Lindsey McAlister explained

Lindsey McAlister
Honorific Suffix:OBE
Birth Name:Lindsey Anne McAlister
Birth Date:30 October 1960
Birth Place:Southport, England
Occupation:Theatre director
Known For:Founder of Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation
Spouse:
    Children:1
    Url:[www.hkyaf.com HKYAF]

    Lindsey McAlister OBE (b. 30 October 1960) is an English theatre director and writer based in Hong Kong. She founded the Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (HKYAF) (formerly Youth Arts Festival) in 1993.[1] She has written several original musicals, including Flesh (2007), Melodia (2017), Cube Culture (2018), If Not Me, Who? (2019) and I'mperfect (2022).

    Early life and education

    Lindsey Anne McAlister was born in Southport to parents George McAlister, a factory manager, and Sylvia née Cardwell, a civil servant.[2] She has two younger brothers. The family moved to Scotland when she was eight,[3] and then to Cheshire, where she attended Knutsford High School and Meol Cops High School. Watching a school production of Iolanthe at the age of nine[4] and subsequently joining a youth theatre group “ignited [her] passion for theatre and the performing arts”.[5] She attended Southport Art College from 1976 – 1978. The first year of her degree was at I.M. Marsh Campus (formerly part of Liverpool John Moore University), transferring to Crewe and Alsager College of Higher Education (now part of Manchester Metropolitan University) when the course folded. She graduated with a BA(Hons) in Creative Arts.[6]

    Early work

    McAlister originally wanted to be a performer but “early on, I realised I was rubbish and found that directing was my forte – to suit my bossy personality”.[7] After graduating, McAlister formed a company, Talking Pictures, which was supported by the Arts Council of Great Britain.[8] She also worked for the Gulbenkian Foundation, implementing the “Arts in Schools” project.[9] She joined Liverpool-based company 489 as a creator and performer, then became arts programmer for the Menai Centre in Anglesey. She also worked with the Cheshire Dance Workshop from 1982 to 1985,[10] where dance lecturer Veronica Lewis gave her opportunities to choreograph and create shows.[11]

    Hong Kong

    In 1986 McAlister arrived in Hong Kong at the end of a year-long trip around Southeast Asia. Her intention was to return to the UK to resume a job with the Arts Council. However, she felt strongly that she should stay in Hong Kong, so “I rang the UK and resigned!”[12] She spent a year teaching English in a kindergarten, choreographing fashion shows and as an artist-in-residence for Quarry Bay Primary School.[13]

    She created a project Showcase for Choreographers with the Hong Kong Dance Forum[14] which in 1990 developed into the Scrambled Legs youth dance company[15] and the youth theatre company Roundabout.[16] Around the same time, she also started Parkview Youth Theatre Company, Plastic Bag Theatre Company, Waterworks Youth Theatre Company and Fusion Performance Company.[17]

    Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation (HKYAF)

    McAlister founded the Hong Kong Youth Arts Festival (HKYAF) in 1993 – it changed its name to Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation in 2006 – for people aged 5–25, regardless of cultural background, language or ability, to engage in multidisciplinary arts. Her intention was that she “didn’t want anybody to have to pay for anything”[18] so needed to find external funding to cover all expenses. Initially, unable to find a sponsor due to her lack of track record in Hong Kong, she took out a personal overdraft to cover the costs of the first two-week festival. She sent a copy of the festival brochure to everyone she had approached for sponsorship, including Po Chung, the then-head of DHL (Asia). He got in touch with her, asking who her sponsor was. Hearing that McAlister was funding the whole enterprise herself, Po Chung gave her a cheque to cover the 1993 festival's costs, and also paid for the next festival too.[19] [20] McAlister was HKYAF's primary fundraiser from 1993 to 2019, about which she said “I really enjoy seeking sponsorship and I have developed a talent for it.”[21]

    HKYAF Productions

    McAlister has directed the following productions for HKYAF:

