LUKE CRESSWELL is a self-taught percussionist from Brighton, UK. His session work as a drummer and rhythm programmer includes Beats International, Bette Midler, Elvis Costello and Bryan Ferry. After working for several years as a street musician and performer, he first created STOMP in 1991. His work as a performer in Stomp includes the Oscars, the Emmys and Quincy Jones’ album, Q’s Jook Joint. He has directed, with Steve McNicholas, several award-winning commercials and short films.
He received an Oscar nomination for the film BROOMS, an Emmy nomination for STOMP OUT LOUD and co-directed the award winning giant-screen films, Pulse: a STOMP Odyssey, Wild Ocean, The Last Reef and Great White Shark. He has also received a special achievement award from the Chicago Human Rhythm Project. More recently he and Steve McNicholas have created the Lost and Found Orchestra, which explores found sound on an orchestral level.
STEVE MCNICHOLAS, from Yorkshire in the UK, has worked as an actor, singer, musician, and writer with various theatrical and musical groups, starting out with the Bradford Theatre Group in 1973. Through the eighties he worked with Cliff Hanger, Covent Garden Community Theatre and Pookiesnackenburger. Despite also being an original member of the accapella group, the Flying Pickets and a final appearance in Mr. Bean, Steve no longer performs.
He shares directorial credits with Luke Cresswell on STOMP based films and commercials and their new show, the Lost and Found Orchestra. With Luke, he composed the soundtrack to the Showtime movie, RIOT, and shares the Oscar and Emmy nominations for his work on BROOMS and STOMP OUT LOUD and co directed the award winning giant-screen films, Pulse: a STOMP Odyssey, Wild Ocean 3D and The Last Reef. Great White Shark is their latest collaboration.
LORETTA SACCO (company director)-manages all business and projects relating to Luke, Steve and Yes/No Productions, from their base in Brighton, UK. Previously based in London as an agent for various UK comedians and actors, including Mel Smith, Griff Rhys Jones and Armando Ianucci.
Loretta co-produced STOMP’s performances in both London and Paris and also co produced the film BROOMS and is the executive producer on THE LOST AND FOUND ORCHESTRA and the movie WILD OCEAN 3D.
Since YNP moved into its new base at The Old Market, Loretta has also taken on the role of Company/Artistic Director of TOM.
LARA HOCKMAN (administrator) joined Yes/No Productions in 2014 after many years of working as programming co-ordinator and subsequently venue diary manager at Brighton Dome & Festival. Prior to this she managed and co-ordinated the busy events schedule at Brighton & Hove Chamber of Commerce.
Her combined experiences from these roles together with a degree in Event Management and Music & Media Management enable Lara to take on her role as Yes/No Administrator with great aplomb and allow her to put to use the following gained skills; cake-eating, over sharing, making bad jokes at the wrong time and opinion giving.
If you contact the office, it’s likely Lara will be the person you reach first, so be nice.
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SOPHIE JUILLOT (finance manager), our French lady has recently joined The Old Market and Yes No Productions team. With over 10 years experience in Finance, Sophie has worked for established companies in Music and Films.
Finance lady by day and performer by night, Sophie enjoys creating choreography for music videos and bands.
MIKE ROBERTS (sound designer) co-ordinates the sound systems and sound design for all STOMP live productions around the world. He was also one of the key developers of invented instruments for the Lost and Found Orchestra, and the live sound designer/mix engineer.
He oversees sound design on all YNP screen work on location and through all aspects of post production. He has won mutliple awards for his work on PULSE and WILD OCEAN.
Despite all of this, he still finds time to play bass in several live bands, including legendary Brighton ska band, the Ammonites.
LAURA HAYNES (stage technical) joined YNP after several years working as a production stage manager on touring and West End shows. She now co-ordinates international STOMP and LFO live productions and overseas STOMP workshops.