Gillian Twaite
National Drama
Executive Committee
Chair
Why is Drama essential?
“Drama has been essential since early civilisations and in recent times it has been marginalised to our detriment. It is about our humanness, our connectedness; it helps us to understand others and for all stories to be told, not just the dominant one. In schools, colleges, youth groups and universities it both gives a voice and a chance to listen; an opportunity to reflect, explore and understand the past, the present and imagine the future. It gives space to both question and make sense of the world. Drama is and always will be essential.”
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I am currently the Learning Manager of Sampad (a South Asian Arts and Heritage organisation) – a job I love. We develop creative enrichment projects for and with schools in the West Midlands and have just been awarded a Paul Hamlyn TDF. I worked as a Primary Teacher in Birmingham for 11 years having previously worked in TIE/ Drama Education as a performer, director, writer, workshop facilitator & tea maker! My PGCE was in Secondary Drama and prior to that I did a post graduate year on the ‘Theatre of the Deaf’ course at Reading. I have a Masters in Drama, Education & Cultural Studies which led to opportunities working globally as a visiting lecturer.
GILLIAN
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Zeena Rasheed
National Drama
Executive Committee
Vice Chair
Why is Drama essential?
“Drama matters as a joy, a brilliant subject that delivers transferable skills, a challenging academic, physical pursuit, an educational right, a canon, a complex, contemporary art that has been making sense of humanity for millennia, a professional path, and a way of telling engaging stories collaboratively in diverse, international genres.”
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I teach Drama in Penistone, and love it. Previous roles include pastoral, cross-phase, and leadership.
In ND I’ve been a volunteer, Reviews Editor, and Vice Chair.
Qualifications include B.A, P.G.C.E, M.A, and A.S.T. I enjoy delivering CPD and exploring Practitioners, Interculturalism, Inclusion, and Wellbeing with colleagues and in Drama classrooms.
ZEENA
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Chris Lawrence
National Drama Executive Committee
Treasurer and Publications Officer
Why is Drama essential?
“Drama matters because drama is at the heart of the process of learning – it is what children do spontaneously to explore how the world works and their place in the world – and should therefore be at the heart of their formal education. The fact that clearly it is not at the heart of their education means that it matters even more. “
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I have a lot of experience as a Drama teacher having worked as a class teacher in both Primary and Secondary Schools, as Head of Drama, Advisory Drama Teacher and as Leader of a TIE Team.
Currently I edit Drama Magazine and Drama Research and am Treasurer but I am also Co-ordinator of London Drama and a Trustee of Southwark Theatres Education Partnership (STEP).
CHRIS
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LM Lewin
National Drama Executive Committee
Reviews Editor
Why is Drama essential?
“Drama matters because the ability to tell stories is at the heart of what it is to communicate and what it means to be human. Drama enables us to tell our stories and to listen to others. Drama gives us our voice – so we know we matter.”
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I started writing for Drama Magazine in 2017 and joined the ND Exec in 2019.
LM
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John Rainer
National Drama Executive Committee
HE/FE Officer
Why is Drama essential?
“Drama is a human need. All cultures have enacted events in order to understand them and gain power and agency over them. It helps young people to make sense of their lives and can make complex, abstract ideas concrete. It is a powerful cultural and political force that can help transform lives and communities and it is essential that all young people have the opportunity to study drama and are equipped with the tools to make their own.”
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I have 40 years experience of working in drama and theatre, first as an actor/musician in a TIE company, then as a secondary drama teacher, local authority advisory teacher, Youth Theatre director, university lecturer and senior manager, and latterly educational consultant. For 25 years I co-ordinated a highly successful drama PGCE course and I am the author or co-author of a number of articles and books on drama education I am a founder member and ex-Chair of National Drama.
JOHN
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Sam O'Reilly
National Drama Executive Committee
Social Media Officer
Why is Drama essential?
“Great Drama lessons are rooted in an ethos of inclusion and an environment in which anything is possible! Those who underachieve in other areas can be those who, because of the nature of the drama curriculum, lead learning; working sensitively and creatively with others.”
