David Hutchinson (born 28 May 1988) is a British theatre producer and director.^[1] He is the founder and CEO of The Path Entertainment Group as well as the ^[2] founder and CEO of Selladoor Worldwide, formerly Sell a Door Theatre Company^[3] Hutchinson attended the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts 2006 to 2009 and graduated with a BA (Hons) in Acting.

In August 2021, The Path Entertainment Group and Hasbro, Inc launched the first immersive, multifaceted, physical experience of Monopoly Lifesized based on the family board game. The 80 minute game comprises elements from the classic game merged with thrilling escape room challenges. Based in London, the experience is also home to The Top Hat Restaurant and Bar serving signature cocktails and British small-plates menu. The game has won awards and nominations for live and location based entertainment and opened a brand new location in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.^[4]

In May 2021, David founded The Path Entertainment Group, a company dedicated to transforming the experience of audiences through live, immersive entertainment. The innovative company were awarded the 2022, Best Location-Based Entertainment Award for their work producing their hit interactive version of the classic "Hasbro" board game, Monopoly Lifesized. Though GamePath, a subsection of the Path Entertainment Group set up to create experimental productions with leading brands, David produced London’s first official SAW escape room experience. Alongside Lionsgate, The Path Entertainment Group opened a new adrenaline-fuelled immersive production combining escape rooms based on the iconic franchise with the theatrical. Using state of the art technology to guide and expert lighting and sound production, Jigsaw’s world has been painstakingly brought to life to allow game players to experience a brand new level of entertainment.

Launching in late 2023, ^[5] is The Paddington Experience, a new large scale production inspired by Michael Bond’s creation. The Paddington Bear Experience will be presented by The Path Entertainment Group and The Copyrights Group in partnership with Lionsgate, Copyrights' Agent for Experiences. The production will be the first large-scale attraction inspired by the famous bear to open in London. It will be based on London’s Southbank, taking up residence in the iconic County Hall later this year, with the multi-sensory adventure making use of epic designs, live performances and video across 26,000 square ft space.

David Hutchinson created Sell A Door Theatre Company in 2009 after graduating from Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. Whilst the company began touring to small scale venues and producing for fringe festivals, within less than 10 years David Hutchinson was producing UK Tours at mid and large scale venues, International Tours across 4 continents and West End productions.^[6] David Hutchinson is now the CEO of Selladoor Worldwide and his portfolio of productions includes 9 to5 The Musical (Savoy Theatre, London), Falsettos (The Other Palace, London), Flashdance The Musical (UK & International tours), Madagascar The Musical (UK & International tours), Jersey Boys (International Tour), The Producers (International Tour), Avenue Q (UK Tours), Amelie The Musical (UK Tour & The Other Palace), Of Mice And Men (UK Tour), Elmer The Patchwork Elephant Show (UK & International Tours). A full list Selladoor’s productions are detailed in the Credits section.^[7]

In addition to producing, David Hutchinson expanded the company in 2019 launching Selladoor Venues, becoming the theatre operator for Queen’s Theatre Barnstaple, The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe; and Peterborough New Theatre. In 2021 the venues were brought together to become a separate entity, away from Selladoor Worldwide. They were successfully launched as a new non for profit entity and began operating in 2022 before being officially named Landmark Theatres in May 2023. ^[8] Sir Ian McKellen^[9] opened the Ilfracombe Theatre to perform his one-man show "Tolkien, Shakespeare and You!" in March 2019.

In 2020 David Hutchinson announced the launch of a brand new company dedicate to developing and staging large-scale experiential and live gameplay productions, Gamepath. Gamepath launched in partnership with leading global entertainment brands, alongside the announcement of Monopoly Lifesized, in collaboration with Hasbro, as well as other major iconic titles across the gaming and cinematic genres in creation.^[10]

David is also the co-founder of We Are I Am, alongside Louis Hartshorn, a marketing company that provides specialist marketing, press and communications support to the arts sector.^[11]

David is a notable campaigner for strengthening international relations in response to the challenges that Brexit brings to the theatre industry, and advocated for support from the Government to support the Arts during the COVID-19 pandemic.^[12][13]

David sat on the board of the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich from^[14] 2016 until his departure in 2021 and is currently the associate director of the Brooklyn Youth Company in New York City.^[15][16]

Theatrical career

In 2010 he directed the UK tour of Dracula at twelve venues across Scotland, and in 2012 directed a co-production between Sell a Door Theatre Company and Mull Theatre of Arthur Miller's The Man Who Had All the Luck which toured across Scotland and London.^[17]

