Richard Jordan is the Administrative Director of Richard Jordan Productions Ltd, an award winning production and theatre management company that operates in the UK and overseas. He has produced and co-produced more than 55 plays for the stage. In 2000 he was one of the first winners of the TIF/Society of London Theatre Producers Award. In 2005 he featured in The Stage’s list of the 100 leading theatre professionals.
One of the UK’s youngest producers, born in Norwich in 1974, Jordan was one of “The Impresarios” interviewed by arts critic James Inverne for his book published by Oberon Books in October 2000. His theatre career began at the age of 16 when he was Assistant Producer for P.W. Productions in their productions of “Dickens Women”, with Miriam Margolyes, and “The Woman in Black” at the West End. “Dylan Thomas Return Journey”, directed by Anthony Hopkins, with Bob Kingdom, and “Kings”, by Christopher Logues, with Alan Howard, were both staged at the Edinburgh Festival.
Jordan concluded his studies at the Oxford School of Drama and went on to work as Marketing Assistant for the National Youth Music Theatre of Great Britain. In 1993, he took on the post of Assistant Manager at the Wycombe Swan Theatre, then the country’s newest venue, which Jordan played a key role in developing.
In 1995, he moved to Michael Codron Ltd as Theatre Manager, overseeing the West End production of “Shakespeare Revue” with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He was also Assistant Manager for “Indian Ink” by Tom Stoppard. At the age of 21, he had the honour of being one of the youngest theatre managers in the history of British theatre.
Richard Jordan’s next position was in the team of theatre managers working for the Royal National Theatre, where he was director of the Cottesloe Theatre. Among the productions at this time were award-winning “Closer”, by Patrick Marbers, the box office hit “Copenhagen” by Michael Frayn, “Othello”, a co-production by Sam Mendes with the Salzburg Festival, and the acclaimed production by Trevor Nunns of Tennessee Williams’ “Not about Nightingales”.
In 1998, he left the Royal National Theatre to set up his own independent production company, Richard Jordan Productions Ltd. The company’s most recent productions include “The Wind in the Willows”, Paul Walker’s multiple award-winning “Ladies and Gents”, and “Third Finger, Left Hand”, a co-production with York Theatre Royal.
Jordan also put on “Miguel Street”, the first staging of a work by Nobel Prize winner VS Naipaul. The performances at Andrews Lane Theatre, Dublin, as part of the Dublin Festival were followed by successful seasons in Edinburgh and London.
Jordan is the main producer in the UK of prize-winning playwright Conor McPherson. He produced the UK and world tours of the author’s “Rum and Vodka” and “The Good Thief”, which were staged jointly. The production played to packed houses in theatres throughout Ireland, at the Citizens Theatre, Glasgow, the Soho Theatre, London, and at the 2001 Festival de Artes da Cultura Inglesa in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Some of Jordan’s other productions include Brecht’s “The Life of Galileo”, translated by David Hare, at BAC, London, and the British Theatre debut of leading Greek acting talent Nikos Dionysios in the acclaimed solo piece “Rite of Passage”.
In June 2000 Richard Jordan produced the 20th anniversary revival of “Sweeney Todd, The Demon Barber of Fleet Street” by Stephen Sondheim. He also directed the play, which had a very successful run at London’s Bridewell Theatre. The production made its mark as the UK’s first open-air musical, was visited by Stephen Sondheim and won the Grapevine Theatre’s Best Production Award in 2000.
Jordan was Associate Producer and General Manager for the premiere of the musical “After the Fair” at Kings Head Theatre, London. The play made its name as an off-Broadway hit and was also a Best Musical nominee for the 2000 Outer Critics Circle award in New York. His co-production of “Troilus and Cressida” at London’s Old Vic starred Tony Award winner Jordan Murphy.
Richard Jordan regularly gives talks about theatre and production to international audiences, including the Guildford School of Acting and the Julliard School, New York. He is a regular commentator on BBC Radio.
Jordan is a voting member of BAFTA for the Orange British Academy Film Awards.
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