Graeae Theatre Company is a uniquely positioned high profile theatre company artistically led by disabled people - actors, directors and professional theatre practitioners with physical and sensory impairments. Founded in 1980 Graeae was the first professional theatre company of disabled people and has paved the way for others both nationally and internationally. The company exists to dispel images of defencelessness, prejudices and popular myths about disabled people through theatre productions, workshops and training.
Graeae tours annually twice a year to small to mid-scale venues across the UK with innovative and exciting productions of extant plays and new writing. As Artistic Director for the last ten years, Jenny Sealey’s reputation for artistic excellence and her pioneering development of inclusive access for sensory impaired audience members have led to Graeae occupying a distinctive position in the UK.
Graeae's key objectives are:
- To create and produce first class, high impact, disabled-led theatre
- To contribute to the creation of barrier-free training and education in the performing arts through partnerships and collaborations with leading institutions
- To operate within and champion accessible environments and practice
- To develop excellent governance across the company through the development of robust policy, procedures and practice across the organisation