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I am an Assistant Headteacher responsible for the Performing Arts at Coombe Boys’ School in Kingston upon Thames. I have taught Drama for over 20 years and I am a Lead Practitioner and an AST for Drama. I am also the Director of CAPA the Coombe Academy of Performing Arts. We were thrilled to be awarded the 2020 (and first ever) Outstanding School Drama Department award at the MDEA’s.
SAM
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Gill Brigg
National Drama Executive Committee
Additional Needs Officer Co-opted
Why is Drama essential?
Drama is essential because it allows a temporary departure from our real lives, offering a unique space to learn from our actions within a fiction. For those with SEND, there are many factors that can inhibit this process. Drama Education offers pathways to fictional worlds via sensory, kinaesthetic or linguistic channels, enabling neurodivergent children and young people to access stories, ideas and life experiences. This helps children in specialist settings find their place in the wider world.
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I have over 40 years’ experience as a cross-phase drama teacher, theatre-maker and advisory teacher. Armed with an M.Ed and a PHD, I have worked for the last 20 years in Specialist Schools as a TIE performer, Drama specialist and class teacher. I now work nationally and internationally with teachers, actors and academics, developing their practice with neurodivergent groups. Collaborating with theatre-makers to make pieces accessible to audiences with complex needs, I also serve on boards and advisory groups to represent the cultural rights of children and young people with limited access to theatre and drama.
GILL
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Lorrine Douglas
National Drama Executive Committee
Secondary Officer
Why is Drama essential?
“Take a group of (young) people, mix in an experienced and passionate Drama Teacher, add in conflict, misunderstandings, diverse cultures, views and opinions. Stir in some empathy and sprinkle with listening, sharing, developing, exploring and devising as an ensemble. Top up with a pinch of acceptance and freedom of expression for different voices to be heard. Plate up with historical, social and cultural context and invite others to sample or take part inclusively. The mix of flavours can transform and engage someone for life! We all deserve an opportunity to connect with others and I believe Drama can help us to do this.”
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LORRINE
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Dr. Sharon Coyne
National Drama Executive Committee
Theatre Officer
Why is Drama essential?
“For the first time we made something instead of destroying it.” This quote came from a young man who had been excluded from mainstream education. He took part in an applied drama project that lead to the creation of a piece of theatre that they were proud of because it meant something to them.
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I have been involved with theatre nearly all my life performing, writing, directing and spectating. I was co director of Bournemouth Theatre in Education Team for over 20 years and am currently Artistic Director of Vita Nova, a community theatre group for people in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse.
SHARON
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Jo Lee
National Drama Executive Committee
International Officer
Why is Drama essential?
Sir Ken Robinson wrote: “Education should enable young people to engage with the world within them as well as the world around them”. Drama is the perfect way to be able to know ourselves better within a safe context. It develops camaraderie, confidence and creativity.”
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I am a proud Drama teacher and Head of Expressive Arts. With over 20 years experience, I have taught Drama in outstanding organisations across the UK, South East Asia and Middle East.
My MEd research focused on using Drama as a pedagogical tool to enhance learning in a variety of subjects and with all age ranges. I am passionate about building CREATIVE CONFIDENCE.
JO
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Dr. Will Shüler
National Drama Executive Committee
Higher Education
Why is Drama essential?
Drama is essential because it is a way of understanding the world. Scientists make one sense of the world by experimenting in labs. Mathematicians by calculating equations. Writers and historians by composing texts. Performance is another such way of learning, understanding, and sharing.
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I am an Associate Professor in Drama and Theatre Studies at Royal Holloway, University of London. My research and teaching is focused in the areas of performance pedagogies, performance-making with new technologies (AR, VR, MR, VP, AI), Queer theory, and Greek tragedy. I was shortlisted for the Times Higher Education Innovative Teacher of the Year Award for my use of Augmented Reality in teaching Drama online during the pandemic. Recent publications have covered topics such as male same sex desire in ancient Greek tragic spectatorship, queerness and the multiverse, and the actor’s body in Virtual Reality. I regularly contribute theatre reviews to The Conversation.
WILL
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Jen Berg
National Drama Executive Committee
Secondary Education
Why is Drama essential?
