ABOUT 

CHARLOTTE WESTENRA

Director • Dramaturg • New Musical Theatre Developer

Award-winning stage director and dramaturg specialising in political theatre, new writing and the development of British musicals. Winner of the 2024 BroadwayWorld Ireland Award for Best Director for Agreement by Owen McCafferty, which also won Best Play and Best New Play. The production was nominated for the International Award at the Stage Awards and Best Play at the UK Theatre Awards. Former US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton described the production as "absolutely captivating", while Alastair Campbell named it the "Cultural Event of 2023" on The Rest is Politics podcast.

Charlotte's work spans large-scale political drama, new musicals, literary adaptation and family theatre. She is particularly recognised for developing new musical theatre and politically engaged work that combines theatrical innovation with social and historical inquiry.

DIRECTING CREDITS

2026 Yes, Prime Minister - Barn Theatre Cirencester, Bath Theatre Royal
A Fine Idea - The Arcola
2025 Thursdays with Elvis – Grand Opera House Belfast
2023–2025 Agreement – Lyric Theatre Belfast / Irish Arts Center New York / Gate Theatre Dublin
2021–2023 The Wicker Husband – Watermill Theatre
2022 Indecent Proposal – Southwark Playhouse
2021 A Room of One's Own – The London Library
On Hostile Ground (Director & Co-Creator) – Royal & Derngate
  Sorcerer's Apprentice – Southwark Playhouse / Stream.Theatre
2019 I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change – Chiswick Playhouse
2018 Talking Heads – Gala Theatre, Durham
The Return of the Soldier – Jermyn Street Theatre / Hope Mill Theatre
2014 Venice Preserv'd – Spectators' Guild
2013 Brazil – Secret Cinema
Casablanca – Secret Cinema
2012 Sunset Baby – Gate Theatre
Titanic: Scenes from the British Wreck Commissioner's Inquiry – MAC Belfast
2011 66 Books – Bush Theatre
Celebrity 24 Hour Plays – The Old Vic
2010 Lower Ninth – Donmar at Trafalgar Studios
2009 My Dad's A Birdman – Crucible Theatre Sheffield
2007 Kiss of the Spider Woman – Donmar Warehouse
2005–2006 Gladiator Games – Sheffield Studio / Theatre Royal Stratford East
2002 Waiting for Lefty – Battersea Arts Centre

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Winner
•BroadwayWorld Ireland Award – Best Director (Agreement)
• BroadwayWorld Ireland Award – Best Play (Agreement)
• BroadwayWorld Ireland Award – Best New Play (Agreement)
• MTI Stiles & Drewe Mentorship Award (The Wicker Husband)
• S&S Award – Best International Unproduced Musical (Here)
• Olivier Award – Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre (Bloody Sunday: Scenes from the Saville Inquiry – Associate Director)

Nominations
• The Stage Awards – International Award (Agreement)
• UK Theatre Awards – Best Play (Agreement)
• WhatsOnStage Award Nomination (Gladiator Games)
• Olivier Award - Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre (part of season of work including Gladatior Games )
• James Menzies Kitchin Award Finalist (Waiting for Lefty)
• Stiles and Drewe Best New Song Prize (“Henry”, “Two Ways to Australia”, “My Wicker Man” and “Haus Potsdam” from musicals in development.

Festival Recognition
• NAMT Festival of New Musicals, New York (The Wicker Husband)
• FutureBook Awards – Highly Commended (A Room of One's Own)

CONSERVATOIRE & DRAMA SCHOOL DIRECTING

Charlotte has directed over twenty productions for leading training institutions including Guildhall School of Music & Drama, the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama, Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, Arts Educational Schools, Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Guildford School of Acting, Birmingham School of Acting, Oxford School of Drama and the University of Chichester Conservatoire.

Selected productions include:

Abigail's Party • Detroit • Sleeping Beauty • Sweet Charity • Our House • 9 to 5 • Titanic • Violet • The Faith Machine • Beasts and Beauties • In the Blood • Killer Joe

TRAINING

BA (Hons) Drama – First Class Honours
University of Manchester

Centre of the Theatre of the Oppressed
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

TIPP (Theatre in Prisons and Probation)