Founded by Penni Bubb in 2004, Mushroom Theatre Company (MTC) is an integrated performing arts organisation. With its humble beginning in a mushroom shed at a family property, Mushroom Theatre Company has grown to be the face of inclusivity and integration in the community. Penni Bubb, the Founder of MTC has been a force to reckon with in the community who has been leading by example since the theatre’s inception. After founding the theatre, she also founded a charity - Equal People Performing Arts (EPPA), in 2005 with an aim to build inclusive performance studios and spaces. MTC and EPPA have done ground-breaking work to build a multi-purpose, fully accessible venue with accessible reception, waiting room, office, kitchen & wheelchair-accessible toilets, and three multi-function performing arts studios.
Set up at Lubbards Farm, in Hullbridge, MTC has come to symbolise how an inclusive institution can grow with the help and support of the local community. At the heart of its growth was the vision of its founder for a place where children and adults, with and without a disability, could come together and learn performing arts. With its central tenet of inclusivity, MTC has built itself from the ground up and, over almost two decades, built a strong base of participants and volunteers who exhibit a steadfast commitment to the institution.
As someone who likes to sing, dance, and act, Ms. Bubb set up the company as she wanted to share this joy and excitement of performing arts with children and believed that it is about what children are and not what they are not. MTC offers classes for children and adults in dance, drama, and singing in an environment that is safe and inclusive. They offer a wide range of dance and music forms, not limited to acrobatics, ballet, cheerleading, dance pops, drama classes, infant & junior musical theatre, singing, street dance, stretch & dance, senior dance, performing arts life skills. Along with these classes, they also offer special holiday workshops.
Mushroom Theatre Company also works with schools, special schools, and youth clubs in Rayleigh to conduct workshops specially targeted towards topics most relevant for children, adolescents, and young adults. These include sessions on self-esteem, conflict resolution, and life skills.
Mushroom Theatre Company is guided by the core values of community, inclusion, fulfilment, challenge, and integrity. MTC has relied on the members of their local community, business, and international followers to raise funds for building inclusive studios and sensory rooms. Their fundraisers witness not only monetary contributions but also donations of gifts for the raffle, computers, and technical expertise. The actor, Lee Mead, is also their long-time patron and benefactor (he was earlier a student at MTC). His fans have played a very active role in promoting MTC and raising funds. Their programme ‘shed’ happens once a month and provides a platform for young people to interact, play games and socialize. For their contribution to the community, the volunteers from MTC received awards from Rayleigh, Rochford, and District Association for Voluntary Service (2012). MTC was awarded the Southend Business of the Year Award (2012), and Ms. Penni Bubb was awarded the Rochford citizen of the year (2010). MTC is also nominated by National Diversity Awards for Community Organisation Award - Disability (2022). MTC has also been recognised by ISTD (Imperial Society of Teaching of Dancing) for its inclusive and community-centric practices. The newsletter run by Meadaholics (as fans of Lee Mead call themselves) documents the efforts of the community to fundraise for, build and furbish the inclusive studios.
Another tenet, fulfilment, aims to ensure that facilitators encourage participants to set realistic expectations and mentor them toward fulfilling their goals compassionately. The goals are not limited to just performing arts but could pertain to basic life skills that an individual feels are challenging or a skill that can help them communicate better, like learning British Sign Language. An important programme aligned with this tenet is called PALS (Performing Arts Life Skills), which is designed for adults with additional needs, disabilities, or difficulties. Under the aegis of this programme, they participate in arts-based therapy.
Inclusion is at the core of all their activities. Both in the terms of the space where performances happen, to who can attend the classes and workshops, ‘inclusivity’ has been the guiding principle for the team all along. Everyone is made to feel at home, welcome, and valued. Everyone operates and learns at their speed, and all activities and dance forms are designed in a way that everyone can participate in these. Their videos on YouTube, of fundraising, performances, and rehearsals, attest to their commitment to not only being inclusive in having a participant body with a diverse set of needs but also encouraging them to be in the front and centre during public performances.
The challenging aspect relates to inspiring participants to do things they did not think they could with guidance from the facilitators. This helps in boosting their confidence and encourages them to move beyond their comfort zone. Integrity is showcased through policies in the organisation and the words & actions of the team. Emotional connection, learning, and growth are encouraged. Forging connections, bonds, and friendships are also promoted.
The themes of their performances range from contemporary issues like climate change (Breathe) to cover unhealthy relationships (The Hanging Tree). MTC also partners with other like-minded organisations to ensure their students can participate in audio-visual-performance projects of these organisations. MTC dancers participated in a cover of ‘Miss You’ by Emily Stokes on lead vocals of Essex Vocal Coaching. One of their students participated in a promotional video for Essex Wildlife Trust. One of their most popular and acclaimed choreographed pieces - Sound of Silence, sensitively portrays the anguish of someone undergoing mental health issues. They also actively participate in the Christmas events in the community. For in-studio dance practice for children, teachers often select pop music. From ‘Sunshine in my pocket’ to ‘Happy,’ these songs are not just very dance-able but also ensure a more cheerful disposition among children. MTC students are no strangers to stage performances, as everyone participates in their way on stage. The rehearsal video from their piece ‘Believe’ is also acclaimed and is a performance of inter-abled dancers. Everyone moves at their own pace and in their ways and the collective result of their movement is beautiful. The presence of a wheelchair-bound dancer in the performance is not tokenism, but the disabled dancer and his mobility device are seamlessly integrated and central to the performance. MTC students also enthusiastically participated in the local carnival, and the funds collected during this were channelled to building the studios. Another important aspect of MTC is how it encourages junior students to transition into the role of buddies and student teachers once they achieve a certain level of proficiency and confidence. They also receive training in first aid, behaviour management, and safeguarding. This also serves as a steppingstone for their professional lives and helps them feel more confident about themselves.
MTC has been a mainstay in the community since its inception and continues to pave the way for children and adults of all shapes, sizes, races, challenges, and disabilities to come together, connect, express, and grow through dance, music, and theatre. As a family-run organisation, it has been successful in ensuring that anyone connected to it, however big or small capacity, also feels the family-like warmth and support from the MTC team.
