The Parent Agency - a new family musical

David Baddiel is a comedian, author, screenwriter and television presenter.

In 1992, he performed to 12,500 people with Rob Newman at the Wembley arena in the UK’s first ever arena comedy show and was credited as turning comedy into “The New Rock’n’Roll”. This followed the hit TV shows The Mary Whitehouse Experience (BBC Two) and Newman and Baddiel in Pieces (BBC Two). David later created and presented – with Frank Skinner – Fantasy Football and Baddiel & Skinner Unplanned. Alongside The Lightning Seeds, the pair also wrote the seminal football anthem Three Lions. David has made several acclaimed documentaries, including the 2016 travel documentary David Baddiel On The Silk Road (Discovery) and in 2017, The Trouble with Dad (Channel4). More recently he created and presented Confronting Holocaust Denial and Social Media, Anger and Us on BBC Two.

David has published ten hugely successful children’s books (The Person Controller, AniMalcolm, The Boy Who Could Do What He Liked, Birthday Boy, Head Kid, The Taylor Turbochaser, The Parent Agency, Future Friend, The Boy Who Got Accidentally Famous and Only Children) and recently he published the Sunday Times bestselling non-fiction polemic Jews Don’t Count, and due to the success of this book, David has also written and presented a documentary under the same title for Channel 4, which was released in late 2022. David’s most recent non-fiction book, The God Desire, was published earlier this year. David has also written four critically-acclaimed adult novels (The Death of Eli Gold, Time For Bed, Whatever Love Means and The Secret Purposes), as well as writing the hit comedy film The Infidel.

David Baddiel returned to stand-up comedy in 2013 with his critically acclaimed show, Fame: Not The Musical. In Spring 2016 David premiered My Family: Not the Sitcom, which ran on London’s West End for 15 weeks and was nominated for an Olivier Award. His latest show, Trolls: Not the Dolls, toured in 2020 and 2021.

David has created and starred in a several returning radio shows, including Heresy (BBC Radio 4), Don’t Make Me Laugh (BBC Radio 4), and David Baddiel Tries to Understand (BBC Radio 4).

Dan Gillespie Sells is the songwriter and front person of pop band The Feeling. His twenty-yearcareer has taken him (and his songs) into the worlds of dance, theatre, TV and film. He hascomposed, arranged, and produced for and withartists as varied as Becky Hill, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Rufus Wainwright and Chaka Khan.

His composer credits for theatre include: Brokeback Mountain (@sohoplace) and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible Theatre & Apollo Theatre, London). Everbody’s Talking About Jamie celebrated it’s 1,000th West End performance in 2021 and has since toured the UK and been seen in cities around the world including Tokyo, Los Angeles and Seoul. The production was adapted into anAmazon Original Movie in 2021 with Film4. His other composition credits include: Oliver Twist and David Copperfield (Audible’s all-star dramatizations of Charles Dickens, produced by Sam Mendes) and 3 with D (London Coliseum), a collaboration with the Royal Ballet’s Edward Watson and choreographer Javier De Frutos, since performed at Stuttgart Ballet and The Joyce Theater in New York. Dan is the recipient of the 2015 Stonewall Award for Entertainer of the Decade for his work in the LGBT community and the 2007 Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year. Other awards include Best Composer at The Stage Debut Awards in 2017, plus BRIT, Olivier and BAFTA Film Award nominations including Outstanding Achievement in Music.

Tim most recently directed Dylan Mulvaney in her one woman show Faghag (Wessex Grove & Seaview) and developed, directed and choreographed the acclaimed new musical Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York) in the West End. The album of Two Strangers has been streamed over 5 million times to date. This summer Tim directed and co-choregraphed the UK premiere of Something Rotten! in concert at Drury Lane. Tim choreographed the Tony Award-winning Broadway production of Merrily We Roll Along starring Daniel Radcliffe, Jonathan Groff and Lindsay Mendez, and choreographed Neil Patrick Harris as the Toymaker in Doctor Who: The Giggle (BBC/Disney+). Tim trained at Mountview Academy, having studied Music at Oxford University, specialising in Orchestration. Tim has also worked in the West End as a Musical Director and Arranger and is a singing coach, recently working Bill Nighy for his Oscar-nominated performance in Living.

