Novanda Productions
ABOUT US
Novanda Productions is dedicated to creating a platform to women’s untold stories, to obscure aspects of women’s history, and to voices that are rarely heard. It aims to produce new writing, plays and musical theatre, that inspire, intrigue and entertain, to tell stories by and about women that cross national and cultural borders and challenge received ideas.
Novanda Productions seeks to be culturally inclusive, and to nurture creative talent regardless of social background, nationality or race. It is composed of an international team of creatives and casts of actors of all ages and backgrounds.
Photo by Paddy Gormley
Our Story
Novanda Productions is made up of a group of creatives: Claire Novello, Frederick Appleby, Kenneth Michaels, Orsolya Nagy and Paddy Gormley who met at Actors Writers London (AWL), an organisation of professional writers, actors and directors which supports new writing by meeting regularly to present rehearsed readings of new plays.
It was set up by Claire Novello, writer and producer, as a platform for her new writing The Dedication (2019) and the musical Bonny & Read (2021) in cooperation with Frederick Appleby, the musical’s composer, and other members of the creative team.
Its aim is to tell stories that inspire, intrigue and entertain, stories by and about women that reflect women’s shared experience, both past and present, and which also cross national and cultural borders and challenge received ideas.
our team
Claire Novello
Writer and Producer
Claire Novello taught World Literature and Film Studies at SOAS, University of London, before turning to screenwriting, playwriting and theatre production. She has written screenplays and short plays, including The Lunchbreak, a play about homelessness which was performed at the CAA, London in 2019. The Dedication (2018), a three-act play about the composers Gustav and Alma Mahler was first performed at the Chapel Playhouse (‘Bread & Roses’), London in 2019.
This was followed by the muscial drama Bonny & Read (2019), performed at the OSO Arts Centre, and Brockley Jack Studio, London, Brighton Fringe and Ropetackle Arts Centre in 2021- 2022.
Kenneth Michaels
Director
Kenneth has enjoyed a long career encompassing acting, directing and teaching. He has worked in repertory theatre throughout the UK and has directed numerous productions on the London fringe, nationally in the commercial sector (Pinter to panto, workshops to Wilde) and for new writing initiatives. He has taught improvisation techniques and theatre history at several London drama schools and is a voiceover recording artist for government agencies.
Kenneth works regularly in Europe: Germany, Belgium and Slovenia, and appeared in Funny Turns in the West End in 2019. His recent touring productions in Germany have received several classical theatre awards.
Frederick Appleby
Composer
Frederick Appleby has had a long career as Head of Music in London schools. He has directed and composed songs for numerous school musical productions. As well as being an accomplished pianist and accompanist, he also worked as choir director under Jeremy James Taylor for the National Youth Music Theatre production of Joseph and his Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat (2014) at the International Youth Arts Festival, and as composer and musical director for Brexit the Musical (2016) and Dear Chocolate Soldier (2018).
Orsolya Nagy
Marketing and Social Media
Orsolya Nagy started her professional theatre career as an actress in Budapest. She completed the MA Theatre Directing course at the University of East London in 2014 and made her debut as a director in the same year at the Edinburgh Fringe. She is currently studying for a PhD in Theatre Directing.
Paddy Gormley
Photographer
Paddy has been photographer-in-residence at Actors Writers London since 2012. The AWL website features more than 8,000 of his rehearsal photographs. He has also shot numerous productions in theatres including Wimbledon Studio, Pleasance Islington, Theatre503 and the OSO. Paddy has worked with Novanda Productions since 2019 and has photographed both The Dedication (2019) and Bonny & Read (2021) in rehearsal and production. Contact: paddy@paddygormley.london
