Sharon Burrell - Artistic Director
" ... a master of minimalist stagecraft." The Scotsman on 'Claustrophobia'
In 2014 Sharon was selected for Springboard, a training programme run by the Young Vic's Directors Network. Participating directors included Natalie Abrahami, Ramin Gray, Mike Longhurst, Ian Rickson, John Tiffany, Lyndsey Turner and Theatre O. This followed her initial training under the tutorage of award winning playwright and director Simon Bowen, having completed a drama course at the State University of New York in Albany.
Since then she has worked consistently, specialising in the development and presentation of new writing. This became particularly high profile for her last year when she directed 'Old Fools' by Tristan Bernays (best known for 'Boudica' starring Gina McKee at the Globe) at Southwark Playhouse, achieving multiple 5 star reviews, becoming The Independent's top pick of London theatre for the entire run, and lauded for the "fleet-footed" and "profound delicacy" of her direction.
Other directing projects include 'The Dog / The Cat' by Brendan Cowell and Lally Katz (Hope Theatre); 'Claustrophobia' by Jason Hewitt (Hope Theatre / Edinburgh Fringe Festival); 'The Helen Project', performed by Pearl Mackie (WOW Festival, Southbank Centre); and a contemporary version of 'The Merchant of Venice' which received praise for featuring a female Shylock. These full length productions have sat alongside multiple development workshops and readings, including for Park Theatre's Script Accelerator and the Young Vic's Freshworks programmes. Other practical experience includes training with Frantic Assembly and observing Max Stafford-Clark in rehearsal.
As a Producer she trained with Stage One and has been Lead Producer on all of To The Moon's productions as well as producing / general managing for other companies, including d/Deaf inclusive physical theatre company Hot Coals and female-led new writing company Loquitur, on their EdFringe 2019 productions (at Assembly and Underbelly respectively).
In 2014 Sharon was selected for Springboard, a training programme run by the Young Vic's Directors Network. Participating directors included Natalie Abrahami, Ramin Gray, Mike Longhurst, Ian Rickson, John Tiffany, Lyndsey Turner and Theatre O. This followed her initial training under the tutorage of award winning playwright and director Simon Bowen, having completed a drama course at the State University of New York in Albany.
Since then she has worked consistently, specialising in the development and presentation of new writing. This became particularly high profile for her last year when she directed 'Old Fools' by Tristan Bernays (best known for 'Boudica' starring Gina McKee at the Globe) at Southwark Playhouse, achieving multiple 5 star reviews, becoming The Independent's top pick of London theatre for the entire run, and lauded for the "fleet-footed" and "profound delicacy" of her direction.
Other directing projects include 'The Dog / The Cat' by Brendan Cowell and Lally Katz (Hope Theatre); 'Claustrophobia' by Jason Hewitt (Hope Theatre / Edinburgh Fringe Festival); 'The Helen Project', performed by Pearl Mackie (WOW Festival, Southbank Centre); and a contemporary version of 'The Merchant of Venice' which received praise for featuring a female Shylock. These full length productions have sat alongside multiple development workshops and readings, including for Park Theatre's Script Accelerator and the Young Vic's Freshworks programmes. Other practical experience includes training with Frantic Assembly and observing Max Stafford-Clark in rehearsal.
As a Producer she trained with Stage One and has been Lead Producer on all of To The Moon's productions as well as producing / general managing for other companies, including d/Deaf inclusive physical theatre company Hot Coals and female-led new writing company Loquitur, on their EdFringe 2019 productions (at Assembly and Underbelly respectively).
Tom Burgess - Technical Director / Designer
As a freelance arts technician, Tom has worked in nearly every theatrical department and is often called upon to create the unusual or impossible. He has been with To The Moon since 2013 and designed their most recent production - ‘Claustrophobia’.
