Matt is a performer, teacher and drama specialist practitioner. After actor training at Bretton Hall, he became a primary teacher and spent 9 years teaching in north, east, south and central Manchester.

 

He develops drama-based learning sessions for numerous theatres, museums and galleries and is an Associate Artist with Peoplescape Theatre. He has worked extensively for street theatre companies including Plunge Boom and Walk the Plank and also teaches yoga.

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For North West Drama Matt operates as Creative Producer, managing the range of our work, as well as directing The Lowry Children's Shakespeare Festivals, delivering CPD and Speech Bubbles.

Peter is a drama in education specialist and freelance training provider with twenty years experience. Previously, Peter was the Head of Expressive Arts in a large secondary comprehensive school, and was also the drama consultant for Stockport Local Education Authority.

 

Peter has worked on a range of projects including the Dramatic Enquiry project in Stoke and the Chrysalis project in Wakefield. He is currently working in partnership with primary schools on developing creativity and using drama to enrich the primary curriculum as well as being an associate lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University.

 

Peter currently directs the Stockport and Oldham & Rochdale Children’s Shakespeare Festivals.

Sue has been working as a drama practitioner, actor, director and writer for twenty four years and is also a qualified teacher. After graduating in English Literature from Jesus College Cambridge in 1987, she worked with English Touring Theatre, West Yorkshire Playhouse, Shared Experience and Cheek by Jowl before enjoying eight years as Youth Theatre Director at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme. She has a Masters in Creative Writing from Lancaster University. She was a creative agent and practitioner with Creative Partnerships and Partners in Creative Learning. She likes to combine drama, philosophy, storytelling and creative writing in her work, and is currently working with B Arts as a writer on their forthcoming collaborative theatre experience, Take This Waltz.

 

Sue currently directs the Royal Exchange Theatre, New Vic Theatre and Derby Children's Shakespeare Festivals and delivers Speech Bubbles.

Joe trained as an actor at the Central School of Speech and Drama and his credits include the Royal Shakespeare Company, Derby Playhouse, the BBC and Paramount Comedy amongst others. As a freelance theatre practitioner and director his work includes the RSC, National Theatre, Z-Arts, Polka Theatre, Masterclass, ATG, Mousetrap Foundation and the National Youth Theatre.

 

He is a founder member of Touchstone Shakespeare Theatre Company and has works extensively with children with special educational needs and learning difficulties working to unlock creativity, build confidence, support exam success and improve communication skills.

 

Joe currently works across the Children's Shakespeare Festivals and offers bespoke drama days and project work.

Emily is a freelance director, scriptwriter, storyteller, maker, puppeteer & actor. A published children’s author, she has had over 60 scripts and stories commissioned & has been invited to deliver training on storytelling & drama in the heritage sector across the UK and internationally in Sweden, Denmark and the USA.

 

Participation and engagement are at the heart of her practice whether working alongside children with special educational needs and disabilities, young parents, youth theatres, older adults or cultural professionals, for example.Joint Creative Director of Peoplescape Theatre, Emily has also worked with many Manchester cultural organisations including: Manchester Camerata, Royal Exchange Theatre, HOME, The Lowry, Manchester Art Gallery, Manchester Museum, People’s History Museum, Portland Basin Museum, National Football Museum and Manchester Children’s Book Festival.

 

Emily currently delivers Speech Bubbles.

Bex is a freelance drama practitioner, actor and artist. She trained as an actor at Mountview, worked as a jobbing actor in London for over ten years, performing in various London theatres including the West End.She has worked as a Drama Practitioner in London and Manchester and has experience of Nursery, Primary, and Secondary age groups in both mainstream and special educational needs. 

 

When she is not working in theatre, she is also a visual artist, exhibiting and selling her work and running art themed workshops with neurodivergent children and young adults. 

 

Bex currently delivers Speech Bubbles. 

Ellie is a freelance drama practitioner, playwright and actor. She studied french and linguistics at Aston University and was a teaching assistant in a primary school for over ten years where she taught french. She feels passionately about drama and the creative arts in education.

 

She has been a Speech Bubbles practitioner for Oldham Theatre Workshop (OTW) for seven years, has run drama workshops for 6/7 years olds at OTW for several years and has been involved in several of their productions at the Oldham Coliseum. She is a regular member of their adult drama and writer’s groups.  

 

Ellie currently delivers Speech Bubbles. 

Jade is a teacher, artist, performer, dancer, performance maker and drama practitioner. She spent four years teaching French and Spanish at a secondary school in Rochdale, before dancing with Global Grooves, and later Manchester's Juba do Leão. She has written and performed her own work for Tape and Scaffold Gallery, Blaze Arts, HAb Arts and Oldham Coliseum Theatre among others, and last year devised and performed a solo show at Contact Theatre as part of a commission for 'Works Ahead'.

 

Jade is passionate for connecting people with their innate creativity and helping them engage with the arts in their own unique way. She has extensive experience facilitating and supporting primary and secondary students including those with special educational needs. She regularly works with adults with learning disabilities through Community Arts North West and DIY Theatre. 

 

Jade currently delivers Speech Bubbles.

Emily is a freelance drama practitioner, project manager and producer based in Manchester. She is passionate about using drama & storytelling to inspire imagination and empower young people, working across schools, community settings and arts organisations.  

 

Emily is also an experienced project manager & producer, having successfully managed & produced a range of ambitious arts projects, events and outreach programmes. She has worked with many arts and cultural organisations across the North West including The Lowry, The Knotted Project, Blackpool Grand Theatre, Peshkar and Curious Minds.

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Emily currently delivers Speech Bubbles.​

Tom is a film-maker, photographer, writer and education professional. He works with several organisations to make films that document varied projects, as well as writing, producing and directing his own work as a freelancer and through City Projections Media (in his role as founder and creative director).

 

For North West Drama Tom directed the '10 Years of Children's Shakespeare Festival' documentary in 2019 and produced, edited and project managed the filming and streaming of 12 individual festivals for the digitally presented "Ill Met By Moonlight" #CSFDream in 2021.

 

Tom is our resident photographer and film maker.

Sam is a musician and sound artist. He has made soundtracks for films and animations and regularly releases music under various guises both collaboratively and as a solo artist. He has worked for number of years as a youth worker and educational support assistant in colleges, as well as delivering art therapy, school workshops and a variety of community arts projects. 

 

Sam is the musician for the Children's Shakespeare Festivals Using a range of traditional and homemade instruments, he provides both recorded and live improvisatory music to create atmosphere and dramatic tension, helping to bring each performance to life.

Jenny is a Freelance Arts Administrator. After a career in high level complaints handling (both in the travel industry and for the medical profession), she decided to put her skills to good use in an area of particular interest – the arts. Clients have included The Lingua Franca World Music Community (where she helped to run the Cultural College World Music Festival), Levenshulme Inspire, Conor McKee Productions and Oldham Coliseum Theatre's Learning and Engagement Department.

 

Jenny supports our work with a host of administrative tasks as well as box office and ticketing management..