Michelle Payne

Pronouns: She / Her

AWARDS

LONG-LIST for RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2023 & 2024
SHORT-LIST for Young Vic Genesis Future Director Award 2023
SHORT-LIST (final 8) for RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2022


I'm a director and published playwright from Essex and currently Associate Director on Dear Evan Hansen, UK Tour and director for The Collective, Young Vic Taking Part.

I was selected as one of six writing teams from 150 applications to work on the OVERTURE new musical writing scheme (hosted by Burnt Lemon & REcreate agency partnered with The Other Palace, Birmingham Hippodrome, Hope Mill Manchester, MAST Southampton, Sheffield Theatres and China Plate) with HYPER! (Book by Michelle Payne, Music & Lyrics by EMY.P) an ADHD Musical.

I mostly enjoy female-led new writing and my ultimate goal is to break down the "Essex Girl" stereotype. I enjoy musical theatre, mixing movement work with new writing and making theatre more accessible for working class artists. I want to inspire young women to be whatever they want to be and to have a voice.

I am currently an AGENT ASSISTANT at NUMBER FIFTY FOUR.

I also have a wealth of experience as an acting tutor & facilitator of participation work including teaching for the West End Kids Company and Sylvia Young Theatre School.

I'm represented by Helen Mumby at The Soho Agency.

My play Squad Goals is published with Salamander Street.

Credits

ASSOCIATE/RESIDENT/ASSISTANT DIRECTOR

ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, Dear Evan Hansen, UK Tour, 2024/25
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, Errol's Garden, UK Tour, 2024
RESIDENT DIRECTOR, The House With Chicken Legs, UK Tour, 2023
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR-CHOREOGRAPHER, Pigs Might Fly, UK Tour 2023
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, Summer Camp for Broken People, Pleasance, 2023
RESIDENT DIRECTOR, Bugsy Malone, UK Tour, 2022/23
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR, Headcase by Kristin Mcilquham, Arts Council England, The Bush, 2022
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, Princess Essex by Anne Odeke, Creative Estuary, Essex Tour, 2022
ASSISTANT DIRECTOR, Cinderella, Mercury Theatre Colchester, 2019.
ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR & CHOREOGRAPHER, Split by Emma Pritchard & Tamar Broadbent, Brighton Fringe, 2017


DIRECTOR

DIRECTOR, AiTopia, Young Vic Taking Part, 2025*
CO-DIRECTOR, Good Enough Mums Club, UK Tour, 2023
DIRECTOR & WRITER, To Have & To Hold, Essex On Stage, The Bush, 2021
DIRECTOR, Fundraised by Hai Le, WriteWild for WildChild Showcase (Park 200), 2021
DIRECTOR & WRITER, Squad Goals, Dagenham & Redbridge FC, 2020.
DIRECTOR, Jess, The Space UK Online Festival, Online, 2020.
DIRECTOR, Much Ado About Nothing, Bard from the Barn (Barn Theatre), Online, 2020.
DIRECTOR, Find Me, No Fixed Address @ VAULT Festival, 2020.
DIRECTOR, Marathon for You, Hen & Chickens @ Camden Fringe, 2019.
DIRECTOR, Walk of Shame, White Bear Theatre, 2018
DIRECTOR & WRITER, Full Circle, Tristan Bates / Brewery Fringe / Drayton Arms, 2018 (Winner: Best in Fringe @ Brewery Fringe)
DIRECTOR, Ordinary Days, Rose & Crown, 2017

DIRECTOR (Drama Schools)

DIRECTOR: American Idiot, BA Musical Theatre Performance, University of Chichester, 2024
DIRECTOR, Pippin, BA Musical Theatre, Mountview, 2024
DIRECTOR, BA Acting & Theatre Making & BA Actor-Musician Showcase, 2023
DIRECTOR, Stories In A Pub… by Bryan Danielson, London College of Music, 2023
DIRECTOR, Childish Things by Bryan Danielson, London College of Music, 2022
DIRECTOR, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, BA Musical Theatre Performance, University of Chichester, 2022
DIRECTOR & WRITER, The Liberators, BA Acting, Performance Preparation Academy, 2021


R&Ds

DIRECTOR, Man Enough (R&D), Mind Over Matter, 2022
DIRECTOR, Dear Dead Jason (R&D), Bruised Sky Productions (NDT Broadgate), 2021
DIRECTOR, My Three Sisters (R&D), The Bush, 2021
DIRECTOR, Blinded by your Grace (R&D), Wild Child (Oli Lansley & Christa Harris) Online, 2021
DIRECTOR, South West Side (R&D), Wild Child (Oli Lansley & Christa Harris) Online, 2021.


WRITER

WRITER, Chelsea, End of the Line Podcast (Ink Jockey), Digital, 2022
WRITER, To Have & To Hold, Savi Arts @ Barons Court Theatre, 2 shows, 2021
BOOK, Enthusiastically, Yes! (concert), The Chamber Musical Sessions: Adam Lenson & Aria Entertainment (The Garrick, West End), 1 show, 2021
WRITER, Memory Box, Winner: Mercury Monologues (Mercury Theatre), Online, 2020.
WRITER & ACTOR, Sad About the Cows, Tristan Bates Theatre, 1 week, 2019.
WRITER & ACTOR, Orchid, Moors Theatre @ Camden Fringe, 3 shows, 2015 (Winner: Best New Writing & Best Actress: Michelle Payne @ The Moorscars).


PARTICIPATION

DIRECTOR, Aitopia by the Collective, Young Vic Taking Part*, 2025
WRITER & FACILITATOR, Our Voices, Small Truths: Caravan Theatre, 2023 (facilitating workshops with 15-16y/os, storytelling workshops with 5-9 y/os + commissioned to write an audio play, released Dec 2023).
DIRECTOR & FACILITATOR, Your Story (participation project, community writers + professional actors), Havering Changing, 12 weeks, 2021

Training

Future Forms, Donmar Warehouse (Sacha Wares), 2021

Playwriting, Mercury Playwrights 2020/21

RTYDS 3 Month Placement (Mercury Theatre Colchester, assisting Creative Director: Ryan McBryde).

Puppetry, Little Angel Theatre 2017

Playwriting, Queens Theatre Hornchurch 2015

Acting, Performance Preparation Academy 2012

Musical Theatre, West End Kids, 2011