About Basement Theatre Basement Theatre runs dynamic drama workshops for 7-14 year olds at the Letchworth Centre for Healthy Living in Hertfordshire. Our Mission Statement We believe that all children should be given the space to find their own relationship with theatre and the arts. Basement Theatre creates this space. We provide a fun, relaxed and safe environment where children can discover their individual talents through dynamic theatre workshops. The Basement Youth Theatre is an inclusive, child-centred organisation, which embraces children with all needs and abilities. Our Aims: •To create a relaxed environment where children can explore and develop their creativity. •To encourage children to make new friends and progress their social skills •To build children’s self-confidence through performance •To emphasise the multi-faceted nature of theatre and make every child feel they have something to offer. How are we different to other youth theatres? Many other youth theatres focus on providing children with a formalized ‘stage training’. This usually involves regimented acting, singing and dancing classes, with exams and certificates to monitor the children’s progress.         The Basement Youth Theatre believes that children have enough of this sort of pressure at school. Instead, we aim to provide a relaxed space where children can be themselves and let their imaginations run wild.         We believe that youth theatre should not be about which child is the ‘best’ at acting, singing or dancing. Instead, we want to inspire children with the sense of possibility within theatre, and to build their confidence by focusing on their individual talents.         Our workshops are a mixture of games, performance, script writing, arts, crafts and music, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to shine. We never audition or grade the children, but encourage them to work together to create performances they can be really proud of. Meet the Leaders Anna Jones Anna Jones read Theatre and Performance Studies (BA Hons) at the University of Warwick, and studied Theatre in Education and Theatre in the Community (MA) at the Central School of Speech and Drama. Anna started her youth theatre career at the Warwick Arts Centre, where she taught children aged 7-14 alongside Natalie Diddams. Since then she has worked with a variety of Community Theatre organizations, teaching children at the Gordon Craig Youth Theatre as well as Best Theatre Arts, and teaching adults with Special Needs at North Hertfordshire College. Anna has also worked as a freelance workshop facilitator in numerous schools, including Knights Templar School in Baldock and St Mary’s High School in South London.  Anna is an experienced performer and is skilled in singing, music and dancing. She has performed at the Warwick Arts Centre and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Anna has had a full CRB check and is trained in first aid. Natalie Diddams Natalie Diddams read Theatre and Performance Studies (BA Hons) at the University of Warwick, before training as a Theatre Director (MA) at St Mary’s University College, London. Her directing credits include New Anatomies (BAC 09), Pyramus and Thisbe (St Mary’s Shakespeare Festival 08); Find Me (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 07), and My Mother Said I Never Should (Edinburgh Fringe Festival 06). She was also the Assistant Director on the Chester Mystery Plays 2008, which employed a cast of 500 amateur actors from all over the North West. Natalie worked alongside Anna as a youth theatre leader at the Warwick Arts Centre, teaching children aged 7-14. She worked with Anna again at Best Theatre Arts; teaching children aged 4-6. She is also skilled in Scenic Art and Costume Making, and has a full Matrons license.