What is Sherman Makers?
Sherman Makers is a community theatre group where you’ll have the opportunity to create theatre, perform, develop your skills and build your confidence. The group offers a supportive, safe and inclusive environment in which you can thrive. Sherman Makers sits alongside our other non-professional group Sherman Players, both programmes offer members of the community a space to unleash their creativity.
Who is it for?
Sherman Makers is for anyone aged 18+ who is Deaf, hard of hearing, blind, partially sighted, disabled, neurodivergent or is committed to making accessible theatre. Whilst there is a small charge to take part; there are no auditions and no barriers to being part of the group. Sherman Makers is open to all but we will give priority to anyone who faces barriers to participating in the arts. We aim to meet all access requirements including providing BSL and SSE interpreters and access support workers.
What will I get out of it?
- We want you to feel theatre is for you.
- You’ll be part of something, part of a community of people driven to make accessible theatre. It’s a place where you’ll get to meet likeminded people and forge new connections.
- We want you to feel excited, energised and inspired by creating theatre that has accessibility at its heart.
- In a nutshell, Sherman Makers will help you express yourself creatively through the craft of theatre making.
What kind of theatre will we make?
Together we’ll make theatre with creative access at its core. Creative access ensures shows are accessible to a wide range of audiences by ensuring provision such as BSL interpretation, audio description and captioning are embedded into productions.
I’m interested. What do I do next?
The group will meet weekly on Tuesday evenings from January 2026. But before that, we’ll be running a FREE workshop on 15 Nov (2-4pm) to give you a taste of what you can expect from the group. At the workshop you’ll meet other potential participants, get a sense of what the group will feel like and have a chance to ask questions.
Sherman Makers Workshop Sign Up Form
After the workshop we’ll open booking for the group.
I want to know more or need support to complete the sign up form. Who can I talk to?
Get in touch with Fran by emailing francesca.pickard@shermantheatre.co.uk or leave a message with our Box Office staff on 02920646900 and we will call you back. If you would like to use BSL, contact us and we will arrange a video call.
Sherman Makers is inspired by Craidd.
Fees information:
The introductory workshop is free but spaces are limited. The pilot phase of the Sherman Makers, which runs from January to April 2026, will be priced at £5 per session. Subsequent terms will be priced in line with our other core programmes. Currently fees are £120 per term, with a 50% reduction for those in receipt of financial support from the government. We also aim to offer a number of bursaries.