We are
CREATORS & INNOVATORS
Founded in May 2014 by Leana Sherwood and Dawn Richmond-Gordon Egg Box Theatre is an East Midlands company that makes very special interactive theatre for new young audiences. We are passionate about giving children and their families an open and exciting first experience of theatre. We encourage learning through play and offer our audiences the chance to join the adventure, not just sit and watch!
Through our partnership with The University of Lincoln and Lincoln Performing Arts Centre, we use the creation of our work as a platform for graduate development and retention. Learning and development is at the heart of everything we do. We make theatre which challenges traditional environments, is often silly and always fun!
Our participation programme is dedicated to providing an inclusive experience for children and young people of all backgrounds and abilities. We are passionate about creating an accessible environment for young people where they can feel comfortable and confident to be themselves. We provide young people with the opportunity to discover their potential and help them to grow. The needs and interests of young people in our region always inspire the work we do.
Meet
THE TEAM
Dawn Richmond-Gordon
Artistic Director
Dawn is the Co-Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Egg Box Theatre. She is also a participation specialist, Writer and Director.
Dawn graduated from The Lincoln School of Performing Arts in 2009 where she studied Drama. In her graduating year she joined The Lincoln Company, and worked as a director, project manager and stage manager for an annual programme of work performed at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
In 2012 Dawn joined the creative team at Zest Theatre as a Youth Theatre Director and Participation Coordinator. During her time at Zest Dawn also worked as assistant director on Gatecrash National Tour, and as a director on Until Its Gone schools tour.
Dawn completed an MA in Contemporary Art at Manchester Metropolitan University in 2013 and a Postgraduate Certificate in Applied Theatre at The Royal Central School of Speech and Drama in 2019.
In 2015 Dawn joined the team at Lincolnshire One Venues as a Project Worker for the young people’s programme.
Alongside her role at Egg Box she is currently working at the Lincoln Performing Arts Centre as the Young Audiences and Engagement Producer; designing and delivering a variety of creative programmes which benefit the local community.
Leana Sherwood
Artistic Director
Leana is the Co-Artistic Director and Co-Founder of Egg Box Theatre. She is also a creative producer and arts manager with experience in developing and delivering grassroots arts and cultural projects with a range of regional and national partners.
Leana graduated from The Lincoln School of Performing Arts in 2010 with a degree in Dance and Drama. She joined The Lincoln Company in 2009 performing annually at The Edinburgh Fringe Festival until 2014.
She joined Lincolnshire One Venues, a county wide arts venue network, in 2013 working in youth participation and engagement. She became the LOV Project Manager in April 2018 and oversaw the operational transition drawing in over half a million pounds of grant funding before leaving in 2019. She is very experienced in coordinating large scale events and festivals having managed several seasons of shows at The Edinburgh Fringe. She holds a Post-graduate in Psychology and has an interest in the role of creativity in developmental psychology; alongside her role at Egg Box she is currently working with Inspire as a maths and English tutor.
Evangeline (Evie) Osbon
Associate Artist
Evangeline (Evie) Osbon (she/they) is a Nottingham based Theatre Maker/Director, Performer, Writer, Dramaturg and Facilitator. They set up Mind Out Theatre in 2017, the same year in which she was awarded the Sir Alec Guinness Acting Award. Acting credits include; 6 month European tour of 4 new children’s play with English Theatre Company, lead in award winning short film ‘Eyes off you’ with Feelbad Productions, Lily in OnComm nominated audio play ‘Red Breast’ with Chronic Insanity Theatre, Lydia in ‘The Ladies Loo Chronicles’ (The Kings Head Theatre, London) which they also led through R&D and directed. Evie runs a variety of creative classes with children of all ages and is passionate about the benefits of performing arts on the development of children and young people. Evie is part of Nottingham Playhouse’s Wider Participation Freelancer Pool and is currently supported by In Good Company, Theatr Clwyd and Big House. @EvieOsbon on Twitter
Rachel Ross
Associate Artist
Rachel graduated from Coventry University in 2013 with a degree in Theatre and Professional Practise. She then returned to Nottingham to work on various acting and directing roles.
More recently Rachel had been working as a workshop leader and facilitator for various projects at Nottingham Playhouse. She has also worked in different types of community groups such as schools and residential homes, enjoying the challenge of making theatre accessible to all that want to be involved.
Rachel has also worked with the Mighty Creatives in Leicester on SPLASH, a project about engaging audiences with disabilities, in conjunction with Extraordinary Bodies and Diverse City.
In 2019 Rachel worked with Face Up Theatre creating a forum theatre show and other projects such as a theatre-based training session for HMRC.
Alice Saxton
Associate Artist
Alice graduated from The University of Lincoln in 2015, with a degree in Drama. In her final year, she co-established a physical theatre company – Push To Shove Theatre. She performed at the Edinburgh fringe festival for 3 consecutive years with various companies including her own; Push to Shove Theatre, The Lincoln Company and Echo Echo Echo. Alice has co-ordinated, produced and performed in a variety of productions throughout her freelance career. Her passion lies in physical communication, and she has facilitated workshops across the UK in developing physical language both in theatre and in day to day life.
Alice taught in a secondary school as a Drama teacher in 2015, then went on to teach Acting and Singing at two Lincolnshire theatre schools for children aged 4-17, where she still works today. She also currently works as an associate lecturer at the University of Lincoln teaching physical theatre, and as the Participation Projects Co-ordinator at Nottingham Playhouse, supporting a wide range of community groups such as schools and support groups.
Caley Starbuck
Associate Artist
Caley graduated from The University of Lincoln in 2021 with a first class degree in Drama and Theatre studies. She has been a member of The Lincoln Company throughout her degree. With the theatre company H4LLUCINATE she worked alongside the other members to devise and perform in her final degree show ‘The Art of Conscious sleeping’, this was featured online at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2021 in association with Zoo Venues.
Whilst studying Caley has performed with the University of Lincoln’s Musical Theatre Society and in her second year took on the role of Social Secretary where she organised events and fundraised for the society. She has continued to share her love of theatre through leading workshops within schools and The Lincoln Young Company. Caley aims to encourage children and young people to express themselves creatively and use theatre to step out of their comfort zones.
Martyn Bignall
Associate Artist
Martyn studied drama at The University of Lincoln, graduating in 2014. During his 3 years, he became a member of the Lincoln Company, where he performed in shows at the Edinburgh Fringe festival for 2 years including The Underwater Adventure, Look Back in Anger and Sheriff Wayne and the Sundance cave. Since graduating, Martyn has worked as an actor for Lincoln based Zest theatre, in Until its Gone 2014-15 and Physical Theatre piece Boy meets girl, National Tour 2015.