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MICHELLE PAYNE is a director & published playwright from Essex with a passion for musicals, adaptations & new writing.

Michelle was short-listed for the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2022 and long-listed in 2023 & 2024. She was short-listed for the Young Vic Genesis Future Director Award 2023.

Current: Associate Director - Dear Evan Hansen (UK Tour).
Recent: Director - Aitopia (Young Vic Taking Part)
Next Up: Flip by Josh Bird & Giles Fernando (NYMT) with choreographer Shay Barclay & Musical Director Alice Brown.

Current writing credits: HYPER! An ADHD Musical (as part of Overture 2023), The Grind (ie Productions - Matt Cole & Morgan Large)..

Michelle's work has been developed with & supported by Arts Council England, ALP & Aria Entertainment, Donmar Warehouse, Dagenham & Redbridge F.C. and Havering Changing.

Michelle is also a qualified Mental Health First Aider.

AMERICAN IDIOT
Photography by Danny Kaan

Dear Evan Hansen (Associate Director) + Bugsy Malone (Resident Director)

Young Vic Director

I've worked with...

Dear Evan Hansen (Associate Director) + Bugsy Malone (Resident Director)

1/5

Michelle recently facilitated the creation of & directed AiTopia by The Collective - a 50 participant community project for Young Vic Taking Part -in collaboration with producer Alisha Artry.

The production ran for one week at the start of 2025 at the Young Vic

"Payne's writing is in its beautiful simplicity, razor sharp wit and hilarious observational humour"

- LONDON THEATRE 1

SQUAD GOALS (Dagenham & Redbridge FC 2020)
Credit: Zac Cooke Photography

ABOUT

PLAYWRIGHT & DIRECTOR

Michelle is an Essex based published playwright & director, currently Associate Director on the UK Tour of Dear Evan Hansen. She was long-listed for the RTST Sir Peter Hall Award 2023 & 2024, short-listed for the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2022 & short-listed for the Young Vic Genesis Future Director Award 2023.

BIO

SHOWS

MICHELLE HAS WORKED IN COMMERCIAL MUSICAL THEATRE, IMMERSIVE & NEW WRITING.

Squad Goals received multiple 4 & 5 star reviews & features from national & theatre press before becoming a published playtext with Salamander Street in 2021.

SQUAD GOALS

SHOWS

Thank you _zaccookephotography for our super rehearsal shots today — a video talking all t

OUTREACH

MICHELLE BELIEVES IN MAKING WORK FOR & ABOUT COMMUNITY

Michelle has most recently collaborated with Young Vic: Taking Part, Small Truth's Caravan Theatre at Henry Dickens Community Centre, Havering Youth Council, Thames Park Secondary School and Havering Changing.

OUTREACH

TESTIMONIALS