Chester Performs, the producing company behind Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre, has announced that Olivier Award-winning theatre director Lucy Pitman-Wallace will be joining the team as director of Glyn Maxwell’s new adaptation Cyrano de Bergerac.

Lucy is a former associate director at the RSC. Her directing credits include Eastward Ho! as part of the RSC Swan Season, winning the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement of the Year.

She directed the revival of The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe for the RSC at Sadler's Wells, which starred Matthew Rixon, who appeared as Malvolio in last year’s Twelfth Night.

Lucy is the artistic director of Three Legged Theatre Company, and freelance director for Uppsala State Theatre in Sweden. Her productions have toured the globe.

Commissioned especially for the new season, Cyrano de Bergerac will be performed in ‘rep’ by a cast of some of the country’s leading actors, alongside Shakespeare’s ultimate outdoor romantic comedy A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and dark tragedy Othello.

Cyrano tells the story of the 17th century swordsman with an extremely large nose, and promises to be an action packed, ‘swashbuckling’ comedy.

Lucy will join the theatre’s artistic director Alex Clifton, who has been in post since the theatre’s debut in 2010. Clifton, born and raised in Chester, will direct A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Othello.

Alex Clifton said: “We are absolutely over the moon Lucy is joining us. Lucy, myself and Glyn brought a group of actors together last week to run through Glyn’s adaptation of Cyrano.

“It is absolutely hilarious, and sort of tragic, all at the same time. Lucy is the perfect person to captain this particular ship.

“The move to three productions in Grosvenor Park is yet another milestone to becoming one of the country’s best loved theatre companies. Personally, I can’t wait.”

The critically acclaimed season, opens July 5–August 25, an extended run on previous years. Tickets are on sale now from £14.50. Book online at www.grosvenorparkopenairtheatre.co.uk , by calling 0843 241 7868 or by visiting Chester Visitor Information Centre.