Sebastian Gonzalez Inclusive Recording and Technical Support Manager Expand Inclusive Recording and Technical Support Manager Sebastian joined Chickenshed from an early age, training and performing throughout his school years. He left briefly to complete a BA (Hons) in Photography, Sculpture, Dance and Theatre at the University of Brighton. He then went on to further his dance training at the Laban Centre for Movement and Dance. He has appeared in several films, television programmes, commercials and music videos, working with organisations such as B.B.C, E.M.I, Factory Films, L.W.T, Ridley Scott Associates, The Really Useful Group, Urban Conceptz Theatre, Wall to Wall Media, Yes/No Productions, and C.B.B.C. Sebastian also delivers visual, performing and creative arts workshops in schools, colleges and organizations to groups of all ages, backgrounds and abilities. He has over 15 years’ experience in Play work and Youth work with mainstream and mixed ability groups of children and young people. He currently works within both the artistic and education departments at Chickenshed, performing, teaching on the Level 3 Extended Diploma, Foundation Degree and BA courses, as well as filming, video editing and set/props design for the education shows and many recent studio theatre productions.
Belinda McGuirk Level 3 Programme Manager – Year 2 Expand Level 3 Programme Manager – Year 2 From the age of 3 Belinda has been involved in theatre – from learning poems like Daddy Fell in to the Pond, to playing Puss’n Boots, to Bernard in the Young Visitor’s, to the Angel Gabriel… all this and much more before joining Chickenshed at the age of 14. Since then, some of her highlights include going to Ethiopia and China, teaching in all disciplines across the level 3 course, working with the Children’s and Youth Theatres, and playing the mother in As the Mother of a Brown Boy. She was most recently seen performing in An Adventure to Oz!, Trumpets and Raspberries, and Refugee Boy.
Jojo Morrall Higher Education Programme Manager / Support and Mentor Team Co-ordinator Expand Higher Education Programme Manager / Support and Mentor Team Co-ordinator Jojo was a member of Chickenshed’s Children’s and Youth Theatre and then completed the Foundation Degree in Inclusive Performance. She completed a BA at Middlesex University in Inclusive Education and then went on to get her PG Cert in Higher Education at Anglia Ruskin University. Jojo is also part of the Outreach team taking Chickenshed ethos into a variety of places and countries including Finland, Gurnsey, Wales, Houses of Commons, Young Offenders Institutes and Prisons. JoJo performs and directs at Chickenshed. She was most recently part of a show that toured to Wales called In the Absence of Silence, Jojo also takes on the role as a co-director for Chickenshed’s Christmas, Spring and student shows.
Robin Shillinglaw Youth Theatre Programme Manager / Level 3 Programme Manager - Year 1 Expand Youth Theatre/Level 3 Programme Manager Robin Shillinglaw has been a member of Chickenshed since early childhood and began working as a member of staff in 2001 after graduating from Brighton University. Since then he has worked for Chickenshed on many different projects and in many different capacities within the performance, outreach, education and membership work. Within these areas of work Robin teaches, performs, leads workshops, directs, and choreographs, working extensively with Chickenshed's diverse mix of participants. A significant project was in 2002, when as part of team, Robin worked in Ethiopia with the dance group, Adugna and this inspired him to work in Ethiopia as a volunteer for a further 8 months in 2003 and was able to bring back many developed skills from this experience to share with Chickenshed. Robin has also been involved in a variety of outreach projects both nationally and internationally (Russia, Ethiopia, Costa Rica and more recently Kosovo).
Jonathan Morton Senior Creative Producer – Acting Development Expand Senior Creative Producer – Acting Development Jonathan has been a performing member of Chickenshed for over 40 years as well as an Education Manager working on the Level 3 and undergraduate programmes since 2005. He trained as an actor at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama and has worked extensively as an actor in theatre (including RSC, National Studio, Royal Exchange, Chickenshed and West End), TV (including Poirot, Daliez and Pascoe, Casualty and Sooty) and film (Midsummer Night’s Dream). He has also directed many productions (including Blood Wedding, The Would Be Gentleman, 1984 and Animal Farm.)
Rachel Yates Creative Producer - Projects Expand Rachel Yates trained in Liverpool before moving to London where she gained her BA honours degree in Performing Arts at Middlesex Polytechnic. Rachel went on to become Head of Programming Dance at the Islington Arts Factory, Head of Dance at Barnet College, and worked six years as a lecturer at Middlesex university teaching contemporary dance technique before being invited to become a trustee of the Doris Humphrey Foundation. Rachel joined Chickenshed in 1998 as Company Dance Tutor, and was made an Associate Director in 1999. For Chickenshed she has directed The People’s Happiness, Upon The Stones, On The Surface and Two. She has been on the directing teams of Globaleyes, Mother of A Brown Boy, Slender Threads, The King’s Web, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and in 2013 wrote and directed All I’ve Known which then went on to tour. Outside of Chickenshed Rachel runs the Adult Ensemble Company at Arts Depot, Finchley and teaches drama at Cambridge School of Visual and Performing arts. Her freelance theatre work most recently has been at the Finborough Theatre and The Queens Theatre, Hornchurch. Rachel continues her creative relationship with the acclaimed director Dougal Wilson on award winning adverts and music videos.
Bradley Davis Artistic Staff Expand Bradley joined Chickenshed at 16, working his way through the BTEC, Foundation Degree ad BA courses and now is a member of staff at Chickenshed. He has played many roles such as King Lear in Shakespeare's Island, various roles in the Midnight Gang and regularly performs in our christmas shows. Bradley is a tutor on our BA course and also teaches on the BTEC and FD courses. He also has a large involvement in the outreach work at chickenshed with tours such as Crime of the Century.
Ashley Driver Artistic Staff Expand Ashley has been part of Chickenshed from the age of 6. He has completed both BTEC and Foundation Degree courses and has worked here ever since. Ashley works as a mentor to students and supports on the BTEC course delivery team. As a performer he has appeared in many roles, most recently Doctor Faustus, and was the award-nominated sole actor in The Rain That Washes which went on a national tour to great acclaim.
Loren Jacobs Artistic Staff Expand Loren has been a member of Chickenshed since 1994 and has been a mentor and tutor to our education system, teaching skills and techniques to the various year groups as well as our members. Loren was part of the initial team to work in Ethiopia in 2002 with the dance group Adunga. Loren played the part of the Brown Boy in the piece As the Mother of a Brown Boy which toured to Edinburgh in 2007, and is a cast member of Crime of the Century which premiered at Edinburgh in 2009, and which continues to tour around the UK.
Gemilla Shamruk Artistic Staff Expand Gemilla joined Chickenshed at 17, completed her BTEC, Foundation and BA degree and has now been a member of staff for four years. Gemilla has played many roles throughout her years at Chickenshed, including the Spanish Teacher in our 2012 production of Sleeping Beauty - Dream On, and most recently the mother in Kindertransport.
Michael Bossisse Artistic Staff Expand Michael completed his studies at Chickenshed and now works as an artistic staff member and an integral member of the outreach team, taking on performance delivery and organisational roles. Michael’s production credits include performing in Slender Threads, which also went to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Crime of the Century, and a range of Christmas and Spring Show productions. Michael was also part of the directing team of 12:one and has directed a number of education shows whilst tutoring Chickenshed’s education courses.