Ruwanthie de Chickera is an awarding winning playwright, screenwriter, theatre director, actor trainer and cultural activist. She is the founder and artistic director of Stages. She has written and directed over 30 original plays and two screen plays. The first play she wrote, at the age of 19, won her international recognition and pivoted her into Sri Lankan theatre. Her first film, ‘Machan’, is recognized as a watershed moment in Sri Lankan cinema, it has won several international and local awards and was screened in over 50 countries.

Ruwanthie set up Stages in 2000 with a deep passion for developing serious, high-quality, original English Theatre. The company quickly gained a dedicated audience through its plays which addressed local, societal issues on stage. By 2002, it attracted international attention and started showcasing Sri Lankan stories abroad. Over time, Stages expanded to produce bilingual plays - Sinhala and English - with plans to include Tamil, aiming to work in all of Sri Lanka's languages.

Ruwanthie’s work in the arts industry has received local and international recognition. Among other awards, she is a recipient of the Eisenhower Fellowship, the Bunka award by the Japanese Govt and a Presidential Scholarship by the Sri Lankan state for her work in theatre. She is regularly invited to teach and speak at international arts events, and her plays have been shown at festivals in Japan, the Philippines, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Rwanda, the UK, the Netherlands, Malta, USA, Ireland and Australia.

Through Stages she is able to identify and support the development of younger artists – directors, writers, actors – who have a passion for telling their country's stories. She is driven by a deep desire to help establish Sri Lankan theatre as a respected, sustained and unique voice internationally, and to provide a future for aspiring young artists locally.

Shazna has 15+ years in the ICT domain and has now added a theatre company to her repertoire! She continues to work in the field of Telecoms but she’s also decided to manage a bunch of artists and arts-based projects to keep her sanity (or not).

She holds an MSc in Telecommunications from University College London, none of which prepared her for working with Stages, but here we are.

Malindi Jayathunga is both an art director and a marketer with a strong background in advertising. She earned her bachelor's degree in Media and Communication Design from the University of Moratuwa and went on to obtain her master's degree in Marketing from the University of Bedfordshire, UK. As a dual-faceted professional, she combines her design talent with marketing expertise to bring the best of both worlds to Stages Theatre Group.

Sumudu Mallawaarachchi is a trilingual theatre artist with Stages Theatre Group. He has over 16 years of experience as a full-time professional performing artist, audio-visual editor, camera operator, sound technician, theatre educator, personal development workshop facilitator, actor trainer, and performing artist with the Janakaraliya Cultural Foundation. Currently, Sumudu serves as the project coordinator for Stages' Concentrated Arts Program, conducting community artist workshops in Bogawanthalawa, Welimada, Anuradhapura, Galle, and Jaffna. He is also the lead artist for a youth drama workshop in his hometown of Eppawala, Anuradhapura, where 18 students attend weekly sessions at Shri Siddhartha College, Eppawala.

With a relentless drive for innovation and a knack for forging strategic partnerships, Dulika is a seasoned professional at the forefront of the ever-evolving fintech landscape. His track record speaks volumes about his commitment to driving tangible results. Dulika thrived in roles across business development, marketing, and consultancy, consistently delivering tailored strategies to meet diverse client needs. Whether it's expanding into new markets, orchestrating captivating marketing campaigns, or fostering meaningful client relationships, he approaches every challenge with creativity, passion, and a relentless pursuit of excellence. As a dynamic leader with a comprehensive skill set spanning fintech, sales, marketing, and more, he is always committed to driving organizational growth trajectory to new heights.