Meet the leader

Hiroko Murata, President of Umeda Arts Theatre UK Limited, is a theatre producer with over 30 years of experience, successfully leading numerous projects and performances since the 1990s. Highlights include a Japanese-Korean co-production of Bring Me My Chariot of Fire (Akasaka ACT Theatre/Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall, 2012; National Theatre of Korea, 2013); the world premiere of Prince of Broadway (Tokyu Theatre Orb/Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall, 2015) which later performed on Broadway at the Manhattan Theatre Club in 2017; the English-language UK production of Top Hat presented in Japan as well as its Japanese cast production (Tokyo Theatre Orb/Umeda Arts Theater Main Hall, 2015 and 2018); an English-language international cast production of CHESS starring Ramin Karimloo and Samantha Barks (Tokyo International Forum Hall C/Umeda Arts Theatre Main Hall, 2020) and the world premiere of The Illusionist (Nissay Theatre, 2021).

In addition to inviting international productions to Japan, in recent years, she has provided opportunities for Japanese theatre makers to gain hands-on experiences in the British industry, leading to the production of Violet (Charing Cross Theatre, 2019); Pacific Overtures (Menier Chocolate Factory, 2023); One Small Step (Charing Cross Theatre, 2024), and Tattooer (Charing Cross Theatre, 2024), which were all collaborations between artists from both countries.

Her foresight and creative insight have also led her to serve as one of the producers on several acclaimed UK productions, including The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (Southwark Playhouse, 2023; Ambassadors Theatre, from 2024) which won three Olivier Awards including Best Musical, Fiddler on the Roof (Barbican Theatre, 2025) which also won three Olivier Awards including Best Revival, and the highly anticipated The Hunger Games: On Stage, set to open at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre in October 2025. Currently based in London, Hiroko’s innovative productions have been breaking new ground within the theatre world.