The Stage

MacPherson named as Lemon Tree’s artistic director

Published Wednesday 9 July 2008 at 12:45 by Nicole Hepburn

Aberdeen Performing Arts has appointed Cate MacPherson as artistic director to the newly reopened city venue the Lemon Tree.

MacPherson, currently education manager at APA, is to switch roles to take up the new appointment on Friday, August 1.

She said: “Like many others in the north-east, I feel passionately about the Lemon Tree and what it means to the city and to the arts community.

“I feel proud and privileged to be able to play such a leading part in building its programme up again.”

Born in Perth, Western Australia, MacPherson moved to Scotland when she was six. She returned to Australia to do a BA in Theatre and Drama studies at Murdoch University, and began her professional career as a performance co-ordinator for a festival for the Year of Indigenous People (The First People Exhibition).

On returning to the UK at the end of 1996, MacPherson worked with Stray Theatre Company, Headway Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre.

The Lemon Tree has had a troubled past and closed its doors following financial difficulties in December 2007. APA, which runs Aberdeen venues His Majesty’s Theatre and Music Hall, stepped in and reopened the Lemon Tree in June this year.