Michelle is a director and published playwright from Essex. She is currently director of Young Vic's Aitopia (The Collective) and on tour as the associate director with Dear Evan Hansen.

 

Michelle was short-listed as one of eight directors for RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2022 and for the Young Vic Genesis Future Director Award 2023 and long-listed for the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2023 and in 2024.

 

In 2021 Michelle worked on artist-led programme Future Forms with the Donmar Warehouse under the guidance of director Sacha Wares.

 

Michelle was a 2019 recipient of the Regional Theatre Young Directors' Scheme completing a three month residency at the Mercury Theatre Colchester.​

 

Directing Credits:

American Idiot (Chichester University), Pippin (Mountview, BA Musical Theatre), Good Enough Mums Club (UK Tour - co-director w/ Sarah Meadows), To Have & To Hold (The Bush / Mercury Theatre Colchester), Mind Over Matter Musical (Theatre Peckham & finalist for The LET Award 2022), Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (Chichester University), The Liberators by Michelle Payne (PPA), My Three Sisters by Holly Rose Hawgood (R&D, The Bush), Jess by Stephanie Silver (The Space UK Online which received an ONCOMM nomination for Digital Theatre - The Offies), Squad Goals by Michelle Payne (Dagenham & Redbridge FC), Find Me by No Fixed Address (VAULT Festival).

 

As Resident:

The House With Chicken Legs - Olivier Nominated: Best Family Show (UK Tour), Bugsy Malone (London & UK Tour)

 

As Associate:

Dear Evan Hansen (UK Tour), Errol's Garden (UK Tour) Pigs Might Fly from Michael Morpurgo's MudPuddle Farm [&associate choreographer] (UK Tour), Summer Camp for Broken People (Pleasance), Headcase by Kirstin Mcilquham (The Bush), Split by Emma Pritchard & Tamar Broadbent (Brighton Fringe, &choreographer).

 

As Assistant:

Princess Essex by Anne Odeke (Creative Estuary, Essex Tour), Cinderella (Mercury Theatre Colchester - nominated for Best Pantomime at the Great British Panto Awards 2019/20).

 

Recent Writing Credits:

Hyper! (Overture), The Storytellers (Our Voices - Small Truths - Caravan Theatre), The Grind - Commission (i.e. Productions - Matt Cole & Morgan Large), Chelsea for the End of the Line Podcast, S3 (InkJockey), Enthusiastically, Yes! A New Musical (Long List: ALP & Aria Entertainment Chamber Musical Competition) at The Garrick, West End. Memory Box (winner: Mercury Monologues), Squad Goals (published by Salamander Street), Sad About the Cows (Tristan Bates Theatre).

X: @chellesta / Insta: @chellestaa / Website: michelle-payne.co.uk

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(Headshots by B Clarence Photography)