    YearTitleVenueRoleNotes / Ref.
    1998Matilda Adaptor, Director
    GodspellSt John's Cathedral, Central Director[22]
    1999Matilda Adaptor, DirectorMusic by Nick Harvey[23]
    West Side StoryShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[24]
    The Magic Flute Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[25]
    2000GreaseShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[26]
    2001Little Shop of Horrors Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[27]
    The Secret GardenShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[28]
    2002Bugsy MaloneShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[29]
    2003Blood BrothersShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[30]
    The WizShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[31]
    2004FootlooseShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[32]
    2005Fame Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[33]
    2006Disco Infernal Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[34]
    2007Insomnia Fringe Club, Central Director
    2008Lear’s Daughters Fringe Club, Central Adaptor
    Director
    2009Sweeney ToddShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[35]
    Storm in a Teacup Fringe Club, CentralDirector
    2010Rent Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[36]
    2011Spring Awakening Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[37]
    The Story of a Girl Fringe Club, Central Director
    2012Godspell Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[38]
    2013A Chorus Line Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[39]
    2014Oliver! Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director[40]
    2015The Evil Within Chinese International School Auditorium Director[41]
    Blood Brothers Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Amphitheatre Director[42]
    2017Melodia Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Causeway BayWriter, DirectorWith music by Violaine Corradi and Rose Winebrenner[43]
    2018FameShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts CentreDirector [44]
    2019If Not Me, Who?ArtisTree, Quarry BayWriter, Director Part of Theatre Bites series. Music by Violaine Corradi[45]
    2020
    1. Hashtag
    		Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts CentreWriter, Director [46]
    2021 Only a GirlShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts CentreWriter, Director [47]
    2022I’mperfectShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts CentreWriter, Director [48]
    202324:7:365Writer, Director [49]
    2024Gen LastWriter, Director

    Lindsey McAlister Productions

    In 1995 McAlister took a one-woman show Obsession is Not a Perfume to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.[50]

    In 2002, alongside her youth work, McAlister established a production company for adults. Originally called Bloody Offal Productions,[51] she changed its name to Lindsey McAlister Productions in 2005.[52] It has produced the following shows to date:

    YearTitleVenueRoleNotes / Ref.
    2002Sweeney ToddShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
    Producer    		Produced under Bloody Offal Productions[53]
    2003Blood BrothersShouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
    Producer    		Produced under Bloody Offal Productions[54]
    2004Into the Woods Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
    Producer    		Produced under Bloody Offal Productions[55]
    2005A Chorus Line Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
    Producer    		[56]
    2006Godspell Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
    Producer    		[57]
    2007
    2008    		Flesh Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Writer
    Director
    Producer    		Music by Nick Harvey[58] [59]
    2018Cube CultureArtisTree, Quarry Bay Writer
    Director     		Music by Nick Harvey[60]
    2023Mou Man Tai ArtisTree, Quarry BayWriter
    Director    		For Swire Properties' Project After 6 (PA6)[61]

    Collaborations

    McAlister has collaborated with Violaine Corradi (composer musician, Cirque du Soleil),[62] Nick Harvey (composer), Marsha Roddy (set and costume designer), Rose Winebrenner (composer musician, Cirque du Soleil)[63] and Brian Zellinger (Tony Award-winning producer).[64]

    Crafty Bitch

    After a 40-year hiatus, McAlister returned to her visual art practice and established Crafty Bitch in 2022. A collection of Hong Kong-inspired artworks of “mix-n-match collages”.[65]

