Introduction to Toolbox Drama
Toolbox Drama is an inclusive provision for adults with additional needs. We deliver sensory drama, music and singing programmes, outreach workshops and events. Please browse through our website for further information about these services.
We ensure that our activities are accessible to a multitude of needs, whilst also delivering high-quality creative arts activity. We have been fortunate enough to receive financial support from the Ward Committees in York, Adult Commissioning Services and the Ways to Wellbeing Fund, which have allowed us to develop low cost (and in some cases free!) activity and events. We are incredibly grateful for their continued support and belief in our services.
Ellie Tillotson
I am a freelance drama practitioner living and working in York. I moved here around 10 years ago and fell in love with North Yorkshire and its lovely countryside.
I am a workshop leader, and I work with lots of different community groups from children to the elderly. I also train actors; public speakers and I teach youth drama. I absolutely love the theatre; I love feeling creative and it brings me (and so many other people) great happiness!
I set up Tool Box Drama to support other people in accessing the arts, and not just stage acting but sensory drama, play, storytelling, sound and confident communication. I wanted to set up a provision that is truly accessible and brings us back to the root of performing arts and in my opinion, it’s simply being creative in a social environment.
Alysha Smith-Bednall
Hi, I’m Alysha and I like to consider myself an artsy, nerdy historian as I am educated in both music and history! I’m originally from Canada but fell in love with the UK after studying here and now live and work in York as a coordinator and manager of youth activities and provisions.
My background as a singer and a historian has made me absolutely love how music and culture can bring joy into the lives of so many people.
As I build a practice that aims to be inclusive, artistic and most importantly fun, I am really looking forward to the meaningful way I can being a part of people’s creative journeys!
Jenny Walters
Theatre, acting, singing have been my passion since I was a little girl dancing around the living room, performing my carefully crafted routines to anyone who walked through the front door!
Thankfully I graduated from the living room & went on to find roles in all sorts of amazing productions as well as graduating from University where I studied Performance Theatre, and took on scary roles locally at The York Dungeons!
The core of my experience is teaching Performance Theatre across a broad range of ages and abilities taking in all genres from classical theatre to acting for commercial television and film.
I have been teaching Acting, Singing and Musical theatre for 5 years, and have loved every minute! Seeing people not just come out of their shells, but burst out is what I believe is so special about the arts! There’s a performer in all of us, we just need to find it!