Tom trained at City Lit as a stage manager, designer and technician. He has since worked as a technician on shows including 'Personals: The Musical' (The Bridewell) and 'The Night Before Christmas' (The Ambassadors) and stage managed productions such as 'The London 50-Hour Improvathon' (Hoxton Hall) and 'The Terror Season' (Southwark Playhouse), where he was also Lighting Designer for the premiere of Neil LaBute’s controversial new play 'The Unimaginable'. Recently, he was the Tour Manager for ‘Knightmare Live’ (venues included The Lowry, Aberdeen Music Hall, Lyric Shaftesbury).
Tom worked as the Technical Manager at The Courtyard Theatre in Hoxton and during his time there the space hosted top UK theatre and television companies, among them ALRA, The Globe Theatre and ITV. He is currently the Technical Director and Production Manager at Theatre N16, a new arts and performance space in Balham that he helped set up from scratch. Outside of the venue, Tom now works primarily as a technical supervisor and consultant for both theatre and television. He was a technical consultant on comedy/video game panel show ‘Dara O’Briain’s Go 8-Bit’ for the UKTV channel Dave, and has just finished working on the installation of a state of the art theatre for Ibstock Place School in Richmond.
As an art director, he has worked for BBC Comedy Online and on feature films including award-winning director Steve Balderson’s 'Culture Shock' (Dikenga Films) which premiered at Raindance Film Festival. His special-effects credits include 'Terror: Love Me to Death' (Soho Theatre), 'Real Horror Show' (Leicester Square Theatre) and British horror film 'The Zombie King' (Northern Girl Productions) starring Corey Feldman and Edward Furlong.
Tom directed, designed and curated immersive B-Movie experience 'The Midnight Movie Theatre', seen in Edinburgh and Leicester Square.
Tom trained at City Lit as a stage manager, designer and technician. He has since worked as a technician on shows including 'Personals: The Musical' (The Bridewell) and 'The Night Before Christmas' (The Ambassadors) and stage managed productions such as 'The London 50-Hour Improvathon' (Hoxton Hall) and 'The Terror Season' (Southwark Playhouse), where he was also Lighting Designer for the premiere of Neil LaBute’s controversial new play 'The Unimaginable'. Recently, he was the Tour Manager for ‘Knightmare Live’ (venues included The Lowry, Aberdeen Music Hall, Lyric Shaftesbury).
Tom worked as the Technical Manager at The Courtyard Theatre in Hoxton and during his time there the space hosted top UK theatre and television companies, among them ALRA, The Globe Theatre and ITV. He is currently the Technical Director and Production Manager at Theatre N16, a new arts and performance space in Balham that he helped set up from scratch. Outside of the venue, Tom now works primarily as a technical supervisor and consultant for both theatre and television. He was a technical consultant on comedy/video game panel show ‘Dara O’Briain’s Go 8-Bit’ for the UKTV channel Dave, and has just finished working on the installation of a state of the art theatre for Ibstock Place School in Richmond.
As an art director, he has worked for BBC Comedy Online and on feature films including award-winning director Steve Balderson’s 'Culture Shock' (Dikenga Films) which premiered at Raindance Film Festival. His special-effects credits include 'Terror: Love Me to Death' (Soho Theatre), 'Real Horror Show' (Leicester Square Theatre) and British horror film 'The Zombie King' (Northern Girl Productions) starring Corey Feldman and Edward Furlong.
Tom directed, designed and curated immersive B-Movie experience 'The Midnight Movie Theatre', seen in Edinburgh and Leicester Square.
Stuart Benson - Scriptwriting Consultant (Screen)
Stuart has worked with To The Moon on a number of projects over the years, and most recently has been a writer and now producer of their Laugh or Cry shows.
Stuart is a comedy writer, and was accepted into the BBC Writers Room 2015/16, where he spent 6 months getting advice and masterclasses from those in the industry. Since then he has shown his writing at Laugh or Cry's Cruel Britannia show at the Lion and Unicorn in September 2016. He is currently developing a sitcom with a BBC Radio producer for BBC Radio 4.
