Emma Matthews

Emma Matthews trained at Manchester Metropolitan University (Acting BA Hons) and London School of Physical Theatre. As a professional actress her credits include The Hired Man (Bolton Octagon- TMA Award Winner) Stepping Out ( Oldham Coliseum - MTA Best Newcomer nomination) David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny (National tour and West End _Oliver Award Nominated) David Walliams Billionaire Boy (National tour and West End - Olivier Awards Nominated) 

TV Credits include The Bay (ITV) Coronation Street (ITV) Emmerdale (ITV) Prisoners Wives (BBC) Casualty, Doctors, Trying Again (Sky TV)

As a director Emma runs Theatre Works, a youth theatre based in Bury Manchester, teaching Trinity and LAMDA exams and directing performances at Blackpool Opera House, National Theatre Connections, Her Majesties Theatre, Sadlers Wells, Shaftesbury Theatre and Junior Theatre Festival and BBC Shakespeare Festival.

Emmas freelance teaching includes numerous primary and secondary schools across the North West as well as teaching CPD workshops for primary school teachers about how to implement dance and drama into their school.

Emma received the Services to The Arts Award from Cheshire Council for her work with young people in the arts whilst working with Factory Arts Cheshire 

Other teaching includes Shakespeare units for The University of Iowa, and Manchester University (PGCE Primary Education Course) and Associate director Drayton Court Theatre London

Emma has a passion for creating exciting and engaging workshops mixing drama and dance with other core subjects in schools. As an acting teacher many of Emmas past pupils are now working professionally in the industry either as actors, dancers, choreographers, directors and teachers. 

As the course leader for Initial Teacher Training at the University of Manchester (Teach First primary), I asked Theatre Works to run a session of CPD with my cohort of trainee teachers to support their understanding of how drama techniques can be used through a range of subjects as a creative curriculum tool. I wanted to empower the trainees to come out of themselves, to feel how drama feels for a child (to have fun while learning!) and to develop a range of skills they could use and adapt at any time to enhance a child’s experience of curriculum in a meaningful way. Theatre Works are professional, highly skilled, empathetic and can turn their skill set to suit the most demanding of schools for CPD and teaching purposes. I had very clear objectives that needed to be covered in the course they provided and the programme was tailored to the bespoke needs of my cohort; this was then furthered by the use of assessment techniques with the trainees that ensured all were challenged in the context of the delivery (with some having no drama experience and others having a degree in drama but lacking pedagogical approaches in primary application.) 

(The session was rated 100% very good/ good on the student satisfaction rating.)

Karen Beswick – Manchester University Teach First Course Leader 

In the words of one such drama degree graduate who attended the Theatre Works course…

” That was amazing! I have learned so much in how I can use just a simple space to plan great lessons and will be using the ideas Emma gave us with my own class. I was never any good at remembering things, that’s why I did drama because it helped me so much by being able to have the space to think things through, and apply in a way that meant something to me.”