Principal of LAMDA
Joanna was Chief Executive and Artistic Director of Salisbury Playhouse from 1999 to 2007. Under her leadership, the Playhouse became one of the leading regional producing theatres of the last decade. She steered the theatre to a position of financial stability, while also leading a successful major capital development programme. Prior to this, Joanna was Associate Director of the Octagon Theatre Bolton from 1997 and Head of Education and Participation for Birmingham Rep. from 1993 to 1997, where she created a successful and wide-ranging education and outreach strategy, as well as commissioning and directing new writing. Recently, she has worked as a freelance director and writer for Edinburgh Festival Theatre, the Young Vic London, the New Vic Theatre Newcastle Under Lyme, The Watermill West Berkshire Playhouse, The Mill at Sonning and the Watford Palace Theatre, amongst others. She has written five pantomimes for Salisbury Playhouse, as well as Cinderella and Aladdin for Watford Palace Theatre in 2009 and 2010 respectively.
Joanna has been a Board member for the Oxfordshire Theatre Company, a peer reviewer and assessor for the Arts Council England, a steering group member for the ITV Director Training Scheme and a panel member/mentor for the Independent Theatre Council (ITC) Fast Track Scheme.
She won a Theatrical Management Association Award for her production of The Hired Man at Salisbury Playhouse.