Elyse Dodgson joined the Royal Court artistic team in 1985- first as Director of the Young People’s Theatre and from 1996 as International Director, heading the Court’s Internatonal Department. She was the first director of the Royal Court International Residency which she started in 1989 and has produced the Royal Court Young Writers’ Festival (1986-91) and more than 30 full productions of new international plays since 1997. Over twenty years, Elyse coordinated long term play development projects in many parts of the world including Brazil, Chile, China, Cuba, Georgia, India, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Palestine, Russia, Syria, Ukraine, Uganda and South Africa. She was the recipient of the 2004 Young Vic Award and in 2010 received an MBE for services to international theatre and young writers overseas.