Nigel Townsend (Founder/Director / Producer) Graduated Drama Bretton Hall, Leeds University 1974 but wrote his first play ‘The Journey’ in 1969 while at Abbeydale Boy’s Grammar School, Sheffield. The play was produced by The Merlin Theatre Tintagel House, Sheffield where it was directed by Chris Boulton. Nigel’s second play ‘Without the cold and desolation of winter’ written while a student at Bretton Hall was produced by The Crucible Theatre Sheffield in 1972. He wrote throughout his time at Bretton where other plays were staged as student productions. Nigel has worked extensively as a playwright and director in many UK theatre companies including the Coventry Belgrade Theatre-in-Education team, Humberside Theatre, The Cockpit, Greenwich Young People’s Theatre, The Young Vic, Battersea Arts Centre, The Unicorn and the BBC.

He founded and subsequently developed Y Touring in 1989 under the auspices of Central YMCA which led to him setting up Theatre of Debate in 2014.

n 2017 Nigel was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts

Nigel has brought together academics, scientists, writers, designers, artists, and actors from across the world to weld into teams with the aim of taking topical and complex matters into a unique form of educational entertainment. In this he has acted as an exceptional role model in bringing people together to achieve outstanding results in the education of young people.