Who are we? Our Associates…
(The folk you can play with)
Bright Productions is technically Ilona, but theatre just can’t happen with one. Even the one woman shows. Read on to learn about the team that is very much our company.
Ilona Munro
PHOTO BY ABRIGHTSIDE PHOTOGRAPHY
Cliched but true, Ilona always loved theatre from a very young age. She started ballet at age three, and acting soon followed. Although Ilona was a gentle sort, she went for what she wanted, and in Primary 1, she bagged Cinderella and Virgin Mary. Somehow, via a degree in Russian, and living in the former Soviet Union and London, Ilona came to do more and more youth and community theatre projects, while developing her playwrighting. Her “big break” came when Eden Court first employed her in 1996 to kick start their now famous Highland wide outreach programme “Creative”. She was Eden Court’s drama worker for Lochaber from 2000-2014, and it taught her so very much. The sheer range of projects that grew was an amazing learning experience, and she found that she loved Kinlochleven (where her Granny brought up her Dad, and where her Dad wooed her Mum). Ilona has two children, and is happy being creative in such an inspiring area.
Chaz Stewart
Chaz in Burns Boys
Chaz is probably best known for being the guitarist with The Donny Munro band, but has played with many other groups, including the Gaelic “Cliar”, and the Zydecho Ceilidh band. Ilona and Chaz first worked together on a production for the Edinburgh Fringe, “The Garden” and found a happy, off kilter creative union with new music for new writing. Chaz also works as a photographer (who wouldn’t want to around here!), and last year he and Paul made their first online teaser film. A Ballahooligan (via Milton of Campsie) Chaz often destroys rehearsals with his bonkers lyrics and dramatic outbursts. Ask him to sing the beautiful love song: “I Love You So Much I Cannae Eat My Mince”. Apologies in advance for his response.
Listen to Chaz’s track “Castaway” from his album “The Angel Falls”.
Paul as Tam O Shanter
Pauley Paul. What can we say about him? Tons. Most of it to his face as he is a bit of a tech wonderkind. Paul was the founder of the Sound Production and Music Technology course at the Fort William campus of the UHI. He was also the manager at Rara tua arts centre in New Zealand. Paul is famous for wanting things done right…whether that is in lighting and sound, music or performance. Paul runs Rockskool and Tradlochleven and has his own company Photon Productions. Paul has a great Lancashire accent, well, because he is from Lancashire! He bides just fine now in Ballachulish.
Graeme Martin is one of our directors, directing and designing Wan Fur The Weans and The Recovery Version. Graeme is a uniquely duel qualified teacher of technical subjects and drama, which makes him the designer/maker we love to work with. Graeme will be the director and designer for Lament: The Massacre of Glencoe.