Hutchinson produced the debut UK Tour of Spring Awakening the Musical touring to the Exeter Northcott Theatre, Manchester The Lowry, Stirling MacRobert Arts Centre, Greenwich Theatre and Norwich Playhouse.^[18] He produced the debut West End production of Seussical at the Arts Theatre, London in December 2012. He went on to produce the 2014 tour of Avenue Q touring 32 venues in the UK, Ireland and Hong Kong^[19]

David first produced the Scotsman Fringe First award-winning play Rainbow at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2012.^[20]

In 2013, David Hutchinson partnered Sell a Door Theatre Company with the Greenwich Theatre following nine productions at the South London venue. James Haddrell and David officially announced the partnership on 19 November ahead of Sell a Door Theatre Company opening their second West End production of Seussical.^[21]

In 2014, as Sell A Door Theatre Company, David produced their first UK Tour of the popular musical Avenue Q.^[22] Due to the demand and success from their production it completed another UK Tour throughout 2015 and 2016.^[23]

In 2015, David Hutchinson directed the world premiere of Jo Clifford's Jekyll and Hyde based on Robert Louis Stevenson's gothic classic at the Greenwich Theatre followed by a thirty-three venue tour across the UK.^[24]

In 2016 David Hutchinson continued to expand the company in size, borders and targets, rebranding the company to Selladoor Worldwide.^[25] Sell A Door Theatre Company had established themselves as an integral part of the regional theatre landscape in the UK and Ireland, but Hutchinson aspired to expand further afield and therefore to produce and tour theatre not only in the UK, but worldwide.^[6]

Along with UK Tours of Footloose, Flashdance The Musical, Spamalot, and The Crucible, David Hutchinson, as Selladoor Worldwide produced their first International Tours in 2017, including Jersey Boys and The Producers. Collectively in 2017 Selladoor Worldwide’s productions performed in 8 different countries.^[26]

2018 began with the opening of the UK tour of Of Mice And Men in association with the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. The second play produced in 2018 was Diane Samuel’s Kindertransport in collaboration with the Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch and Les Theatre De La Villa De Luxembourg. Flashdance The Musical continued to tour the UK throughout 2018 as well visiting international venues such as Zurich MAAG and Kursaal Oostende. Notably, in the summer of 2018 Selladoor launched two new productions, Madagascar The Musical and Fame the 30th Anniversary UK tour, as well as co-producing the musical, Rock of Ages with DLAP.^[27] During the Christmas season Selladoor produced The Wizard of Oz Christmas show in Blackpool and Aladdin pantomime at The Broadway Theatre, Catford.^[28][29]

In 2018, David Hutchinson launched Selladoor Creation, a platform for new writers to showcase and develop their work and bring innovative new work to the national and international stage, making it accessible for all audiences.^[30]

In 2019 American Idiot was revived for a 10th Anniversary Tour, and Avenue Q embarked on its 3rd UK Tour. David Hutchinson co-produced 9 to 5 the musical with ATG and Dolly Parton at the Savoy Theatre, London. David Hutchinson as Selladoor Worldwide also produced the London premiere of Falsettos at The Other Palace, alongside UK tours of Amelie The Musical and Little Miss Sunshine the Musical, Elmer The Patchwork Elephant Show and The Mr. Men & Little Miss On Stage. In 2019 David Hutchinson became a theatre operator, launching Selladoor Venues, which includes the Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple; The Landmark Theatre, Ilfracombe; and Peterborough New Theatre

In 2020 Selladoor announced the UK tours of Footloose The Musical and Bring It On the Musical and international tours of We Will Rock You and 9 to 5 the Musical, however due to COVID-19 all productions have been postponed to 2021.^[31]

In 2021, Selladoor produced the stage version^[32] of the 2001 whimsical, romantic comedy of the same name, "Amélie". The plot centres around a young woman who lives quietly in the world, but loudly in her head.

2022, brought in the Broadway musical, "Bring It On", based on the 2000 American, teenage, cheer comedy. Starting it's tour at the Peterborough New Theatre ^[33] before ending at The Southbank Centre; the show starred Olympic Gymnast Louis Smith.^[34]

In 2023, Madagascar The Musical, in partnership with DreamWorks (Shrek the Musical) is currently touring Australia before going on to tour the UK with the first show in Plymouth in October 2023.the first production with Selladoor premiered in 2018.

