Julie Clare Productions
theatre people want to see
Joy Productions
Formed in 2023, Joy Productions is a new pantomime company headed up by Susie McKenna who built the highly respected Hackney Empire pantomime and Olivier Award-winning producer Julie Clare and producer Chuchu Nwagu.
Our mission is to create quality pantomimes that both honour tradition and are modern, inclusive, and relevant to the communities we serve. Just as importantly, team Joy will be fulfilling social goals around bringing communities together and, by partnering with local colleges and West End venues, create a pipeline of global majority and working class and global majority talent into the industry
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Our Shows
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Jack & the Beanstalk
(Catford Broadway 2023)
Sleeping Beauty
(Catford Broadway 2024)
How We Bring Joy
We called our company Joy Productions because we intend to bring communities together by spreading as much joy as possible.
Specifically by:
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making children’s first introduction to theatre magical, so theatre is a place they want to be.
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making theatre affordable with over 8,500 x £10 tickets, plus a £1 ticket fund for those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to take part.
…and promoting careers in the Creative Sector by:
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providing Outreach to schools, community organisations and faith groups.
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From 2024, running Theatre Days at the Broadway Theatre, Catford for local primary school children.
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From 2024/25, the creation of an Artist Development Scheme for young performers to participate in our productions.
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partnering with local educational institutions and major West End theatre owners and producers to create a Talent Pipeline Scheme focused on supporting Global Majority and working-class participants to enter our industry.
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creating local employment opportunities.
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Creating Quality Productions
We called our company Joy Productions because we intend to bring communities together by spreading as much joy as possible.
Specifically by:
-
making children’s first introduction to theatre magical, so theatre is a place they want to be.
-
making theatre affordable with over 8,500 x £10 tickets on sale in 2023, plus a £1 ticket fund for those who otherwise wouldn’t be able to take part.
…and promoting careers in the Creative Sector by:
-
providing Outreach to schools, community organisations and faith groups.
-
From 2025, running Theatre Days at the Broadway Theatre, Catford for local primary school children.
-
From 2026, the creation of an Artist Development Scheme for young performers to participate in our productions.
-
partnering with local educational institutions and major West End theatre owners and producers to create a Talent Pipeline Scheme focused on supporting Global Majority and/or working-class participants to enter our industry.
-
creating local employment opportunities.
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Outreach
We have met with at least 30 primary school heads in the borough and school bookings are already reflecting that engagement. On booking, schools can get free Preparing For Panto assemblies, a free schools pack with lesson plans in English, Drama and Art for all the relevant key stages. And, in return for putting our flyers in children’s book bags, they are offered a limited number of free tickets as raffle prizes for their Summer Fairs.
Theatre Days
We are working with Inspire The Future and SOLT (Society of London Theatres) to create theatre days where we can bring multiple primary schools into the Broadway Theatre and run age-appropriate workshops that practically demonstrate how the various roles in theatre come together to build a production.
Community Connection
and the £1 Ticket Fund
From September we will increase our outreach efforts with local community and faith groups. The purpose is to build ongoing relationships and, in addition, to have them nominate families who won’t even be able to afford discounted tickets. The intention is to seek sponsorship for a fund, along the lines of the National Theatre’s Travelex season, which means people can pay £1 per ticket. In 2023 we raised £5,000 from charitable foundations to kick-start this initiative which is allowed us to offer nearly 600 tickets to families who otherwise would not have been able to attend.
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