Lindsey McAlister

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Lindsey McAlister
OBE
Lindsey McAlister in 2021
Born
Lindsey Anne McAlister

(1960-10-30)30 October 1960
Southport, England
OccupationTheatre director
Known forFounder of Hong Kong Youth Arts Foundation
Spouses
Peter Inglis
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 1999)​
Donald Greig
​
(m. 2014)​
Children1
Website[www.hkyaf.com HKYAF]

Lindsey McAlister OBE (b. 30 October 1960, Southport) 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) and If Not Me, Who? (2019) and I'mperfect (2022).

Early life and education[edit]

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[edit]

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[edit]

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)[edit]

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[edit]

McAlister has directed the following productions for HKYAF:

Year Title Venue Role Notes
1998 Matilda Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Adaptor, Director
1998 Godspell[22] St John's Cathedral, Central Director
1999 Matilda[23] Venue 34 at Edinburgh Festival Fringe Adaptor, Director Music by Nick Harvey
1999 West Side Story[24] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
1999 The Magic Flute[25] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2000 Grease[26] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2001 Little Shop of Horrors[27] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2001 The Secret Garden[28] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2002 Bugsy Malone[29] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2003 Blood Brothers[30] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2003 The Wiz[31] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2004 Footloose[32] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2005 Fame[33] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2006 Disco Infernal[34] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2007 Insomnia Fringe Club, Central Director
2008 Lear’s Daughters Fringe Club, Central Adaptor
Director
2009 Sweeney Todd[35] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2009 Storm in a Teacup Fringe Club, Central Director
2010 Rent[36] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2011 Spring Awakening[37] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2011 The Story of a Girl Fringe Club, Central Director
2012 Godspell[38] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2013 A Chorus Line[39] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2014 Oliver![40] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2015 The Evil Within[41] Chinese International School Auditorium Director
2015 Blood Brothers[42] Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts Amphitheatre Director
2017 Melodia[43] Queen Elizabeth Stadium, Causeway Bay Writer, Director With music by Violaine Corradi and Rose Winebrenner
2018 Fame[44] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Director
2019 If Not Me, Who?[45] ArtisTree, Quarry Bay Writer, Director Part of Theatre Bites series. Music by Violaine Corradi
2020 #Hashtag[46] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Writer, Director
2021 Only a Girl[47] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Writer, Director
2022 I’mperfect[48] Shouson Theatre, Hong Kong Arts Centre Writer, Director
2023 24:7:365[49] The Box, West Kowloon Cultural District Writer, Director

Lindsey McAlister Productions[edit]

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:

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

Collaborations[edit]

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]

Original productions[edit]

  • Flesh: The Musical (2008)
    Flesh: The Musical (2008)
  • Melodia (2017)
    Melodia (2017)
  • Cube Culture (2018)
    Cube Culture (2018)
  • I'mperfect (2019)
    I'mperfect (2019)
  • If Not Me, Who? (2019)
    If Not Me, Who? (2019)
  • #Hashtag (2020)
    #Hashtag (2020)
  • Only a Girl (2021)
    Only a Girl (2021)
  • 24:7:365 (2023)
    24:7:365 (2023)

Crafty Bitch[edit]

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[edit]

  • 1997 – MBE for youth arts work[66]
  • 2006 – OBE for commitment & contribution to UK arts overseas[67]
  • 2007 – Honorary Fellowship, University of Central Lancashire[68]
  • 2019 – A portrait of McAlister I Am Hera was one of 10 included in Kate Sparrow's exhibition I Am Woman at the Fringe Club[69]
  • 2021 – Named as Tatler Asia's Most Influential[70]
  • 2023 – Distinguished Achievement Award, Hong Kong Dance Alliance[71][72]
  • 2023 – Joined Tatler Asia's Front & Female Award voting committee[73]

References[edit]

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