"The SpongeBob Musical" based on the beloved series written by Stephen Hillenburg and the book written by Kyle Jarrow made a splash with audiences all over the world, began its UK based tour in 2023 starring RuPaul's Drag Race UK star, ^[35] Divina de Campo and Pop Idol star, Gareth Gates.

International expansion

David travels internationally regularly to explore new performance opportunities and business ventures, annually attending conferences such as SPAF (China) and APAP (New York). This has enabled numerous Selladoor productions to perform outside of the UK, to territories such as Switzerland, Germany, Belgium, Turkey, China, Malaysia, New Zealand, UAE.^[36]

The level of international touring significantly increased for Selladoor Worldwide, with a particular focus in Asia. Therefore, in 2017 David Hutchinson opened an international office in Bangkok, as Selladoor Asia Pacific, which is managed by Peevara Kitchumnongpan.^[37]

Continuing to open doors to the world to help make theatre accessible across the globe, David opened the Selladoor Spain office in Madrid in 2019, with Juan Carlos Orihuela, opening with the transfer of Flashdance The Musical at the Apollo Theatre, Madrid. David saw the opportunity of having a mainland European hub, especially in light of Brexit, to enable Selladoor to continue to maintain strong ties with the continent.^[38]

Attraction Experiences

Notable events

• 2009 – Sell A Door Theatre Company was created ^[25]
• 2011 - Associate Director of the Brooklyn Youth Company in New York City ^[16]
• 2013 – Partnership with Greenwich Theatre^[39]
• 2016 – Selladoor Worldwide was established ^[25]
• 2016 – Launched Greenwich Young Writers Group ^[40]
• 2016 – Co-founded We Are I AM (previously I AM Marketing) ^[11]
• 2017 – Produced first International Tours – Jersey Boys & The Producers ^[41]
• 2017 – First production to open in North America^[42]
• 2018 – Asia Pacific office opened ^[37]
• 2018 – Nominated for the Tourism and Culture Awards at Greenwich Business Awards ^[25]
• 2019 - Launch of Selladoor Venues, including Queen's Theatre Barnstaple, The Landmark Ilfracombe, Peterborough New Theatre ^[8]
• 2019 - Madrid office opened with the productiong of Flashdance The Musical ^[38]
• 2020 - Awarded The Stage's International Award ^[43]
• 2020 - Launch of Gamepath, a new company dedicated to experimental & live gameplay ^[10]

Commissions

• A Foreign Field – In development

An adaptation of Ben Macintyre’s Novel ‘A Foreign Field’ – An extraordinary story of love, duplicity and shame.
Book written by Ludovic-Alexandre Vidal and Music written by Julien Salvia^[44]

• Guess How Much I Love You – 2017/18

By Sam McBratney, Adapted by Anna Fox
In early 2017 it performed at Greenwich Theatre and Portsmouth King’s Theatre before touring to the Middle East in Spring. Culminating with an extended run at the Arts Theatre in London at the end of 2017. In 2018 Guess How Much I Love You goes on to enjoy a Far East tour along with a larger tour of the UK.^[45]

• The Quite Remarkable Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat - 2017

Adapted from the Eric Idle book, by Dougal Irvine
Coventry, Belgrade Theatre ^[45]

• The Broons - 2016

Adapted by Rob Drummond (The Broons)
10 venue Scottish Tour, venues included Edinburgh Kings, Glasgow Theatre Royal, and Aberdeen His Majesty’s Theatre ^[45]

• The Silver Sword – 2015

By Ian Serraillier, Adapted by Susie McKenna and Steven Edis
8 venue UK Tour ^[45]

• Jekyll and Hyde - 2015

By Robert Louis Stevenson, Adapted by Jo Clifford
31 venue UK Tour ^[45]

• Alice in Wonderland - 2014

By Lewis Carroll, Adapted by the company
Greenwich Theatre ^[45]

• Kidnapped - 2014

By Robert Louis Stevenson, Adapted by Ivan Wilkinson
36 venue tour, including Greenwich Theatre and opened at Sell A Door Theatre's Scottish home, The Beacon Arts Centre in Greenock.^[45]

• Sincerely Mr Toad, based on the life of Kenneth Grahame - 2013

Book by David Hutchinson, Lyrics by Katy McIvor and Music and Lyrics by David Wilson
5 venue UK tour, including performances at Greenwich Theatre and Edinburgh Festival ^[45]

• Six Ways, a New Musical - 2012

Book by David Hutchinson, Lyrics by Paddy Clarke and Music by Michael Bradley ^[45]

Credits

References