to November 2016
DIRECTOR, Alice In Wonderland, Festival Arts, 7 nights, 2016
DIRECTOR, Rare Visions: The Tempest, Flatpack Festival, one-off, 2016
DIRECTOR, Puss In Boots, Festival Arts, 7 nights, 2015
DIRECTOR, What Big Eyes, CCL / Bham REP / First Bite Festival, work in progress, 2015
DIRECTOR, Radio Foundry, Birmingham REP Foundry, work in progress, 2014
DIRECTOR, Sleepwalking, Birmingham REP Home Theatre, 2014, one-off, 2014
DIRECTOR, Slomo, Detective Drama Webisode shortlisted for BBC Future Talent Award, 2014

Training

I trained with Lev Dodin at St Petersburg’s Maly Drama Theatre for 3 months (including a European Union of Theatres directing workshop).

My other directing training includes:
- Birmingham REP Foundry mentored by Caroline Horton
- Springboard at The Young Vic with Natalie Abrahami
- Told By An Idiot‘s 'The Role of The Director In The Devising Process' with Paul Hunter
- JMK Residency with Justin Audibert.
- MA in Digital Arts for Performance (Distinction), Birmingham City University
- BA Drama (First Class), Hull University.

Location

West Midlands

Experience

5-10 years

Art forms / Disciplines

  • Film - short
  • Literature
  • Music
  • Other
  • Radio/Audio
  • Theatre / Live perfomance
  • TV - drama

What I do

  • Access consultancy (including BSL, audio-description and neurodiversity)
  • Choreography
  • Devising
  • Dialect / Voice Direction
  • Directing
  • Dramaturgy
  • Facilitating
  • Languages
  • Music - Can learn by ear
  • Music - Plays Instruments
  • Music - Singing
  • Music Composition
  • Outdoor performance
  • Performing
  • Producing
  • Site Responsive/Immersive
  • Street Theatre
  • Teaching / Coaching
  • Theatre making
  • Verbatim theatre
  • Video Design
  • Working with young people
  • Working within a Community / with community participants
  • Workshopping & Development
  • Writing

Additional Languages

Russian (conversational), Spanish (a little bit)

Social

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