The JMK Trust

The JMK Trust provides talented young directors with awards, guidance and development opportunities

  • Home
  • About
  • The JMK Award
    • About the JMK Award
    • Application process 2023
    • Information for Designers
  • National Programme
    • About the JMK National Programme
      • JMK Birmingham
      • JMK Bristol
      • JMK Edinburgh
      • JMK Manchester
      • JMK Newcastle
      • JMK Northampton
      • JMK Nottingham
      • JMK Reading
      • JMK Salisbury
      • JMK Stoke-on-Trent
      • JMK Yorkshire
    • #JMKSpace
    • JMK Director Practitioners
  • Assistant Director Bursaries
    • Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary – Leeds Playhouse
      • Apply: Leeds Playhouse Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary
    • Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary – Royal Exchange Manchester
      • Apply: Royal Exchange Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary
    • JMK Assistant Director Bursary Recipients
    • JMK Bob Carlton Bursary
  • Support us
    • How you can help
    • Support for Free with Online Shopping
    • Legacies
    • JMK Gift Membership & Awards Circle
    • ShareGift
    • Thanks to our supporters
  • Blog
  • More information
    • Learn about directing
    • Archive Playlists
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Director’s Day – Nottingham Playhouse
  • Directing and theatre-making within a socially engaged context with Jack Nurse from Wonder Fools
  • Making Theatre Sustainable Workshop

The JMK Award

The James Menzies-Kitchin Young Director Award

The JMK Award was established in memory of James Menzies-Kitchin, a young theatre director who died suddenly and unexpectedly at the age of 28, to encourage others to fulfil their potential as he had promised to do.

The JMK Trust was founded to give opportunities to young theatre directors of similar ability and vision.  The Award enables one outstanding applicant each year to create their own production of their choice of classic text. For many, winning the JMK Award is the breakthrough moment in their directing career.

Increasingly simply taking part in the Trust’s unique, intensive development and selection process has itself given powerful impetus to the best theatre practitioners of the future.

“I wouldn’t be where I am now without winning the Award. The only way to become a director is to direct. There is no three-year drama school course to go on after which you can be a qualified director. This Award provides the opportunity to direct by giving the two things a young director doesn’t have – a space and money.” Thea Sharrock

“The Award is extraordinary because its unique existence fulfills every young director’s wish: to choose a play and then receive the financial support to stage it.  It was an amazing privilege to have this wish fulfilled.” Natalie Abrahami

The JMK Young Director Award 2020

We are delighted that the JMK Award is continuing its partnership with the Orange Tree Theatre, with the winner’s production forming a core part of the theatre’s annual programming. The JMK Award 2020 will offer one director the opportunity to direct a full-scale Orange Tree show with the production values and nurturing guidance the building is famous for.

Applications for the JMK Award 2020 are now closed.

The JMK Award is supported by Phillip Hooker, The Martin Bowley Charitable Trust, Backstage Trust, The Leche Trust, Fidelio Charitable Trust, the Directors Charitable Foundation and all our individual donors.

Latest News

  • JMK Award winner 2023 April 21, 2023
  • JMK Award 2023 Shortlist March 23, 2023
  • JMK Trust announces new recipients of 2023 Victoria Wood Bursaries March 14, 2023

Alumni

Diane Page Tristian Fynn-Aiduenu Winner 2017 - Josh Roche Winner 2016 - Roy Alexander Weise Winner 2015 - Liz Stevenson Kate Hewitt - winner 2014 Winner 2013 - Alex Brown Winner 2012 - Sam Pritchard Winner 2011 - Cathal Cleary Winner 2010 - Matthew Evans Winner 2009 - Caroline Steinbeis Winner 2008 - Michael Oakley Winner 2007 - Polly Findlay Winner 2006 - Jamie Harper Winner 2005 - Natalie Abrahami Winner 2004 - Anne Tipton Winner 2003 - Bijan Sheibani Winner 2002 - Joe Hill Gibbins Winner 2001 - Orla O'Loughlin Winner 2000 - Thea Sharrock Winner 1999 - Mark Rosenblatt Winner 1998 - Tassos Stevens

Click here to view all JMK alumni »

Patrons: Dame Judi Dench, Baroness Howe, Sir Ian McKellen, Clare Menzies-Kitchin MBE and Tom Morris OBE (Founding Chair).  

The JMK Trust is kindly supported by The Martin Bowley Charitable Trust, Arts Council England, The Katie Bradford Arts Trust, The Leche Trust, Scops Arts Trust, The Garrick Charitable Trust, The Victoria Wood Foundation, The Barbara Whatmore Charitable Trust, The Maria Björnson Memorial Fund, The Patricia Routledge Foundation, The Hollick Family Foundation and all our individual donors.

Registered address: Talton Farm Cottage, Newbold on Stour, Stratford on Avon, Warwickshire, CV37 8UB.

Registered Charity: No. 295080

Copyright © 2023 · Dynamik-Gen on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

The JMK Trust
  • Home
  • About
  • The JMK Award
    • About the JMK Award
    • Application process 2023
    • Information for Designers
  • National Programme
    • About the JMK National Programme
      • JMK Birmingham
      • JMK Bristol
      • JMK Edinburgh
      • JMK Manchester
      • JMK Newcastle
      • JMK Northampton
      • JMK Nottingham
      • JMK Reading
      • JMK Salisbury
      • JMK Stoke-on-Trent
      • JMK Yorkshire
    • #JMKSpace
    • JMK Director Practitioners
  • Assistant Director Bursaries
    • Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary – Leeds Playhouse
      • Apply: Leeds Playhouse Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary
    • Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary – Royal Exchange Manchester
      • Apply: Royal Exchange Victoria Wood Assistant Director Bursary
    • JMK Assistant Director Bursary Recipients
    • JMK Bob Carlton Bursary
  • Support us
    • How you can help
    • Support for Free with Online Shopping
    • Legacies
    • JMK Gift Membership & Awards Circle
    • ShareGift
    • Thanks to our supporters
  • Blog
  • More information
    • Learn about directing
    • Archive Playlists
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
  • Director’s Day – Nottingham Playhouse
  • Directing and theatre-making within a socially engaged context with Jack Nurse from Wonder Fools
  • Making Theatre Sustainable Workshop