As Director:

Dylan Mulvaney: Faghag (Soho Theatre and Assembly Rooms); Something Rotten! (Drury Lane, West End); Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York) (Criterion, West End); Kinky Boots (New Wolsey Theatre); The Hound of the Baskervilles (UK Tour); Treasure Island (Bolton Octagon); The Season (New Wolsey Theatre); The Oliviers in Concert (Royal Festival Hall); The Stable (Lyric, West End). 

As Associate Director:

High Society (Old Vic) and A Little Night Music (Tokyo).

As Choreographer:

West End: Merrily We Roll Along (Harold Pinter, Broadway, Off-Broadway, Tokyo, Huntington, Menier); A Christmas Carol (Dominion); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Apollo); Stepping Out (Vaudeville); Mouthful (Trafalgar) Saturday Night (Arts). Further: Little Shop of Horrors (Royal Exchange); Dusty (UK Tour), The 40th, 41st and 43rd Olivier Awards (BBC/ITV); Parade (Southwark Playhouse). Opera: La Périchole (Garsington), La bohème (Middle East tour); The Marriage of Figaro (European tour).

@timjcreative

Originally trained in Music at Oxford University and Royal Academy of Music. Jon retrained on the Motley Theatre Design Course graduating as a Linbury Prize finalist in 2000.

Since then he has designed extensively in dance, opera and theatre for companies worldwide including The Royal Opera House, Royal National Theatre, London, National Theatre of Scotland, Abbey Theatre, Dublin, Young Vic, London, Theatre de Complicité, and both Finnish and Norwegian National Ballets.

An associate artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company, he has designed numerous productions including Hamlet, King Lear, The Winter’s Tale and the entire 2012 season.

He designed the opening ceremony of the 2012 Paralympic Games in London and was recently nominated for an Emmy Award for his production design for the Red Bull film, Human Pinball.

Theatre credits include the stage version of Miyazaki’s legendary anime film, Spirited Away (Toho, Japan / London Coliseum); King Lear starring and directed by Kenneth Branagh in the West End / TheShed, New York; Stephen Sondheim’s Into the Woods directed by Terry Gilliam (Theatre Royal, Bath): Bat Out of Hell (London/Germany/Toronto/New York/Las Vegas); WICKED (Stage Entertainment, Hamburg); The James Plays (National Theatre of Scotland/ Royal National Theatre/ World Tour); Ghost Stories (West End/Toronto/Moscow/ Melbourne); MAMETZ (Nationa lTheatre of Wales, winner Best Design UK Theatre Awards); and You For Me For You (Royal Court, Best Design, Evening Standard Awards).

Dance credits include The Nutcracker (Norwegian National Ballet, Nationale Ballet deBordeaux), designs for Ballet Rambert, the Royal OperaHouse, Netherlands Dans Theater, and works by Liam Scarlett for the Royal Ballet, Norwegian National Ballet, and English National Ballet.

Opera credits include Ainadamar (Metropolitan Opera); Serse, The Golden Dragon, Rigoletto, A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Halle Opera); Cendrillon (Glyndebourne): Die Walküre (Bordeaux National Opera); The Knot Garden (Theatre an der Wien); The Lighthouse (Montepulciano); and Agrippina (Grange Park Opera).

Carrie-Anne Ingrouille is currently represented in the West End and on Broadway with her critically acclaimed choreography on  SIX The Musical playing at the Vaudeville Theatre, London and the Lena Horne Theatre, New York. For her work on the show, Carrie has received Tony, Drama Desk, Olivier, WhatsOnStage, Offie and Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award nominations for Best Choreography.

Notable Choreography and Movement Direction credits include: The Importance of Being Earnest (National Theatre), Dear Evan Hansen (Nottingham Playhouse, UK Tour), The Merry Widow (Glyndebourne Opera), Sisters of Mersey (Royal Court Theatre Liverpool), A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Lido2, Paris), Rock Follies (Chichester Festival Theatre), Village Idiot (Theatre Royal Stratford East, Nottingham Playhouse & Ramps on the Moon), The Good Person of Szechwan (Sheffield Crucible, Lyric Hammersmith & ETT), Monsoon Wedding: The Musical (St.Ann’s Warehouse, New York), Antigone (Regents Park Open Air Theatre), Our Generation (National Theatre & Chichester Festival Theatre), Wonderful Town (Opera Holland Park), This is My Family (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Catherine Tate Show Live (UK Tour), Jeeves & Wooster in Perfect Nonsense (Duke of York’s Theatre), The Suicide (National Theatre), The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (Royal Opera House, The Roundhouse).

