Blue Apple Theatre is a theatre company based in Winchester, England. It was founded in 2005 by Jane Jessop to support the inclusion of actors with intellectual disabilities on mainstream stages.

Venue: Blue Apple Theatre
Town: Winchester, GB

Blue Apple Theatre is a theatre company based in Winchester, England. It was founded in 2005 by Jane Jessop to support the inclusion of actors with intellectual disabilities on mainstream stages. In May 2012, six Blue Apple actors toured a re-imagining of William Shakespeare's Hamlet around the south of England. They were the first actors with Down syndrome to perform the play professionally. In 2016 members of the company, four with Down syndrome, performed scenes from Shakespeare on stage in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at the Globe Theatre in London. In June 2012, Blue Apple Theatre was named as the 1000th winner of the Queen's Award for Voluntary Service in recognition of the efforts of its voluntary staff. Blue Apple was founded in 2005 by Jane Jessop to provide opportunities for people with a wide range of learning disabilities to participate in theatre and dance. Jessop led the company for over ten years. Jane's final project was a tenth birthday performance event on stage at Shakespeare's Globe Theatre in London. Blue Apple now delivers over 400 drama and dance workshops a year for over 100 members, in addition to two professional theatre shows and one touring production each year. The company's first show was a basic Variety show called "Born to be Blue". This was followed by a costumed pantomime "Cinderella and the Wolf" written with the cast by the playwright and filmmaker Will Jessop. The company has created two full-scale productions a year ever since and launched a touring programme. In 2008 the Apple Core auditioned theatre training group was established, Blue Apple launched its dance programme, made its first film and had a membership of around 50 people with learning disabilities. Blue Apple actors and dancers performed to a standing ovation in London, and in Brighton, Birmingham and around London. In Autumn 2009, Blue Apple appointed their first arts consultant Peter Clerke, who in 2012 became the company's first Artistic Director. Clerke collaborat