Elyse Dodgson has been a member of the Royal Court artistic team since 1985—first as Director of the Young People's Theatre and since 1996 as International Director, heading the Court's Internatonal Department. She was the first director of the Royal Court International Residency, which she started in 1989 and has produced the Royal Court Young Writers' Festival (1986-91), and more than 30 full productions of new international plays since 1997. Throughout the last twenty years, Elyse has coordinated long-term play development projects in many parts of the world including Brazil, Chile, China, Cuba, Georgia, India, Lebanon, Mexico, Nigeria, Palestine, Russia, Syria, Ukraine, Uganda, and South Africa. She was the recipient of the 2004 Young Vic Award. Then in 2010, she received an MBE for services to international theatre and young writers overseas.