About Denzel Westley-Sanderson
Denzel is an award-winning theatre director and workshop facilitator based in London. He trained on the MA Theatre Directing course at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts, and soon after joined the Resident Directors’ Pool at the Almeida Theatre (2017–18).
Denzel is a recipient of the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award, which led to him directing the UK tour of The Importance of Being Earnest, produced by ETT, Leeds Playhouse and Rose Theatre Kingston. The production earned Denzel nominations for Best Director at both The Stage Debut Awards and the Black British Theatre Awards 2023, where the show was also nominated for Best Production.
His work spans New writing, Musicals, Opera, Devised work and Dance theatre. He has collaborated closely with CTC Dance Company, directing their award-winning production Identity, which received the Exciting New Work accolade at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
Denzel was Sky Arts Associate Artist at Theatre Royal Stratford East, where he directed the annual pantomime in December 2023/24. Most recently, he directed the five-star touring musical Coming to England, based on the inspiring life story of Floella Benjamin, Adapted by David Wood OBE.
Denzel regularly teaches and directs at some of the UK’s leading drama schools, including Mountview, LAMDA, ArtsEd and Bristol School of Acting. He also works with British Youth Music Theatre (BYMT), directing and collaborating on their annual productions.Other credits include co-directing Jesus Christ Superstar – The Concert at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; Associate Director on Dick Whittington and Small Island at the National Theatre. A Strange Loop and Goodnight Oscar at the Barbican Theatre.
