Skip over main navigation
  • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
Chickenshed
  • Basket
  • My Account
What's on Donate
  • Twitter
Menu
  • About Us
    • Who We Are
      • Theatre Changing Lives
      • Our Mission and Vision
      • We Are Chickenshed
      • What is Inclusive Theatre?
      • Our History
    • Our People
      • Meet the Team
      • Ambassadors and Co-Founders
      • Chickenshed Theatre Trust
      • Chickenshed Property Company
      • American Friends
      • Work at Chickenshed
    • Your Visit
      • Access Information
      • The Rayne Theatre | Seating Plan
      • Food and Drink
      • How to Find Us
      • Covid-19 Safety Information
    • Kensington & Chelsea
    • Contact Us
  • What's On
    • All Shows
    • Tales from the Shed
    • Workshops for Young People
    • Workshops for Adults
  • Take Part
    • Take Part
    • Young Company
    • Workshops for Young People
    • Workshops for Adults
  • Education and Training
    • Study at Chickenshed
      • Why Study at Chickenshed?
      • Level 3 Training
      • Undergraduate Courses
      • Tutors
      • Facilities
      • Student Finance
      • Alumni Network
    • Open Days
    • Vocational Training
      • Creating Tomorrow - Making Youth Guided Theatre
      • Young Creators
      • Tales from the Shed Training
    • Corporate Training
    • 25 Years of Chickenshed Education
  • Outreach
    • About Outreach
    • Outreach Projects
    • New York City
  • The Space Between Us Programme
    • Find Out More
    • Join The Space Between Us
    • Past Projects
    • Gladrags Secret Society
      • Gladrags Secret Society
      • Join Gladrags Secret Society
      • Gladrags Portal
  • Support Us
    • Your Support Matters
    • Donate
    • Regular Giving
    • Impact
    • Fundraise
      • Fundraise For Us
      • Events & Challenges
      • School and Community Fundraising
      • Fundraising Success Stories
    • Other Ways To Give
    • Trusts and Foundations
    • Corporate Partnerships
    • Our Supporters
    • Take Your Seat | Appeal 2020
    • Take Your Seat | Our Stories
  • Volunteer
    • Volunteering Opportunities
    • Volunteer News
  • Our Shop
    • Our Shop
    • Books & Programmes
    • DVDs & CDs
  • Hire Our Venue
  • Latest News
  • Admin
    • Log in
  • Basket: (0 items)
  • History
  1. About Us
  2. Who We Are
  3. Theatre Changing Lives

History

Our History

In 1974, musician and composer Jo Collins met teacher and director Mary Ward. Sharing a belief that everyone should be able to perform and create, they set up a theatre company. Initially based in local church halls, they asked local benefactor and landowner (and fan!) Lady Elizabeth Byng if there might be a space free on her land for the company to use as its base – and history was made with the kind offer of a disused chicken shed!

The company grew as more and more members began to join, buying in to the collective passion and enthusiasm for the power of community theatre. And then, in the early 1980s, a young boy with cerebral palsy took part in a Chickenshed production. “If we’re open to everyone,” asked Chickenshed’s teenage members, “then why is there no-one else like him?”

Mary and Jo saw that the way forward for Chickenshed must be one of true inclusion, and by embracing this ethos wholeheartedly the next phase of Chickenshed’s development began.

Mary and Jo were joined by John Bull, who became Chickenshed’s first Managing Director, and whose pioneering work on integration took Chickenshed to the next level: Jo, Mary and John had created the world’s first truly inclusive theatre company.

Chickenshed was going from strength to strength with record contracts, CDs, West End shows, TV spots, high-profile trustees such as Judi Dench and Trevor Nunn. But more – so much more – was yet to come.

In the late eighties, Chickenshed was lucky enough to meet Lord and Lady Rayne – and Lady Rayne became president of the company. And it was thanks to her that Chickenshed got a very special patron indeed: Princess Diana, whose zest for Chickenshed’s message of hope shone through in spectacular fashion.

The next big step came in the early nineties, when Lord and Lady Rayne continued to work tirelessly to create a permanent home for the company, until in 1994 Chickenshed was able to move into its own purpose-built theatre in Southgate, North London.

Soon Chickenshed embarked national tours, which delighted audiences of over 5000. We were showing the nation what it meant to be inclusive. Soon we would be working on a global scale.

In 1997, Chickenshed saw the vital need to expand its ground-breaking inclusive model into the field of education, and began to run at first BTEC courses, then to offer Foundation Degrees, with finally the ability to deliver full Bachelor of Arts Degree courses.

