Our Team

Kat Hughes | director & producer

Kat Hughes is a theatre director and producer with a deep-rooted passion for Stoke on Trent and its vibrant stories, voice, and future. With 15 years of experience in Youth Theatre and Young People's Theatre, Kat has honed her skills in crafting cutting-edge performances that resonate with teenagers as well as making work for early childhood. 

Currently serving as the Producer of Stoke’s Cultural Forum for Stoke Creates, Kat spearheads a series of connections aimed at fostering collaboration among artists and professionals in the cultural industries, all while championing the rich narratives and aspirations of Stoke on Trent. Her dedication to nurturing emerging talent is evident in her role as an artist in residence across various settings.

In addition to her work in theatre, Kat is also a creator of audio content, ranging from podcasts to thrilling audio adventures that often draw inspiration from the captivating essence of Stoke on Trent. Her versatility is showcased in the diverse range of projects she has undertaken over the past year, including engagements in schools, heritage settings, railways, campfires, libraries, musical productions, and festivals.

Kat's work is characterised by a central theme: the celebration of life's brevity and preciousness, intertwined with the vibrant spirit and promising future of Stoke on Trent. Through her productions, she encourages audiences to find joy, humour, and connection in every moment, emphasising the importance of seizing opportunities for fun and camaraderie while embracing the rich tapestry of Stoke on Trent's cultural heritage and aspirations.

Kat boon | writer & producer

Kat Boon is a playwright and producer from Stoke-on-Trent. She began writing for film and theatre whilst studying Medieval Studies at Nottingham Uni (if you want a useless fact about Anglo Saxon nunneries she’s got you sorted) and became hooked after discovering the power trip of having other people say your words on stage whilst getting to cower in the dark. After jumping ship from academia in 2012, Kat took part in the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse’s Young Writers Programme and went on to have her work produced at scratch nights around Liverpool as part of writing collective Annexe Writers. She is a graduate of Birmingham Rep’s The Foundry and China Plate’s The Optimists.

She is inspired by the breadth of human experience from the profound to the absurd, the embarrassments and inner turmoils we try to deny and the unspoken fantasies we half live our lives in. She is interested in performance from which you walk away a little bit changed, and on the simplest level likes noisy, brash, raucous events, always a little irreverent, bringing strangers together in real time and real space to share experiences. Ultimately she wants to make all this happen in her hometown.

Kat is also Producer for Bradford 2025 City of Culture and in her spare time takes company in the novels of Phillip Roth, ambient post-rock and has occasionally been known to venture outdoors.