| ISPA Distinguished Artist Award Recipient - Phelim McDermott |
ISPA Award Recipient Phelim McDermott2023 Distinguished Artist Award Recipient Phelim McDermott is a performer/director and has been making theatre professionally since 1985. He is a founder member of Improbable and the company’s co-artistic director. Phelim trained with Keith Johnstone in the 80’s and Improvisation is the core practice of all his work. This ranges from fully improvised shows, devising and directing plays and operas to facilitating authentic conversation for social change. Improbable’s “Devoted and Disgruntled” Open Space Technology event is Improbable’s annual groundbreaking conference for the arts sector. Recent productions include: the award-winning My Neighbour Totoro (RSC & Joe Hisaishi with Improbable and Nippon TV) for which he won Best Director at the Olivier Awards 2023 and Whats On Stage Awards; Tao Of Glass, a collaboration with Philip Glass (commissioned by Manchester International Festival, Improbable, Perth Festival, Ruhrfestspiele Recklinghausen, Hong Kong New Vision Arts Festival and Carolina Performing Arts – University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in association with Naomi Milgrom AO); The Hours (Metropolitan Opera, NY in collaboration with Improbable); and with ENO and Improbable, Glass’ Satyagraha (co-production with Metropolitan Opera, NY) and Oliver-award winning Akhnaten (co-production with LA Opera). In 2003 Phelim was awarded a NESTA fellowship to research new ways of using improvisation and process-oriented conflict facilitation techniques. As part of this work he has facilitated over 100 Open Space Technology events. He was made an Honorary Doctor of Middlesex University in 2007 and is a recent graduate of Seth Godin’s altMBA programme. With Improbable he is currently helping establish a new International Creation Centre for Improvisation in Kent under the banner of The Gathering. |
