Paul Virides is a freelance theatre producer and education practitioner, working out of a base in North London. His interests include commercial and subsidised ventures, especially working on new writing (drama and musical theatre), the utilisation of a variety of media in performance and fostering a theatre culture that encourages accessibility for all without undermining creative endeavour.
In 2014, Paul will be returning to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with Hartshorn – Hook Productions as their Associate Producer after a highly successful 2013 season. As well as Fringe stalwarts A Tribute to the Blues Brothers – Live! (*****, BroadwayBaby.com) and The Rat Pack – Live! (*****, ThreeWeeks), 2013 also saw the world premiere of Jonathan Choat’s English-language adaptation of Honoré de Balzac’s Eugénie Grandet at Assembly George Square (****, Libby Purves, the Times).
In 2011 and ’12, Paul worked at the York Theatre Royal as their Festival Producer for TakeOver12. As well as overseeing the full management and programming of the Festival, Paul also was responsible for a co-production (Scarberia by Evan Placey, in association with Forward Theatre Project) and an in-house production of As You Like It. In 2012 he also took his first show to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – Songs for a New World by Jason Robert Brown – and directed and produced a musical revue at the Tristan Bates Theatre.
When he’s not producing theatre, Paul works in education as an administrator and drama practitioner. This has seen contributions to productions of The Pirates of Penzance, Oliver Twist, and, most recently, The Twelve Days of Christmas at East Barnet School. He has experience working with KS3, KS4 and KS5 students in classwork and exam preparation.
Paul holds an English and Related Literature degree from the University of York, and his theatre credits from university include numerous performances and the production of musical revues. He also was the deputy editor of York Vision, which was awarded Student Publication of the Year by the Guardian during his tenure, and a contributor for One & Other magazine and reviewing publication Broadway Baby.
> As producer: The Rat Pack - Live! (Associate Prod. Edinburgh, 2013), The Blues Brothers - Live! (Associate Prod. Edinburgh, 2013), Eugénie Grandet (Associate Prod. Edinburgh, 2013), Songs For a New World (Edinburgh, 2012), Hear My Song: A Revue (Tristan Bates, 2012), As You Like It (York Theatre Royal, 2012), Scarberia (York Theatre Royal, 2012), TakeOver Festival in-house events, toured-in work (York Theatre Royal, 2011-2).
> As director: Songs For a New World (Edinburgh, C venues, 2012), Hear My Song: A Revue (Tristan Bates Theatre, 2012), A play within a play within a play within a playinaday by Mungo Tatton-Brown (Dramasoc's playinaday, The Drama Barn, York, 2012), contributions to the annual Happily Ever After Society showcase (The Lounge, York, 2012), by Stuart Hall (Dramasoc's playinaday, The Drama Barn, York, 2011), A Very Potter ODN (Drama Barn, 2011), The Pirates of Penzance (AD) (East Barnet School, 2009).
