THIS MAN - About

About 'This Man'

This Man Called Jesus was originally written in 2003 and was first performed at St Edward’s school, Rusholme, Manchester. The play itself tells the story of Easter, from Jesus’ entry to Jerusalem to his death and resurrection a few days later.

The play was devised to be as flexible as possible and can be performed as a whole or in small sections. There are six original songs and lots of links to other parts of the curriculum. It was originally performed by a year 4 class and is written particularly for key stage 2.

The play was devised to be as flexible as possible and can be performed as a whole or in small sections. There are six original songs and lots of links to other parts of the curriculum. It was originally performed by a year 4 class and is written particularly for key stage 2.

About the writers:

Eleanor Jeans was born in Burton-on-Trent, although never lived there! She began the violin in Bristol through the school peripatetic system and continued to play when the family moved to Sheffield where Eleanor studied with Nina Martin.

Eleanor moved to Manchester to study the violin at the Royal Northern College of Music with Malcolm Layfield and after graduating, began freelancing and teaching in the Manchester area, working with orchestras such as Manchester Camerata, Halle and Northern Chamber orchestra. In 2001, Eleanor began working as a half-time schools’ and children’s worker at her church, Holy Trinity Platt, Manchester, although she continued to freelance and teach. It was through her love of music and her work with children that the project ‘This Man Called Jesus’ began and the first performance (at St Edward’s School, Rusholme) was a great experience.

In September 2005, Eleanor moved to Loughborough to be Director of Music at Emmanuel Church where she also works with a children’s choir and organises music for the young people to play in church once a month. Eleanor also teaches violin at Leeds University and is a member of the ‘Wellspring’ Ensemble.

Stephen Mackel was born in Aberdeen, raised in Edinburgh. For years he exercised his 'creative tendancies' through watching films and playing with Star Wars figures, until he secured the lead in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival sell-out production of 'Blude Red'.

After a brief brush with university he spent a year doing youthwork near Cambridge with Youth For Christ, before joining Activate as an actor and dancer touring the UK for 11 months.

Since settling in Manchester he has been seen on shows such as Coronation Street and Hollyoaks, heard DJ-ing on ALL & Re:fresh fm and seen stiltwalking at Festival:Manchester, Ascension Niteclub, Alton Towers, (Eccles Festival) and pantomime!

He still enjoys writing, directing and acting in sketches at his local church and schools.

During all this time he has been increasing his collection of sketches, and has recently been compiling these for publication whilst broadening his writing repertoire to include other 'disciplines' like Murder Mystery Parties; and some other larger projects...

Zoë Longley was born in Derby, raised in Cumbria, studied in Lancaster, then in 2002 moved to Manchester.

She was often found as a child curled up with the cat reading a book or writing a story, and from an early age her love of the arts was obvious. Going on to study for a performing arts degree seemed a logical step, and since graduating she has had many and varied jobs – from touring England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales with children’s theatre productions, to starting up a handmade card business, to cooking pasties, to directing 60 inner-city 10 year olds in ‘Romeo and Juliet’, to co-writing the musical “This Man Called Jesus”. She has performed for children and adults, on stilts and stepladders, locally and as far afield as Brazil, and even sung for the pope! She loves Brussels sprouts, marmite and chocolate (though not at the same time!), and also collects flip-flops!

Zoë started to work for ‘In Yer Face’ Christian Theatre Company in January 2006, and is excited to be combining her love for good theatre and evangelism, reaching out to people in the places they are at.

She can still often be found curled up with a good book!