    Honours and awards

    Notes and References

    1. Web site: How watching Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe age 10 convinced founder of Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation to follow a career in the arts . Richard Lord . scmp.com . 19 April 2022 . 2024-01-05.
    2. News: 1997-07-04 . Southport Visitor . . Lindsey's Hong Kong farewell . 15 . Southport, UK .
    3. Web site: Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation Founder, Lindsey McAlister . Kate Whitehead . scmp.com . 21 April 2020 . 2024-01-05.
    4. Web site: How watching Gilbert and Sullivan's Iolanthe age 10 convinced founder of Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation to follow a career in the arts . Richard Lord . scmp.com . 19 April 2022 . 2024-01-05.
    5. Web site: A passion for performance . Wong Yat Hei . cpjobs.com . 2023-12-30.
    6. Web site: Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation Founder, Lindsey McAlister . Kate Whitehead . scmp.com . 21 April 2020 . 2024-01-05.
    7. Web site: Lindsey McAlister . . hysan95.com . 2023-12-30.
    8. News: 1990-02-21 . The Hong Kong Standard . Vernon Ram . Lindsey taps into a new age of talent . 17 . Hong Kong .
    9. Web site: Lindsey McAlister . . tatlerasia.com . 2023-12-30.
    10. Web site: Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation Founder, Lindsey McAlister . Kate Whitehead . scmp.com . 21 April 2020 . 2024-01-05.
    11. Web site: A passion for performance . Wong Yat Hei . cpjobs.com . 2023-12-30.
    12. Web site: Women who have made a difference No. 1 . Expat Living . expatliving.hk . 9 March 2020 . 2023-12-30.
    13. Web site: Lindsey McAlister . . hysan95.com . 2023-12-30.
    14. News: 1990-02-21 . Hong Kong Standard . Jane Parry . Dance teacher breaks stereotypical mould . 1 . Hong Kong .
    15. 1 May 2005 . Alethea Dean . One liners . BC Magazine . Hong Kong . BC Magazine . 13.
    16. Web site: Fledgling festival now an arts extravaganza . SCMP report . scmp.com . 11 October 1996 . 2024-01-05.
    17. Web site: Going Out: Critic's Choice . Karen Ma . scmp.com . 22 January 1995 . 2024-01-05.
    18. Web site: Crafty bitch Lindsey McAlister chats HKYAF, community and original theatre . Natsuki Arita . thebeat.asia . 2023-12-30.
    19. Web site: Lindsey McAlister . . tatlerasia.com . 2023-12-30.
    20. Web site: Women who have made a difference No. 1 . Expat Living . expatliving.hk . 9 March 2020 . 2023-12-30.
    21. Web site: A passion for performance . Wong Yat Hei . cpjobs.com . 2023-12-30.
    22. Web site: Festival Comes of Age . SCMP reporter . scmp.com . 2 October 1998 . 2023-12-30.
    23. News: 1999-08-06 . The Scotsman . . 12 noon . 15 . Edinburgh, UK .
    24. Web site: West Side Story . Katherine Forestier . scmp.com . 30 November 1999 . 2024-01-05.
    25. Web site: We're big, we're bright . SCMP reporter . scmp.com . October 1999 . 2024-01-05.
    26. Web site: Famous musical set to become box-office hit . Lee Wing-Sze . scmp.com . 21 November 2000 . 2023-12-30.
    27. Web site: What goes around comes around for foundation's Arts in the Plaza volunteer . Andrew Sun . scmp.com . 25 October 2007 . 2023-12-30.
    28. Web site: Slay them in the aisles . Kevin Kwong . scmp.com . 15 November 2009 . 2023-12-30.
    29. Web site: Hong Kong's youth say it from the art . Steve Cray . scmp.com . 26 October 2002 . 2023-12-30.
    30. Web site: All in the family . Clare Tyrell . scmp.com . 13 June 2003 . 2024-01-10.
    31. Web site: Wiz kids's slick production and strong voice lift HK Production . Steve Cray . scmp.com . 28 November 2003 . 2024-01-05.
    32. Web site: HKYAF makes the best of a bad show . Katherine Forrestier . scmp.com . 27 November 2004 . 2023-12-30.
    33. Web site: Crafty bitch Lindsey McAlister chats HKYAF, community and original theatre . Natsuki Arita . thebeat.asia . 2023-12-30.
    34. Web site: Slay them in the aisles . SCMP Reporter . scmp.com . 19 November 2006 . 2024-01-10.
    35. Web site: Slay them in the aisles . Kevin Kwong . scmp.com . 15 November 2009 . 2023-12-30.
    36. Web site: Old enough to know the score . Robin Lynam . scmp.com . 9 November 2010 . 2024-01-05.
    37. Web site: When art is a frisky business . Annemarie Evans . scmp.com . 20 November 2011 . 2024-01-05.
    38. News: 2012-11-20 . The Student Standard . . Rock out to modern fables . E05 . Hong Kong.