Drama continues to play a vital role in the education of young people, helping them develop the skills needed to become confident, well-rounded and successful adults. Through drama, students build communication, collaboration, creativity, empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, accountability and resilience, alongside a deeper understanding of both verbal and non-verbal communication. These are fundamentally human skills that remain essential in an increasingly AI-driven world. Drama provides a safe, supportive and inclusive environment in which young people can find their voice, explore their creativity and grow in confidence. Through storytelling, they learn to understand different perspectives, connect with others and make sense of the world around them. As storytelling has shaped cultures and communities for centuries, it is vital that we continue to nurture these skills for future generations. Most importantly, drama brings joy. It fosters belonging, inspires imagination and creates meaningful experiences for both participants and audiences, enriching lives and strengthening communities.
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I currently work in Coventry, delivering Drama from Key Stage 3 through to Key Stage 5, whilst also overseeing the curriculum provision for our Key Stage 2 pupils. It is a role that I am deeply passionate about, and I continue to be inspired every day by the creativity, imagination and
dedication of the young people I am fortunate enough to teach.
Prior to this role, alongside drama, I delivered vocational qualifications in Performing Arts and Production Arts. Leading design and technical theatre pathways enabled students who may not have found their voice through performance to discover their place within the creative world of theatre. Seeing students thrive through technical and production roles has reinforced my belief that the performing arts should be accessible to all, with opportunities for every young person to contribute and succeed.
JEN
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Larraine Harrison
National Drama Executive Committee
Primary Officer
Why is Drama essential?
Most young animals learn by playing at being an adult. They learn to survive through imitation and enactment and that is exactly what Drama does for humans. Drama is therefore a natural way for children to learn. Children can try on the world like a cloak, within the safety of the fiction. They can make mistakes, try again, learn how to take on adult responsibilities, formulate opinions and learn how to engage and communicate with others with confidence and tolerance. Drama is an essential way of learning for all age groups that has sadly been underused in our schools for many years.
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I am a retired Local Authority School Improvement Adviser. I worked in Barnsley in South Yorkshire, where I had responsibility for English across the borough. However, after discovering the power of Drama during my teaching, I developed a passion for it and went on to write 7 Drama books for EYFS to Key Stage 3.
Since qualifying as a teacher in 1969 I have taught across all ages, including working in a special school, 3 primary schools, a high school and an FE College and supporting drama and PGCE students at Bretton Hall and Sheffield Hallam University. I have also been an OFSTED inspector, a Local Authority literacy consultant and leader of a Local Authority Drama-in-education team in Wakefield West Yorkshire.
I have directed 4 community plays and run many CPD sessions across the country promoting Drama in schools. I continue to write articles on Drama for organisations such as NATE and National Drama.
I am currently a Trustee of Waterton Multi Academy Trust in Wakefield West Yorkshire.
LARRAINE
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Jen Berg
National Drama Executive Committee
Secondary Education
Why is Drama essential?
Drama continues to play a vital role in the education of young people, helping them develop the skills needed to become confident, well-rounded and successful adults. Through drama, students build communication, collaboration, creativity, empathy, critical thinking, problem-solving, accountability and resilience, alongside a deeper understanding of both verbal and non-verbal communication. These are fundamentally human skills that remain essential in an increasingly AI-driven world. Drama provides a safe, supportive and inclusive environment in which young people can find their voice, explore their creativity and grow in confidence. Through storytelling, they learn to understand different perspectives, connect with others and make sense of the world around them. As storytelling has shaped cultures and communities for centuries, it is vital that we continue to nurture these skills for future generations. Most importantly, drama brings joy. It fosters belonging, inspires imagination and creates meaningful experiences for both participants and audiences, enriching lives and strengthening communities.
Find out more...
I currently work in Coventry, delivering Drama from Key Stage 3 through to Key Stage 5, whilst also overseeing the curriculum provision for our Key Stage 2 pupils. It is a role that I am deeply passionate about, and I continue to be inspired every day by the creativity, imagination and
dedication of the young people I am fortunate enough to teach.
Prior to this role, alongside drama, I delivered vocational qualifications in Performing Arts and Production Arts. Leading design and technical theatre pathways enabled students who may not have found their voice through performance to discover their place within the creative world of theatre. Seeing students thrive through technical and production roles has reinforced my belief that the performing arts should be accessible to all, with opportunities for every young person to contribute and succeed.
JEN
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