LEADING theatre director Joe Murphy has been appointed the new artistic director for Birmingham Rep.
The 39-year-old, who is currently artistic director at the Sherman Theatre in Cardiff, will take up the position next spring.
“Birmingham Rep is a local theatre with a global reach,” Murphy, who was born in Dublin, said as the news of his appointment was released.
“I am absolutely thrilled to join at an exciting time for the theatre and for the city,” he added.
Dublin-born Joe Murphy will join the Birmingham Rep in 2025“The Rep is a powerhouse of drama, and I look forward to working with the talented team there and the community in and around Birmingham.”
Murphy brings much experience with him to the new position.
His career as a stage director and creative artist includes work at The Old Vic, Shakespeare’s Globe, The Bush, Soho Theatre and the Chichester Festival Theatre.
Over the years he has also toured work to New York, Moscow, St Petersburg, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Singapore.
He took up his current role at the Sherman in 2019.
Since then audience numbers at the theatre have reached their highest ever annual levels.
During his time as artistic director, the Sherman has staged over 18 world premieres and been nominated for The Stage’s Theatre of the Year Award and The Sky Arts Theatre Award.
Murphy has previously been associate director at London’s Soho Theatre, where he staged Phil Porter’s Blink, and then toured it to New York, Bengaluru (Bangalore) and around the UK.
In New York, Murphy was associate director on adaptations of Hilary Mantel’s novels Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies
At The Birmingham Rep, Murphy will lead an artistic team which includes Madeleine Kludje, who is the newly appointed deputy artistic director, and Iqbal Khan who has been re-appointed as associate director.
“I couldn’t be more delighted to be appointing Joe as artistic director,” Andy Street, who is chair of The Birmingham Rep, said.
“He comes to The Rep as one of the brightest young directors of his generation with an incredible track record of success.”
He added: “I’m confident that under his leadership The Rep will thrive artistically and connect with even more audiences and participants across the city and beyond.
“I’m especially pleased he will be joined by deputy artistic director Madeleine Kludje and associate director Iqbal Khan in delivering our mission to be one of the best regional theatres in the UK and internationally and I look forward to working with the team to realise this ambition.”
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