    39. News: 2013-11-28 . The Student Standard . . On the line . E08 . Hong Kong.
    40. Web site: Crafty bitch Lindsey McAlister chats HKYAF, community and original theatre . Natsuki Arita . thebeat.asia . 2023-12-30.
    41. News: 2015-04-30 . The Student Standard . . Hearts of Darkness . E08 . Hong Kong.
    42. News: 2015-11-01 . SCMP Young Post . . Noticeboard Hanging Out . 3 . Hong Kong.
    43. Web site: Out of this world: Hong Kong's young musical talent hits the big stage in new production Melodia . Robin Lynam . scmp.com . 25 April 2017 . 2023-12-30.
    44. Web site: Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation celebrates 25 years of exploration and organic growth in visual and performing arts . Rob Lynam . scmp.com . 19 May 2018 . 2024-01-05.
    45. Web site: Climate change, veganism, fast fashion tackled in bite-size theatre production by Hong Kong pair . Robin Lynam . scmp.com . 11 June 2019 . 2023-12-30.
    46. Web site: HKYAF's Lindsey McAlister on the importance of the arts . Karly Cox . tatlerasia.com . 2023-12-30.
    47. Web site: HKYAF's Lindsey McAlister on the importance of the arts . Karly Cox . tatlerasia.com . 2023-12-30.
    48. Web site: Crafty bitch Lindsey McAlister chats HKYAF, community and original theatre . Natsuki Arita . thebeat.asia . 2023-12-30.
    49. Web site: Latest musical from Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation, '24:7:365' sheds light on life with obsessive-compulsive disorder . Kelly Fund . SCMP.com . 19 October 2023 . 2024-01-09.
    50. October 1995 . Betty Caplan . Kids Corner . International Arts Manager . Huddersfield, UK . Muso Communications Ltd . 37.
    51. Web site: Venture into the woods for a dark surprise . scmp.com . 5 May 2004 . 2024-01-05.
    52. News: 2005-04-30 . Weekend Standard . Katie Lau . All in the family . 7 . Hong Kong .
    53. Web site: Venture into the woods for a dark surprise . scmp.com . 5 May 2004 . 2024-01-05.
    54. News: 2003-06-13 . SCMP . Katie Lau . Confessions of a chorus . A44 . Hong Kong .
    55. Web site: Fairy tale with a twist . SCMP reporter . scmp.com . 5 May 2004 . 2023-12-30.
    56. News: 2005-04-30 . Weekend Standard . Katie Lau . All in the family . 7 . Hong Kong .
    57. Web site: Chew'll love this musical . Jade Lee-Duffy . scmp.com . 18 November 2007 . 2024-01-05.
    58. Web site: Chew'll love this musical . Jade Lee-Duffy . scmp.com . 18 November 2007 . 2024-01-05.
    59. 2008-05-21 . Bouree Lam . Preview: Flesh . Timeout Magazine . Hong Kong . Time Out . 57.
    60. Web site: 11 tips before you watch Project After 7: Cube Culture . Arthur Tam . taikooplace.com . 2024-01-05.
    61. Web site: Small acts of meaningful theatre . Rob Garratt . chinadailyhk.com . 2023-12-30.
    62. Web site: Small acts of meaningful theatre . Rob Garratt . chinadailyhk.com . 2023-12-30.
    63. Web site: Out of this world: Hong Kong's young musical talent hits the big stage in new production Melodia . Robin Lynam . scmp.com . 25 April 2017 . 2023-12-30.
    64. Web site: Small acts of meaningful theatre . Rob Garratt . chinadailyhk.com . 2023-12-30.
    65. Web site: Crafty bitch Lindsey McAlister chats HKYAF, community and original theatre . Natsuki Arita . thebeat.asia . 2023-12-30.
    66. December 2021 . . Lindsey McAlister . Tatler Asia . Hong Kong . Tatler Asia Ltd . 223.
    67. Web site: Festival founder's palace honour . Andrew Sun . scmp.com . 15 June 2006 . 2024-01-10.
    68. Web site: Honorary Awards . . uclan.ac.uk . 2024-01-10.
    69. Web site: Hong Kong artist Kate Sparrow celebrates local women with solo show to make International Women's Day . Kylie Knott . scmp.com . 4 March 2019 . 2024-01-10.
    70. Web site: Lindsey McAlister . . tatlerasia.com . 2023-12-30.
    71. Web site: Award Recipients 2023 . . hkdanceall.org . 2024-01-05.
    72. Web site: It was so exciting' Hong Kong Dance Awards 2023 big winners as community enjoys first big in-person events since the pandemic . Erika Na and Enid Tsui . scmp.com . May 2023 . 2024-01-10.
    73. Web site: Front and Female Awards Hong Kong 2023 Mentors on achieving success, sanity and satisfaction . Salomé Grouard . tatlerasia.com . 2023-12-30.

    This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Lindsey McAlister".

    Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2025, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.