CITY LIGHTHOUSE THEATRE COMPANY

Manisha Sondhi (she/her) is a Director and Writer with a Masters in Text and Performance from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts and Birkbeck, University of London.

She has directed shows such as Othello, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead, The Sun Will Rise at The Etcetera Theatre and is currently directing The Plunge at the Space Theatre and Concha at Brixton House. She has a passion for new writing which prompted her to create City Lighthouse Theatre Company with the aim to help new artists and bring untold stories to the stage.

Manisha is also currently part of the 2021-2022 cohort of the Tamasha Directors’ Programme and a dresser on Small Island at the National Theatre.

Carly Fernandez (they/them) is a writer with a focus on The Queer Experience and the Latin-America Diaspora.

They’re currently doing a BA (Hons) in Creative Writing at Birkbeck, University of London and are part of this year’s Writer’s Lab at Soho Theatre where they’re currently developing a new play.
They have presented their writing at venues such as Omnibus Theatre and Southwark Playhouse.

Carly believes in showcasing the lives of queer people on stage, specifically trans people of colour which inspired them to write Concha. Concha is a solo play that explores the intersectionality of the queer experience, from the perspective of a Latinx non-binary immigrant. Concha will have its London debut at Brixton House from 26th-29th April 2022.

Olivia Crawford (she/her) is a theatre producer and stage manager. She graduated from the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) with a B.A. in English, and Film and Theatre minors and is currently getting her M.A. Creative Producing at Royal Central School of Speech and Drama.

She was an Artistic Director/Executive Producer for HOOLIGAN Theatre Company, and has worked with New York Stage and Film, Jean Doumanian Productions, Abrons Art Center, Los Angeles Women’s Theatre Festival, and did two stints at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. She just finished working with Southpaw Dance Company on their premiere tour of the dance/theatre spectacular Speakeasy and with RGM Productions on their production Fashion Freak Show at the Roundhouse this summer. She is producing Concha at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and is also working as a Venue Crew Lead at the Pleasance Courtyard. 

She cannot wait to use all she’s learnt to help City Lighthouse create the outstanding art she knows the world needs to see. She is particularly passionate about female sexuality and the power music, dance, and technical design have in telling a story.

Louise Moore (she/her) is a playwright, actor, and theatre manager. She graduated from Royal Holloway University with a MA in English and Drama. She was the Duty Manager of Omnibus Theatre and now manages some of the largest theatres in London.

She has worked as a dresser on the Mamma Mia UK tour, performed in the Gilbert and Sullivan Festival, and has stage managed in Edinburgh as well as touring separately with improv groups. As a playwright, her work has been debuted in London and has run various artist and new work initiatives. She is currently building a London based playwright directory.

Her particular interests lie in LGBTQ+ narratives and championing new work. She firmly believes in the power theatre has to influence people from all across the wide spectrum of life and hopes that building narratives will pave a way to building community.