Joe became Artistic Director in July 2019, and under his artistic leadership, the theatre’s acclaimed and hugely popular Made at Sherman productions have told south Wales stories with global resonance. These productions of plays by Welsh and Wales-based writers have resonated deeply with the Sherman’s growing audiences who have exceeded pre-pandemic levels, enriched the Welsh dramatic canon and secured the Sherman’s position as one of the UK’s most important theatres. The 18 world premiere productions of plays by Welsh and Wales-based writers during Joe’s tenure include: Odyssey ’84 by Tim Price, Hansel and / a Gretel by Katie Elin-Salt, Tales of the Brothers Grimm by Hannah McPake, Crafangau / Claws by Nia Morais – which Joe directed; Housemates by Tim Green (a co-production with Hijinx) which Joe co-directed with Ben Pettitt-Wade; as well as The Women of Llanrumney by Azuka Oforka and Imrie by Nia Morais (a co-production with Frân Wen). Many of these world premieres are the result of the contribution of the Sherman’s Literary Department which was established by Joe in 2021 and is supported by funding from Arts Council of Wales. The Literary Department has further cemented the Sherman’s role as the engine room of Welsh theatre and its position at the heart of theatre in south Wales.
Early in his tenure, Joe oversaw an artistic programme which responded quickly to the challenges posed by the Covid 19 pandemic with work which entertained audiences and supported artists throughout the lockdowns. Since Sherman Theatre re-opened its doors in autumn 2021, Joe has focused the Made at Sherman productions on being a key source of hope, light, and connection for audiences during challenging times.
Every day Sherman Theatre strives towards its vision of world made more equitable, more compassionate, more unified by the power of theatre. It does this by creating and curating exceptional theatre for the people of South Wales and beyond, by nurturing Welsh and Wales-based writers, by inspiring young people and by connecting communities.
Sherman Theatre will announce the first of its Made at Sherman productions for 2025 on Monday 25 November.
Ceri Davies, Chair of The Board of Trustees said “Under the leadership of Joe and Chief Executive Julia Barry, the Sherman is a theatre all of Wales can be proud of: enjoying critical acclaim, awards recognition and increasing UK-wide profile. It has been a pleasure to work closely with Joe and he will be greatly missed, but the strides he has made in developing the work of Welsh and Wales-based artists and creating work that is attracting ever-increasing audiences are now well embedded within the organisation and we will continue to build on the legacy Joe will leave us. The Board wish him every success in his new challenge at Birmingham Rep.”
Joe Murphy, Artistic Director of Sherman Theatre said: “It has been a joy and an honour to lead the Sherman for the last 5 years. It is the most rewarding and exhilarating job in Welsh theatre, and after half a decade of serving audiences, supporting and nurturing artists and navigating pandemics, it is time to give someone else a turn to work in the company of my extraordinary colleagues. Because that is what the Sherman really is. It’s not the building, it’s the people. It’s the community. It’s everyone who has worked on, or seen our shows, been in our building or connected through our Creative Engagement department. And I can’t think of a more special thing in all the world than that, or a more special place to experience it than the Sherman.
Diolch yn fawr iawn i bawb sydd wedi rhannu’r pum mlynedd diwethaf gyda fi.”
Julia Barry, Chief Executive of Sherman Theatre said: “It has been a real pleasure to work alongside Joe over the past five years. As with all arts organisations, we have faced a variety of challenges during this time, but by placing our audiences at the heart of everything we do we have been able to respond and connect with our ever-increasing audiences. The excellent work that Joe has created for the people of south Wales, from Housemates, to A Christmas Carol, to Odyssey ’84 has allowed us to deliver meaningful connections and great evenings of entertainment across generations of audiences. I am confident, as we look ahead to the next stage in the Sherman’s story, that with our brilliant Sherman team and remarkable community of artists, we are in a strong position to build on this legacy and continue to deliver excellent creative experiences to our audiences and communities.”