Carrie is currently the Associate Choreographer for the U.K productions of Hamilton.

Sarah trained at Wimbledon College of Art and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School.

Design credits include: Jesus Christ Superstar (Folketeateret, Oslo); 101 Dalmatians (UK Tour); Bronco Billy (Charing Cross Theatre); An Interrogation (Summerhall Old Lab); Fireside (Lost Dog); The SpongeBob Musical (UK Tour + Southbank Centre); We Will Rock You (World Tour); Monopoly Lifesized (UK); The Walk (Complicité); Cat On a Hot Tin Roof (Leicester Curve + UK Tour); Southern Belles (Kings Head); Romeo and Juliet (Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre); Julius Ceasar (Bristol Old Vic); The Wizard of Oz (Blackpool Opera House).

Zoe is a theatre lighting designer whose work has been seen on the West End, throughout the UK and internationally. She won the 2019 Theatre and Technology Award Lighting Design for The Uunreturning Frantic Assembly UK Tour, Lightmongers’ ALD Award ‘New Talent in Entertainment Lighting’ and the OFFIE award for Lighting Design for her work on Tiny Dynamite at the Old Red Lion Theatre.

Recent designs include: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Ambassadors Theatre, West End and Southwark Playhouse); TWELFTH NIGHT (RSC); The Artist (Plymouth Theatre Royal); Underdog: The Other Other Bronte (National Theatre); Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World (Kenny Wax Family Entertainment for MAST Mayflower and UK & Irelanest End & d Tour); Bonnie and Clyde (WUK Tour); Robin Hood (Regent’s Park); The Vortex (CFT); Beginning (Royal Exchange Manchester); How Not To Drown (Thickskin UK Tour); Good (Harold Pinter Theatre, West End); The Importance of Being Earnest (ETT), Migrations (The Welsh National Opera); Our Generation (National Theatre); Hamlet (Bill Kenwright Ltd at Theatre Royal Windsor); The Unreturning (Frantic Assembly UK Tour); Meek (Headlong UK Tour); Emilia (Vaudeville Theatre, West End).

Francesca Hsieh is an Asian-American theatre director, maker and facilitator. Assistant Directing credits include Vanya at The Duke of York’s Theatre, directed by Sam Yates, A Play for the Living in a Time of Extinction at the Barbican Centre, directed by Katie Mitchell, and working as the director observer on Tosca at English National Opera, directed by Georg Zlabinger. Her directing credits include Don’t Call Me China Doll (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/Underbelly Bristo Square), I’m Sorry I’m Not Lucy Liu (Camden People’s Theatre), and Shakespearean Support Group (Standby for Places podcast – streaming on all platforms). Francesca is part of the Higher Education faculty at Shakespeare’s Globe and is the Creative Engagement Coordinator at Complicité. She has her MA in Theatre Directing from Royal Holloway, University of London and a BFA in Musical Theatre Performance from the University of Utah.

Credits include: Wigs Hair & Make Up Designer Hairspray (2024/25 UK & Ireland Tour); Wigs Designer Neville Holt Opera Festival 2024 The Magic Flute; Make Up Designer Shrek the Musical (2023/24 UK & Ireland Tour & London Apollo); Make Up Designer Madagascar the Musical (UK,Australia , Asia and USATour); Wigs Hair & Make Up Designer Bronco Billy (Charing Cross Theatre London); Wigs Hair & MakeUp Supervisor Drop the Dead Donkey (UK Tour); Wigs Hair & Make Up Supervisor Steel Magnolias the Play (UK Tour); Associate Make Up Designer Mrs Doubtfire: The New Musical Comedy (WestEnd); Associate Make Up Designer Mrs Doubtfire (USA Tour); Head of Wigs, Hair & Make Up MrsDoubtfire: The New Musical Comedy (Manchester/West End); Associate Make Up Designer Shrek the Musical (Australian Tour); Make Up Supervisor Shrek the Musical (UK & Ireland Tour); Head of Make Up Shrek the Musical (UK & Ireland Tour); Make Up Designer Laid in Earth (Sadlers Wells, English National Ballet); Associate Make Up Designer Harry Potter & the Cursed Child (Toronto); Head ofWigs, Hair & Make Up Harry Potter & the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre. West End); Make Up Supervisor The Grinch Who Stole Christmas:The Musical! (UK Tour); Head of Wigs, Hair & Make Up The Grinch Who Stole Christmas: The Musical! (UK Tour); Head of Wigs, Hair & Make Up White Christmas the Musical (UK Tour); Head of Wigs, Hair & Make Up Grease the Musical (UK & IrelandTour); Head of Wigs & Make Up Fiddler on the Roof (Playhouse Theatre, West End); Head of Wigs, Hair & Make Up Harold Pinter Season (Harold Pinter Theatre, West End); Head of Wigs, Hair & Make Up Dirty Dancing (Phoenix Theatre, West End & International Tour) Head of Wigs, Hair & Make Up Miss Saigon (UK & Ireland Tour) and Head of Wigs, Hair & Make Up Royal Shakespeare  Company’s A Midsummer Nights Dream (UK & Ireland Tour).

