Joe Hufton, who is taking over at November Club.
Joe Hufton is taking over from Cinzia Hardy as artistic director and chief executive of November Club, the ground-breaking theatre company based in the town.
It is a big move for all concerned.
Cinzia founded November Club in 2007 and its predecessor, European Players, in 1990.
The award-winning company has since made a name for itself performing in libraries, gardens, National Trust properties and even Hexham Auction Mart.
For Joe, this will be his first chance to get to know Northumberland properly, although his parents now live in Whitley Bay and he did direct a show called First Footing at Woodhorn Museum last Christmas – that was where he met Cinzia and got to know about November Club.