Giant Olive

George founded Giant Olive in 2008. He co-founded the GOlive dance and performance festival with veteran dance journalist Donald Hutera (The Times) in 2013. He co-founded the Winchester Guide in 2014. Between 2008-2015 he was artistic director and chairman of the Lion & Unicorn Theatre in Kentish Town. He studied acting and contemporary theatre at East 15 acting school and an MA Film & TV: Creative Business at the National Film & Television School.

To contact George, please email george@giantolive.com

Donald Hutera is a low-tech kinda guy with a high tolerance for chili peppers and black liquorice. He also has a seemingly insatiable appetite for all kinds of cultural experiences, especially (but not limited to) the live variety. He is, among other things, a journalist (The Times of London, etc), co-author (The Dance Handbook, with Allen Roberston) and curator (GOlive Dance and Performance and Chelsea Arts Collective aka CAC).

To contact Donald, please email info@giantolive.com

Ray Shell has been a creative director at Giant Olive since it was founded in 2008.  Director credits include 'A Christmas Carol' (2008, 2010), Oliver Twist (2009), The Tulip Wars (2010), Zip: A Streetdance Musical (2010).

Ray Shell is an international actor/writer/singer/producer and director. As an actor Ray has worked for...

Read full biography here 

 To contact Ray, please email info@giantolive.com

Antonia Franceschi conceived and created POP8 for Giant Olive with Ballet Black in 2009, and Just Dance which toured in 2015. She curated the Giant Olive Gala in 2011.

Antonia joined The New York City Ballet after two Hollywood films, Grease and Fame, where she worked with Mr Balanchine and Mr Robbins. In London she has had work created for her by Mark Baldwin, Wayne McGregor, Michael Clark, and Karole Armitage, among others.

Read Antonia's full biography here.

Tamzin trained at the London International School of Performing Arts (LISPA) and Cambridge University.  During her time at University, she studied playwriting with Steve Waters and was a member of the Cambridge Footlights. Tamzin studied with Thomas Prattki at LISPA, former pedagogical director of Jacques Lecoq School in Paris. She is a part-time lecturer at the University of Winchester. Tamzin received her studentship funded PhD in August 2019. Her research focussed on controversy and censorship in contemporary British Theatre, with a particular emphasis on children and young people.

Performance credits include Witch in the West End Birmingham Rep/Ambassador Theatre Group 'The Witches', Wyndhams Theatre.

To contact Tamzin, please email info@giantolive.com

Ciarán has managed the technical operations at Giant Olive since 2008. Lighting Design credits include: Into The Woods, Brink (Royal exchange); Sizwe Banzi Is Dead (Young Vic/UK Tour); Sound Of Yellow (Young Vic); Sense Of Sound’s: Migration Music (Liverpool Everyman). Lighting design credits for Ballet & Dance include: AFD: Jazz (Florence Fould Hall NYC); AFD: Just Dance (Piazza Teatru Rjal Malta/Winchester Theatre Royal); AFD: Pop 8 (Lion and Unicorn); Up & Over It (Hackney Empire); Ecdysis (Sadler’s Wells Lilian Baylis Studio/UK Tour).

Ciarán trained at East 15 Acting School where he gained a BA Honors in Stage Management and Technical Theatre (Lighting Design).