In 2011, Chickenshed launched a new branch in Kensington and Chelsea to expand the company’s ability to offer the same life-changing opportunities in an area of London with the widest disparity between life chances and choices.

Mary and Jo have received much acclaim for their work in creating Chickenshed, including two MBEs, appearances on This Is Your Life, Creative Briton Awards, Snowdon Awards, Honorary Doctorates… but the biggest reward comes in seeing what Chickenshed has become.

Now a major force for change, Chickenshed continues to grow. Many of those early Chickenshed travellers are still with us, and many have moved on, leaving a wonderful legacy but all taking with them the belief in the power of inclusion to change the world for the better.

And – of course – many more have joined us along the way. Each and every one of them – member, supporter, performer, friend – is a testament to Chickenshed’s artistic and social impact. Lives have changed. Lives will still be changed. We’ll keep shining the spotlight on what really matters. Everyone. 

Published: 29th January, 2017

Updated: 19th July, 2018

Author:

Share this page
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter

Latest

  • Amplify Festival Programme

    Amplify Festival Programme

    Download the digital programme for our 2022 Amplify Festival.

  • Bare Bones 10 Years Celebration

    Bare Bones 10 Years Celebration

    Bare Bones Drama members come together to celebrate the company’s 10 year anniversary!

  • Gladrags Gallery | 1950s

    Gladrags Gallery | 1950s

  • Theodor Sergiou

    Trustee

Related

  • Gladrags Gallery | 1950s

    Gladrags Gallery | 1950s

  • Gladrags Gallery | 1960s

    Gladrags Gallery | 1960s

  • Gladrags Secret Society

    Gladrags Secret Society

    Get your Gladrags on and enjoy glamorous afternoons of live music, dance and entertainment.

  • Day One - Big School

    Day One - Big School

    Chickenshed's production "Day 1 - Big School" was created and devised around the words and opinions of 1000 children of primary school age about what would make schools and communities safer for children from negative influences, bullying and being exploited.

  • We Are Chickenshed

    We Are Chickenshed

    Chickenshed is an amazing organisation, which for 45 years has been built upon the stories of the thousands and thousands of people who count themselves part of our community. These short films shine a light on just a few of these individuals, and serve to highlight how Chickenshed stands for one unique proposition – that we can all choose to create a better world where everyone is welcome and everyone is included.

  • Sponsor a Seat

    Sponsor a Seat

    Back in 2004 on our 30th anniversary we started offering seat sponsorship in the Rayne Theatre. Now in 2017 we are in ever increasing need of funds to support our passion and belief in inclusion.

  • Books & Programmes

    Books & Programmes

  • Our Shop

    Our Shop

  • Survivors

    Survivors

    Funded by the National Lottery of Wales, Survivors is a long-term outreach project working with victims of domestic abuse throughout Wales.

  • Set up a Shed

    Set up a Shed

    An inclusive theatre training programme to help organisations and individuals establish their own inclusive theatre groups.

Most read

  • Blank

    Blank Page for Spektrix redirect Bounce Avoidance

  • Checkout

  • How to Find Us

    How to Find Us

    The theatre is located approximately 10 minutes walk from Cockfosters Underground Station and 12 minutes from Oakwood Underground Station. Both stations are on the Piccadilly line.

  • Theatre Changing Lives

    Theatre Changing Lives

    We champion difference through inclusion, to enrich lives and transform our world.

  • Study at Chickenshed

    Study at Chickenshed

    Applications OPEN for September 2022.

  • Take Part

    Take Part

    Courage, magic, honesty, passion, emotion and truth. These are all the things that make our members, participants and performers so wonderfully unique.

  • My Account

  • Level 3 Training

    Level 3 Training

    The BTEC Extended Diploma in Performing Arts is a two year full time course, nationally recognised as an equivalent to three A-levels (Level 3). Over the course of two years you will have the opportunity to explore dance, drama and musical theatre through a series of units and gain practical experience of inclusive theatre practice.

  • Executive Management

  • Basket

Tag cloud

Parties Tales Tales from the Shed

Latest tweet

Connect With Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • linkedin
  • snapchat
  • Instagram
Sign Up To Our Newsletter
   

 

Box Office:

+44 (0)20 8292 9222
  • Contact Us
  • Sitemap
  • Privacy Policy
  • Purchasing Terms and Conditions
  • How to find us
  • Website Terms of Use
  • Website Accessibility

© Chicken Shed Theatre Trust 2017 | Registered Charity No. 1012369 

Events at ChickenshedCharity Film Awards Silver