The Royal Court Theatre has announced that David Byrne will take over as artistic director from 2024, replacing Vicky Featherstone, who is set to stand down after a decade in the role.
Byrne is the founding artistic director and chief executive of New Diorama in London.
He said: “At its founding, George Devine imagined the Royal Court to be where ‘the experimentalists of the modern era could be seen’, often ‘in advance of public taste.’ For over a decade at New Diorama, I’ve embraced those ideals, seeking out and supporting the boldest and most exhilarating artists so that, together, we could re-write the theatre rule book.
“In this new role, I’m excited to continue working in service of the playwrights and artists raring to take big swings. Together, we’ll shape a rejuvenating culture from which the experimentalists of this new era are safe to take risks, can gamble like they’re never going to lose, and where audiences can glimpse the future of theatre, today.”
The NEC Group has appointed Darren Moore (pictured right) as general manager of Bradford Live.
Moore has previous experience with a number of venues in the UK including Bonus Arena Hull, York Barbican and First Direct Arena Leeds. In his new role, Moore will oversee all aspects of the venue’s operations, including event planning, client relations and staff management.
“We are so excited to welcome Darren as the General Manager for Bradford Live,” said Daniel Boulger, head of venue developments at the NEC Group. “With his proven leadership and in-depth knowledge of both the industry and community, we are confident that Darren will drive the success of Bradford Live, positioning Bradford as a premier destination for exceptional entertainment.”
Bradford Live is set to open in Spring/Summer 2024.
ASM Global has named Sam Ryder (pictured left) as general manager of Bonus Arena Hull.
Ryder is currently the general manager of York Barbican, which is also operated by ASM Global. He has previously held the position head of operations at Bonus Arena Hull.
Marie Lindqvist, senior vice-president, operations Europe, ASM Global, said: “Sam is a fantastic General Manager, and building on the foundations of York Barbican, with agility and creativity, he has evolved the venue into York’s most exciting live entertainment and conference and exhibition space. We’re delighted that Sam remains part of the ASM Global family and are excited to see what he’ll bring to the Bonus Arena in Hull in his new role as it looks ahead to the future.”
Event distribution company Tickets For Less (TFL) has made a number of senior promotions and hires.
TFL has promoted Adam Rossbach to president after serving as chief operating officer since February 2019. The position was previously held by Dan Rouen, founder and chief executive of TFL.
Jason Durbin, who has spent almost 13 years at TFL, has been promoted from vice-president of operations to senior vice-president of operations. Ryan Kindt, who was previously the director of partnerships at TFL, has been promoted to vice-president of partnerships.
Additionally, Angela Presnell has been brought in as the senior vice-president of retail and marking.
“It’s an exciting time to work at TFL,” said Rouen. “As our technology, partnerships and retail businesses continue to grow, we understand the importance of investing in the right people to get us to the next level, and we’re thrilled for this phase of growth.”
Elsewhere, multi-service event and venue solutions provider Freemans Event Partners has appointed Simon Hanna as its new chief operating officer.
Christian Terrill has started a new position as strategic project manager (com and analytics) at the Royal Opera House in London.
Highly experienced in the industry, Terrill has held positions at LW Theatres, Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG) and AudienceView.
Roundhouse has appointed Rowan Kitching as venue director of the 800-capacity music and arts venue in Camden.
Kitching will oversee technical and production, visitor experience and estate teams, as well as the venue’s sustainability initiatives.
NFT-TiX has appointed Zlatan Osmanagic as director of operations.
Osmanagic is the founder of Block369, a consultancy and education company focused on blockchain technology and Web3.
Do you have news of an appointment that we should know about? Get in touch by emailing news.editor@theticketingbusiness.com and we’ll include it in our next round-up.