The Orísun Advisory Board

Julie McNamara

Julie McNamara is an award-winning playwright, theatre director, filmmaker, producer, actor and poet.

She is the Founder and former Artistic Director of Vital Xposure; a bold, dynamic disabled-led theatre company that champions hidden voices, challenges common assumptions, and creates exciting and innovative theatrical experiences for audiences, artists and communities alike.

She has fought for social justice all her life and remains dedicated to a world where all citizens are equally valued. Her work is driven by social justice with a lifelong preoccupation with creating platforms for excluded voices from the political periphery. She has an extensive history of producing theatre in the UK and internationally.

Monay Thomas

Monay Thomas is an actor, writer and film-maker from South East London.

She is a member of the National Youth Theatre, the BFI Film Academy and Sounds Like Chaos Theatre Company. She has trained on Theatre Peckham’s Originate programme, the National Theatre’s Writing for Theatre course and the Almeida’s Anthem writers programme.

Monay is also the creator of ENLIGHTEN, a project created to uplift black creatives and those from under-represented backgrounds by creating accessible resources offering guidance and support.

Monay is keen to continue to develop her artistry and make work that empowers and inspires. 

Andy Rothery

Andy is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and co-head of Affordable Housing at QSix, a housing investment fund. Andy was previously a corporate finance partner at Deloitte where he worked for 27 years after graduating from Oxford University with a degree in Politics Philosophy and Economics.

Andy is very committed to his local community - his parents were market traders in Deptford market and he is co-chair of governors at the Leathersellers Federation of Schools and treasurer of both Deptford First and the New Cross Gate Trust, local community charities. Andy was previously chair of the Florence Trust for 10 years, a contemporary visual arts charitable foundation, as well as the founding chair of The Opera Group, an award winning contemporary opera company.

Andy has written a number of plays that have been performed professionally in London fringe theatres and he is motivated by improving social inclusion and participation in the arts at grassroots level. Andy is delighted to join the Orísun Advisory board to support the excellent work it does of providing a platform for black creatives and to bring new audiences into the theatre.