Alex Howarth

'Director Alex Howarth came up with a tight, imaginative
staging, creating an expansive world out of seemingly little' - Critic's Pick, The New York Times

I am an award winning theatre director and writer based in London.

I was named one of 'Ten Stage Sensations to Watch Out For in 2023'
by The Guardian.

Coming from the North West and a background of working in care, I am passionate about amplifying under-represented and northern voices. My play Cassie and the Lights was based on a true story and interviews with children in the care system and is currently being developed for television. Nominated for the BBC Writer's Room Popcorn Award and the SitUp Award for social change, it ran at 59E59 Theaters, Off Broadway New York in 2023.

A former drama therapist for the charity Sense, I have worked extensively with disabled artists, and recently co-created one man show Strictly Lawrie with disabled artist Lawrie Morris. My play about a girl with autism We Live By the Sea received Critic’s Pick and Top Theatre of the Year in the New York Times, won the Best Theatre Award and the Critic’s Choice Award at Adelaide Festival, and the Grahame F. Smith Peace Foundation Award for promoting human rights through theatre, and was nominated for the Fringe First and the Off West End Awards for Best Production and Best Ensemble.

I was the assistant director on La Traviata at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and regularly direct at drama schools including Italia Conti, Central School of Speech and Drama, Mountview, and Chichester Conservatoire. I adapted and directed the world stage premiere of What's Eating Gilbert Grape, alongside the movie's writer and director, Oscar nominee Peter Hedges.

I am the Artistic Director of multi-award winning Patch of Blue, who create original theatre pieces with live music for festivals and touring.

I strive to create ensemble-led theatre that is playful, fresh and moving.

Credits

DIRECTOR / DRAMATURG, Resistance, Signature Theater New York, 5 weeks, 2024

DIRECTOR, Once Removed, Arts Ed, 1 week, 2024

DIRECTOR and WRITER, Cassie and the Lights, Southwark Playhouse, 3 weeks, 2024

DIRECTOR, Cinderella, Institute of Contemporary Theatre, 1 week, 2024

DIRECTOR and LEAD DEVISOR, The Snow Queen, Drama Studio, 2023

DIRECTOR and WRITER, Cassie and the Lights, 59E59 Theaters New York, 3 weeks, 2023

DIRECTOR, A Brief List of Everyone Who Died, Finborough Theatre, 4 weeks, 2023

DIRECTOR, The Clockmaker's Daughter, Chichester Conservatoire, 1 week, 2023

DIRECTOR, Let The Right One In, Institute of the Arts, 1 week, 2023

DIRECTOR, Doing It, Adelaide Festival Australia, 4 weeks, 2023

DIRECTOR / WRITER, Jack and the Beanstalk, Applecart Arts, 4 weeks, 2022

DIRECTOR, Sweeney Todd, Italia Conti, 1 week, 2022

DIRECTOR and WRITER, Cassie and the Lights, Underbelly Edinburgh Fringe, 4 weeks, 2022 - Best Shows of Edinburgh 2022 (The Stage), Nominated for the BBC Writer's Room Popcorn Award and the SitUp Award

DIRECTOR, Outlier (A New Opera), Tete a Tete Festival, 1 week, 2022

DIRECTOR, A Monster Calls, Institute of the Arts, 1 week, 2022

DIRECTOR, The Greatest Hits of Lily and John, The Other Palace, 2 weeks, 2022

DIRECTOR, Richard II, Central School of Speech and Drama, 1 week, 2021

DIRECTOR, Fiddler on the Roof, Chichester Conservatoire, 1 week, 2021

DIRECTOR, Jane Eyre, Touring, 8 weeks, 2021

DIRECTOR, Citysong, Institute of the Arts (filmed and shared online), 2021

DIRECTOR, A Partnership, Workshop, 2020

DIRECTOR and WRITER, Cassie and the Lights, Adelaide Festival Australia, 4 weeks, 2020- Best Theatre Week 2

DIRECTOR, Chemistry, Finborough Theatre, 4 weeks, 2019

DIRECTOR, Misterman, New Wimbledon Theatre / Brockley Jack, 2 weeks, 2019

DIRECTOR, Piramania The Swashbuckling Pirate Musical, Underbelly, 4 weeks, 2019

DIRECTOR, Lord of the Flies, University of Cumbria, 1 week, 2019

DIRECTOR / CO-WRITER, We Live By the Sea (Brits Off Broadway 59E59 Theatres New York Critics Pick- New York Times 4 weeks, SoHo Playhouse Off-Broadway New York 2 weeks, Arts Theatre West End 1 week, Royal Croquet Club Australia 4 weeks, Greenwich Theatre 3 weeks, TNT Theatre Beijing, Grand Theatre Hangzhou) 1 week, 2016-2018

DIRECTOR / ADAPTOR - What's Eating Gilbert Grape, Mountview, 2 weeks, 2016

DIRECTOR / ADAPTOR - Back to Blackbrick, Arts Theatre West End, 5 weeks, 2016

DIRECTOR- Loserville, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wind In the Willows, Liverpool Theatre School, 2016-2018

DIRECTOR / ADAPTOR - The Tortoise and the Hare, National Tour, 5 weeks, 2017

DIRECTOR- The Memory Show, Drayton Arms Theatre, 4 weeks, 2017

DIRECTOR - Medea, Guildhall Amphitheatre (WINNER- The OWL SCHREAME AWARD), 4 weeks, 2016

DIRECTOR / CO-WRITER - Beans On Toast, Pleasance Theatre / New Diorama Theatre, 5 weeks, 2016

DIRECTOR - [title of show] European Premiere, Assembly Festival, 4 weeks, 2015

DIRECTOR- The School for Husbands, National Tour, 6 weeks, 2015

DIRECTOR- The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, National Tour, 5 weeks, 2015

Training

Basic BSL
Basic Makaton
Grade 8 Piano (experience as a Musical Director)