Other Credits Include: BBC, Channel 4, HBO, Apple TV, Opera North, Scottish Opera, English National Ballet, Disney Theatrical, The Lion King, Jersey Boys, We Will Rock You and Beauty & the Beast.

www.craigforrest-thomas.com

Jill Green is originally from Newcastle.  Full member of the CDG.

Casting Associates: Olivia Laydon & Tom Shiels.

Recipient of the 2024 What’s on Stage Award for Best Casting Direction for The Little Big Things, @Soho Place.

Theatre includes Becoming Nancy (Birmingham Rep); The Devil Wears Prada (Theatre Royal Plymouth/Dominion Theatre); War Horse (New London Theatre / Tours 2015 – 2025); The Little Big Things (@Soho Place); Disney’s Aladdin (Prince Edward Theatre & 2023/24 UK Tour); Crazy For You (Gillian Lynn Theatre/Chichester Festival Theatre); Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward); Jersey Boys (Trafalgar Theatre/ Prince Edward/Piccadilly/UK & Ireland Tours); The Lion King Tour (2015-2024 UK & Ireland /International Tour); 101 Dalmatians (Regents Park Open Air Theatre); Bedknobs And Broomsticks (UK Tour); Touching The Void (Duke of York’s//Bristol Old Vic & Tour); Hairspray (London Coliseum); The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (Bridge Theatre/West Yorkshire Playhouse); The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time (Gielgud Theatre/Piccadilly Theatre/Tours 2015-2019); Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych/ Tours to 2020); Lazarus (Kings Cross Theatre); Kinky Boots (Adelphi/UK & Ireland Tour); Young Frankenstein (Garrick); Jane Eyre (UK Tour 2017/National Theatre); La Strada (The Other Palace); Show Boat (New London/Crucible Theatre Sheffield); The Scottsboro Boys (UK Casting, Garrick/Young Vic); The Producers (Theatre Royal Drury Lane/UK Tours); Contact (Queens Theatre); Fosse (Prince Of Wales)

Film – Dancers for: Steve McQueen film – Blitz ; Paddington 2; Beyond the Sea

Plus many Workshops & Readings.

Olivia Laydon as Casting Director for Jill Green Casting;  Clueless (Trafalgar Theatre );  Singin’ in the Rain (Dubai), A Chorus Line (Leicester Curve, Sadlers Wells & UK Tour), My Fair Lady (Leicester Curve) A Chorus Line (Leicester Curve, Sadlers Wells & UK Tour) Elephant & Piggie, Mermaids & Pirates and The Dream (Perform in the Park)

www.jillgreencasting.org

Instagram: @jillgreencasting

Theatre: Mamma Mia! (Novello Theatre and UK & International Tour); Back to the Future (Adelphi Theatre); Aspects of Love (Lyric Theatre); My Fair Lady (UK & Ireland Tour); Elf (Dominion); The Time Traveller’s Wife (Apollo Theatre and Storyhouse Chester); Cinderella (Gillian Lynne); Sinatra The Musical (Birmingham Rep); Starter For Ten (Bristol Old Vic) as Casting Associate and Children’s Casting Director for Grindrod Burton Casting.

Amy is the Children’s Casting Director for Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour); MJ the Musical (Prince Edward Theatre); Cat on a Hot Tin Roof (Almeida Theatre); Matilda The Musical (Cambridge Theatre) for Jessica Ronane Casting.

Film/TV: Hamnet Children’s Casting Associate (Working Title) for Nina Gold; Matilda The Musical Ensemble Casting (Netix/ Working Title); Disenchanted Ensemble Dancer Casting (Disney); Zombies 4 UK Casting (Disney) for Grindrod Burton Casting.