Board

Adam Nichols - Artistic Director and Co-Founder

Adam is rapidly approaching his theatrical half century as actor, director and designer with credits across the country from Guildford to Edinburgh via London, St Albans, Stratford upon Avon and Durham. His acting career peaked early as one of the princes murdered by Anthony Sher in the seminal Royal Shakespeare Company production of Richard III in 1985. Since then his favourite roles have included Shylock in The Merchant of Venice, Jimmy Porter in Look Back in Anger and Lopakhin in The Cherry Orchard (pictured). Adam is the Co-founder and Artistic Director of OVO, for whom he has directed Romeo and Juliet, The New World Order, As You Like It, Macbeth (twice), Closer, The Importance of Being Earnest, Twelfth Night, Celebration/Party Time and All's Well That Ends Well.

Imogen de la Bere - Programming Director

Imogen de la Bere is a writer and director who spent her formative years in New Zealand, the last fifteen as a respected, if controversial, theatre critic. Since moving back to England, she has had three novels published by Jonathan Cape and directed ten plays for OVO (Mountain Language, The Cherry Orchard, A Winter's Tale, The Merchant of Venice, Measure for Measure, Much Ado About Nothing, All's Well That Ends Well, Three Sisters and Playing Faustus, which was also her first venture as a playwright.

David Widdowson - Chairman

David made his OVO debut in The New World Order, following this up with an acclaimed performance in the title role of Macbeth (for which he was nominated for a Hertfordshire Best Actor award). Other roles have included Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Orsino in Twelfth Night, Dogberry in Much Ado About Nothing, Vershinin in Three Sisters, the King in All’s Well That Ends Well and a second Macbeth (pictured). David also appears regularly for the Whitwell Players, for whom he recently played a startlingly pneumatic Ugly Sister in Cinderella.

Kate Kellner - Deputy Chair

Kate joined OVO in 2010, having previously worked on a number of school productions as a primary teacher. She was Stage Manager for All’s Well That Ends Well, A Musical Journey, Three Sisters and Macbeth and made her debut as a Producer with Picasso at the Lapin Agile.

James Pitchford - Company Secretary and Publicity Manager

James has been involved in ten productions with OVO. He was Musical Director for Much Ado About Nothing, All’s Well That Ends Well, Three Sisters, Art and Macbeth and made a memorable cameo appearance as Doctor Pinch in The Comedy of Errors (pictured). James founded the OVOcalists for whom he directed A Musical Journey and Songs from the Silver Screen, and plays with Food of Love, OVO's house band. He is also involved with the St Albans Symphony Orchestra and musically directed Mrs Warren’s Profession for Dunstable Rep.