It is with great pleasure that today we announce that Hanna Streeter has been appointed Executive Director and joint CEO, taking up the position from July 2025. Streeter joins Stratford East from the Orange Tree Theatre, where she is currently the Executive Director and joint CEO. 

Hanna said: "I'm overjoyed to have been appointed by the Board of Trustees to work alongside the inspirational Lisa Spirling, and together build on this iconic theatre's 140-year history. Stratford East is the beating heart of East London, doing extraordinary work within the diverse borough of Newham, with an enormous educational output. There has never been a more urgent need for theatre in a community, and I'm truly excited to join the team and meet the artists, participants, supporters, and audiences who make up this special building." 

As we also welcome our new Artistic Director, Lisa Spirling, the two will be working closely to shape the strategic leadership of the theatre of the back of our 140th birthday and prepare our wonderful theatre for the next 140 years. 

Artistic Director & Co-CEO Lisa Spirling said: "I'm delighted to welcome Hanna Streeter to the Stratford East Family. Hanna's passion and belief in the importance of theatre is palpable, and the positive impact she has had on the brilliant organisations for which she has worked (including The Orange Tree and Paines Plough) will be felt for generations to come.  I look forward to working with Hanna as we leap into the next chapter of Stratford East's remarkable story."  

Hanna Streeter is currently the Executive Director and joint CEO of Orange Tree Theatre, where she has spent six years jointly leading the organisation, growing it from a £1.7m to £3.4m turnover, while executive producing a varied programme of ambitious work, navigating the pandemic and subsequent recovery, and leading a £4m capital development project.  

Prior to the Orange Tree, Hanna was Senior Producer at Paines Plough, overseeing four strands of producing new writing across international, mid-scale, and small-scale touring, and their pop-up theatre, Roundabout. Hanna has produced work by some of the UK's top talent, including James Graham, Kae Tempest, Sonali Bhattacharya, Mike Bartlett, Matthew Dunster, Diane Page, and Trevor Nunn. She has toured work across the UK, Ireland, Europe, USA, Canada, Asia, and Australasia, collaborating with institutions including the Roundhouse, RSC, Old Vic and Southbank Centre.  

Stratford East Board said: "The board are thrilled to welcome Hanna Streeter to Stratford East. We were hugely impressed by her during interviews, her experience of successfully running a theatre, her commitment to new work and audience development and her entrepreneurial approach to partnerships and fundraising. Hanna's passion for theatre is infectious. The board looks forward to working with her and is confident that she and Lisa will make an inspiring and dynamic team. We are excited to see them build on Stratford East's existing legacy and take us to new heights both locally and nationally."