Tom Morris (director)
Encyclopedia
Tom Morris is a British
theatre director, writer and producer. He was the Associate Director at the National Theatre
in London, before taking over as Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic
theatre in 2009.
.
, a Jesuit
boys' boarding independent school
in Lancashire
in north west England, and then read English Literature at Pembroke College
at the University of Cambridge
from 1983-6.
, The Independent
, The Sunday Times
, The Daily Telegraph
, The Guardian
and The Observer
, and appeared on BBC
television and radio
programmes Kaleidoscope, Night Waves and The Late Show. Morris was Artistic Director of Battersea Arts Centre
(BAC) before taking up his post at the National Theatre in 2004. In September 2009 Morris took over as Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic
theatre. Here he oversaw a £20 million renovation of the building, as well as producing and directing new productions.
As well as directing many theatrical productions, Morris has also directed and produced several operas.
In 2011 he won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play
for the Broadway production of War Horse
, along with co-director Marianne Elliott
.
One interviewer said of Morris: "His tastes are catholic, and frequently risky, but they can produce some of the most inspired, inventive theatre in Britain today."
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
theatre director, writer and producer. He was the Associate Director at the National Theatre
Royal National Theatre
The Royal National Theatre in London is one of the United Kingdom's two most prominent publicly funded theatre companies, alongside the Royal Shakespeare Company...
in London, before taking over as Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic
The Bristol Old Vic is a theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, King Street, in Bristol, England. The theatre complex includes the 1766 Theatre Royal, which claims to be the oldest continually-operating theatre in England, along with a 1970s studio theatre , offices and backstage facilities...
theatre in 2009.
Early life
Morris was born in 1964, and is the younger brother of satirist Chris MorrisChris Morris (satirist)
Christopher Morris is an English satirist, writer, director and actor. A former radio DJ, he is best known for anchoring the spoof news and current affairs television programmes The Day Today and Brass Eye, as well as his frequent engagement with controversial subject matter.In 2010 Morris...
.
Education
Morris was educated at Stonyhurst CollegeStonyhurst College
Stonyhurst College is a Roman Catholic independent school, adhering to the Jesuit tradition. It is located on the Stonyhurst Estate near the village of Hurst Green in the Ribble Valley area of Lancashire, England, and occupies a Grade I listed building...
, a Jesuit
Society of Jesus
The Society of Jesus is a Catholic male religious order that follows the teachings of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits, and are also known colloquially as "God's Army" and as "The Company," these being references to founder Ignatius of Loyola's military background and a...
boys' boarding independent school
Independent school
An independent school is a school that is independent in its finances and governance; it is not dependent upon national or local government for financing its operations, nor reliant on taxpayer contributions, and is instead funded by a combination of tuition charges, gifts, and in some cases the...
in Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
in north west England, and then read English Literature at Pembroke College
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
at the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
from 1983-6.
Career
From 1988 to 1994, Morris worked in broadcasting and journalism, as a critic and feature-writer for The Times Literary SupplementThe Times Literary Supplement
The Times Literary Supplement is a weekly literary review published in London by News International, a subsidiary of News Corporation.-History:...
, The Independent
The Independent
The Independent is a British national morning newspaper published in London by Independent Print Limited, owned by Alexander Lebedev since 2010. It is nicknamed the Indy, while the Sunday edition, The Independent on Sunday, is the Sindy. Launched in 1986, it is one of the youngest UK national daily...
, The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times
The Sunday Times is a British Sunday newspaper.The Sunday Times may also refer to:*The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times *The Sunday Times...
, The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph is a daily morning broadsheet newspaper distributed throughout the United Kingdom and internationally. The newspaper was founded by Arthur B...
, The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
and The Observer
The Observer
The Observer is a British newspaper, published on Sundays. In the same place on the political spectrum as its daily sister paper The Guardian, which acquired it in 1993, it takes a liberal or social democratic line on most issues. It is the world's oldest Sunday newspaper.-Origins:The first issue,...
, and appeared on BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
television and radio
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
programmes Kaleidoscope, Night Waves and The Late Show. Morris was Artistic Director of Battersea Arts Centre
Battersea Arts Centre
The Battersea Arts Centre is a performance space near Clapham Junction in Battersea, in the London Borough of Wandsworth that specialises in music and theatre productions.-History:...
(BAC) before taking up his post at the National Theatre in 2004. In September 2009 Morris took over as Artistic Director of the Bristol Old Vic
Bristol Old Vic
The Bristol Old Vic is a theatre company based at the Theatre Royal, King Street, in Bristol, England. The theatre complex includes the 1766 Theatre Royal, which claims to be the oldest continually-operating theatre in England, along with a 1970s studio theatre , offices and backstage facilities...
theatre. Here he oversaw a £20 million renovation of the building, as well as producing and directing new productions.
As well as directing many theatrical productions, Morris has also directed and produced several operas.
In 2011 he won the Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play
Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play
The Tony Award for Best Direction of a Play has been given since 1960. Before 1960 there was only one award for both play direction and musical direction, then in 1960 the award was split into two categories: Dramatic and Musical. In 1976 the Dramatic category was renamed to Play...
for the Broadway production of War Horse
War Horse (play)
War Horse is a play based on the book of the same name by acclaimed children's writer Michael Morpurgo, adapted for stage by Nick Stafford. Originally Morpurgo thought "they must be mad" to try to make a play from his best-selling 1982 novel. He was proved wrong by the play's instant success...
, along with co-director Marianne Elliott
Marianne Elliott (director)
Marianne Elliott is a British theatre director.-Early life:Marianne Elliott was born in 1966 in London, the daughter of Michael Elliott, the theatre director and co-founder of the Royal Exchange theatre in Manchester and the actress Rosalind Knight. The family moved to Manchester when she was 8...
.
One interviewer said of Morris: "His tastes are catholic, and frequently risky, but they can produce some of the most inspired, inventive theatre in Britain today."
Selected productions
- 1999 MacbethMacbethThe Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
Director, BAC - 2001 Jerry Springer: The OperaJerry Springer: The OperaJerry Springer: The Opera is a British musical written by Richard Thomas and Stewart Lee, based on the television show The Jerry Springer Show. The musical is notable for its profanity, its irreverent treatment of Judeo-Christian themes, and surreal images such as a troupe of tap-dancing Ku Klux...
Producer, BAC - 2005 Coram BoyCoram BoyCoram Boy is a very successful children's novel by Jamila Gavin. Published in 2000, it won Gavin a Whitbread Children's Book Award. The story follows a wide range of characters, from the rich Alexander Ashbrook to Toby, a young boy saved from an African slave ship, as their lives become closely...
Producer, National Theatre, Olivier - 2007 A Matter of Life and DeathA Matter of Life and DeathA Matter of Life and Death is a romantic fantasy film set in World War II by the British writer-director-producer team of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. It was originally released in U.S. under the title Stairway to Heaven, which derived from the film's most prominent special effect: a...
Writer and Adaptor, National Theatre, Olivier - 2007-2011 War HorseWar Horse (play)War Horse is a play based on the book of the same name by acclaimed children's writer Michael Morpurgo, adapted for stage by Nick Stafford. Originally Morpurgo thought "they must be mad" to try to make a play from his best-selling 1982 novel. He was proved wrong by the play's instant success...
Co-director and Producer, National Theatre, Olivier; transferring to West End and Broadway.