About Us
East London Shakespeare Festival was founded by Ursula Early and Rosie Ward.
They met while doing outdoor Shakespeare in 2011 and now 'the wheel is come full circle' - they reconnected while both living, working and bring up their families in Waltham Forest.... it is their shared enthusiasm for creating fun, accessible events in beautiful local spaces, which sparked the idea behind the birth of the East London Shakespeare Festival.
East London Shakespeare Festival became a registered charity in 2023 and continues to fulfil our charitable aims of advancing the arts in local communities, producing affordable and accessible Shakespeare productions and create creative opportunities for locals and young people.
Artistic Directors
Ursula Early
Ursula is the Artisrtic Director and Creative Producer at Blackhorse Arts, CentrE17 and Big Bear Theatre Company.
'Projects include: Desdemona: a play about a handkerchief (PARK THEATRE), A Bold Stroke For A Husband & Double Indignity - Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds and Bridewell Theatre and the regular new writing/ comedy night Laugh Your Farce Off , Pleasance Theatre - Islington (Main House) and Edinburgh (Pleasance Two). She is an invited member producer on the The Production Exchange and has been a producer on Old Vic New Voices TS Eliot US/UK Exchange and completed Stage One New producers workshops:
Ursula has an extensive acting CV and trained at Guildhall School of Music and Drama
Rosie Ward
Rosie is the founder, Artisrtic Director and Producer of UpFront Theatre Company Ltd, an educational company offering PSHE workshops for KS2 - 5.
Projects include: Before Anyone Else (UK Tour), In Harm’s Way (UK Tour), A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Charity Performance), BuckleUp (EdFringe16) and Bump! (EdFringe16.)
She is the Principal at Act Out Performing Arts, which has 2 successful schools for 4-16 yr olds in Muswell Hill and Walthamstow.
She is a professional actor & singer with an extensive CV. She trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
Trustees
Partners
