Elizabeth Newman

Elizabeth Newman is currently the artistic director of Sheffield Theatres.

Prior to this, she was the artistic director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 2018 to 2024. Notable productions there include Faith Healer, for which she won Best Director in The Critic’s Awards for Theatre in Scotland, and critically acclaimed productions of Footloose, Sunshine On Leith, Shirley Valentine and Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.

During her tenure, the theatre was nominated for Best Theatre in the UK at The Stage Awards and established collaborations with theatre companies including the National Theatre of Scotland, Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh, HOME Manchester and Capital Theatres.

Newman was artistic director of Octagon Theatre Bolton, artistic director of Shared Property Theatre Company and acting artistic director of London’s Southwark Playhouse. A multi-award-winning theatre director, Elizabeth has directed over 100 theatre productions all over the UK. Alongside her work as a theatre director and designer, Elizabeth has written numerous adaptations for the stage, including nearly thirty for family audiences. A champion of new writing, her work has been acknowledged by the Writers’ Guild of Great Britain.

A committed executive leader, Elizabeth has received various awards in recognition of this work over the past two decades. She was named Bolton’s Woman of the Year, UnLtd’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year, finalist for the Young Achiever of the Year Award for Arts, the Oguntê Make a Wave Award for Women of Social Leadership and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Bolton.