He is also the producer of Laugh or Cry's Speakeasy, a storytelling night where people share their hilarious and harrowing true stories to a room of strangers.
Stuart trained as an Actor for 3 years at The Court Theatre Training company in London. He has worked in Theatre & Film, notably in ‘The Theory of Everything’. Other credits include a commercial for Liverpool F.C. and Subway, a featured artist in BBC One's Christmas Idents, and he played the lead, ‘Dave’, in the multi-award winning ‘Dave’s Wild Life’, including an award from Mike Leigh and entry into the Seattle International Film Festival.
Stuart has worked with To The Moon on a number of projects over the years, and most recently has been a writer and now producer of their Laugh or Cry shows.
Stuart is a comedy writer, and was accepted into the BBC Writers Room 2015/16, where he spent 6 months getting advice and masterclasses from those in the industry. Since then he has shown his writing at Laugh or Cry's Cruel Britannia show at the Lion and Unicorn in September 2016. He is currently developing a sitcom with a BBC Radio producer for BBC Radio 4.
He is also the producer of Laugh or Cry's Speakeasy, a storytelling night where people share their hilarious and harrowing true stories to a room of strangers.
Stuart trained as an Actor for 3 years at The Court Theatre Training company in London. He has worked in Theatre & Film, notably in ‘The Theory of Everything’. Other credits include a commercial for Liverpool F.C. and Subway, a featured artist in BBC One's Christmas Idents, and he played the lead, ‘Dave’, in the multi-award winning ‘Dave’s Wild Life’, including an award from Mike Leigh and entry into the Seattle International Film Festival.
Anto Cossu - Associate Artist / Assistant Producer / Stage Manager
Anto moved to London from Sardinia, Italy and after abandoning a career in journalism she trained as an actor and a theatre maker at London South Bank University.
She landed her first professional acting role in “Cause For Alarm” by Deborah Klayman (Whoop’n’Wail) Waterloo East Theatre in December 2014.
In September 2015, she joined the Script Accelerator programme run by the Park Theatre where she met Sharon and worked alongside her as assistant and designer on “The View” by Steve Arber. She aspires to be a playwright and a theatre director and she is thrilled to begin her career with To The Moon, with whom she shares the love for the darkest side of human psyche.
Her passion for experimental theatre, combined with an interest in multimedia performance, pushes her to find new ways of doing and seeing things, all things.
Anto is also known as a singer-songwriter and composer under the name of Anto Dust.
She toured Europe with her band and is now currently working on her debut album due out in Spring 2016. Her music received international acclaim and a string of great reviews from radio and press. To hear for yourself, click here.
"Chiming guitars and celestial vocals combine to produce an otherworldly slice of pristine ethereal dream pop which conjures up the beauty of ‘Spooky’ era 4AD shoegaze legends Lush." - BBC6
Anto moved to London from Sardinia, Italy and after abandoning a career in journalism she trained as an actor and a theatre maker at London South Bank University.
She landed her first professional acting role in “Cause For Alarm” by Deborah Klayman (Whoop’n’Wail) Waterloo East Theatre in December 2014.
In September 2015, she joined the Script Accelerator programme run by the Park Theatre where she met Sharon and worked alongside her as assistant and designer on “The View” by Steve Arber. She aspires to be a playwright and a theatre director and she is thrilled to begin her career with To The Moon, with whom she shares the love for the darkest side of human psyche.
Her passion for experimental theatre, combined with an interest in multimedia performance, pushes her to find new ways of doing and seeing things, all things.
Anto is also known as a singer-songwriter and composer under the name of Anto Dust.
She toured Europe with her band and is now currently working on her debut album due out in Spring 2016. Her music received international acclaim and a string of great reviews from radio and press. To hear for yourself, click here.
"Chiming guitars and celestial vocals combine to produce an otherworldly slice of pristine ethereal dream pop which conjures up the beauty of ‘Spooky’ era 4AD shoegaze legends Lush." - BBC6
