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OUR STORY
Our Vision
PurpleDoor aims to produce work proudly rooted in celebration of the North West, which champions undiscovered talent by staging the world’s greatest plays in our own voices, and through our own lived experiences. We foreground working-class voices, talent and environments, using the work of Shakespeare to understand our place in the world today. We offer tangible development to artists, and thrilling, thought-provoking theatrical experiences to audiences. We work towards a world in which Shakespeare is not feared, where the craft of classical performance is an empowering tool for taking action in the real world, and where working-class audiences and artists feel proud and enabled to embrace Shakespeare and connected to the power of language to stand up and be counted.
THE REVIEWS
Observer, Ireland
Showcases the genius
of Shakespeare
Liverpool Sound and Vision
Everyone gets noticed
British Theatre Guide
Always puts a smile
on your face
Liverpool Echo
A joy to behold
Reviews Hub
The directing is masterful. Don't miss it
No More Work Horse
Electrifying.
An absolute delight
OUR TEAM
Everyone who works with PurpleDoor
co-owns and co-creates with us.
By joining our projects members gain training in artistic leadership and join our incredible pool of creators.
Artistic Co-Lead
Karl Falconer
Managing Director
Karl is a director and creative consultant, and the creative director of PurpleDoor CIC. He is a graduate of the Shakespeare Institute and has recently completed his doctorate in arts policy and fringe theatre production at Royal Holloway. In 2021 he was awarded a bespoke package of support and training from the School for Social Entrepreneurs in recognition of his potential as a future arts leader. He has written and contributed to many academic books on Shakespeare and performance, including Teaching and Learning Shakespeare Through Theatre Based Practice (Arden Shakespeare) , Shakespeare and Social Engagement (Berghahn) and Starting a Theatre Company (Routledge, 2023). He is part of the Northern Broadsides Arts Squad and a CMI chartered manager.
Artistic Co-Lead
Em Dulson
Creative Director
Em Dulson is currently the Assistant Director on The Red Rogue of Bala at Theatr Clwyd, where she previously took part in the Insight Directors Scheme. A graduate of Leeds Conservatoire, she has experience in large-scale immersive theatre and recently wrote and facilitated The Monopoly Project for Leeds BID.
Em has worked as an assistant director on several research and development projects, most notably The Cherry Tortured, collaborating with writer and director Aaron Posner on this bold adaptation of Chekhov’s work, and as co-director for As You Like It with PurpleDoor in 2024.
Funding and Programming
Eija Gibson
Associate Producer
Eija Gibson is a Leeds-based Theatre Maker. She trained in Acting at Leeds Conservatoire (2020–2023) and now works across the North, throwing herself into a range of roles. She is Artistic Associate at local award winning theatre company Wrongsemble.
Eija’s recent credits include: Stage Manager for Red Ladder’s and Wrongsemble’s Christmas Co-pro of ‘A Town Called Christmas’ and ‘A Proper Merry ChristMess’, Assistant Director on ‘POV: We’re in Love Actually’ (Darkhorse 2025-2026), Director of The Lost Property Library (Wrongsemble 2025-2026), Stage Manager ‘We’re Not Going Back’ (Red Ladder 2024), Associate Director ‘Tinsel’ (Wrongsemble, 2024). She facilitates with Darkhorse’ Young Company and supports youth work at Leeds Playhouse.
Audience Development
Victoria Armstrong
Board Member
Victoria is an experienced and well-connected PR and communications professional, specialising in arts, culture and live entertainment. She has worked within a variety of organisations, including an internationally recognised conservatoire, major international theatre organisations and a leading UK Choir. She has supported these organisations and their projects with high quality creative communications campaigns and strategies. These were created using the relevant mix of media relations, brand communication, thought leadership, content creation and events; alongside ongoing horizon scanning and crisis communications management when needed. Projects have spanned high-grossing musicals, community activities, hospitality and artist development.
Theatre Directing
Nadia Papachronopoulou
Board Member
Nadia is a theatre director with a wide breadth of experience working in venues across the UK. She has worked as both a freelance artist and been part of theatre buildings, working alongside the artistic directors of the Orange Tree Theatre and National Theatre Wales as their emerging director. She has also worked with the BBC, National Theatre, Royal Lyceum, Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Kiln, Old Vic, Unicorn, and in the West End.
She has produced and directed many ACE funded projects working within theatre buildings and creating large community projects in non-theatre site specific spaces. Her practice focuses on new writing, community-based, and contemporary retellings of the classics designed to reach wider audiences.
Venue and Logistics
Leon Scott
Board Member
Leon has been a creative practitioner for nearly 20 years as musician, actor, composer and musical director. Having also spent all of his supplementary career path in hospitality running restaurants and bars, he now combines his artistic sensitivity and commercial understanding running arts organisations and venues.
Most recently Leon led the launch and opening of the Boulevard in Soho, London. A brand-new arts hub in Central London, adopting a progressive business strategy for financial independence without subsidy. The Auditorium is one of the most technologically advanced auditoriums, above a chic 55 cover dining room and entertaining space open 17 hours a day. Leon developed the vision and culture of the organisation, wrote policy and codes of governance, developed the strategy for delivery and employment of key members of staff to implement it. He was required to oversee all operational aspects of the venture, commercial and artistic output and capital completion of the ultra-modern building.
Associate Artist
Meredith Lewis
Associate Artist
Meredith Lewis is a welsh/canadian artist and creative facilitator, based in Liverpool. Having graduated from the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama in 2020, her recent credits include;
We Need To Talk About Grief R&D (Donmar Warehouse), Ally In Wonderland (Ruined Theatre),
The Moors - UK Premiere (The Hope Theatre), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (The HandleBards), The Odyssey (The Unicorn Theatre),
A Midsummer Night’s Dream 2024 Tour (The HandleBards), Rigoletto (Welsh National Opera) A Midsummer Night’s Dream EU Tour (ADG Europe),
A Midsummer Night’s Dream South America Tour (Teatro Espressivo), The Tempest (Shakespeare North Playhouse).
Meredith specialises in comedy and movement, and generally any form of theatrical chaos.
Meredith runs her own organisation, PlayDates, facilitating and organising table reads for new writers to develop their work for free. PlayDates has just finished their fourth season, and are currently in talks for a welsh tour.
Associate Artist
Georgia Laity
Associate Artist
Georgia is an Australian actor, director, and voice coach. She trained as an actor at Flinders Drama Centre and at LIPA. Georgia has performed as Carol in ‘Oleanna’ by David Mamet, with Renato Musolino, directed by David Mealor, and performed at the Adelaide Festival Centre; as Viv in ‘Di and Viv and Rose’ by Amelia Bullmore, directed by Rachel Burke at RUMPUS theatre; and as Lady Bracknell in ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ by Oscar Wilde, produced by PurpleDoor.
Georgia is currently training with Patsy Rodenburg. She is the youngest person ever to become a Patsy Rodenburg Associate. As a voice coach, Georgia has assisted on ‘Don’t Touch My Stuff’, written and directed by Francesca Hill, and on ‘KITTEL’ by Charlotte Pickering, performed at the Unity Theatre Liverpool.
SUPPORTERS AND MENTORS
'It doesn't seem a bad thing
to support PurpleDoor.
It's incredibly exciting.'
Stephen Fry
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