Spectrum Theatre is a Sheffield-based theatre-company which was established in 2016. We will be highlighting the musical talents of some of our members, most of whom are on the autism spectrum.
The aim of Spectrum's founder and director, Andy Gardiner, was to bring together a mix of autistic and neurotypical members to perform original, high-quality plays and musicals. Some of these aimed to educate audiences about life on the autism spectrum, while others covered wider socio-political issues. The latter included musicals about the cutlery industry in the 1920s; the Miners' Strike of the 1980s; and 'Sanctuary', which told the deeply moving true stories of two people navigating the asylum system and eventually finding sanctuary in Sheffield. The lyrics of the songs were written by Andy, while the music was the work of Ben Barker.
Very sadly, Andy passed away in July 2024. His death was a massive loss for us all and it has been, and remains, a huge challenge for us to keep going as a company. But Spectrum means a great deal to its members - and its audiences - and we are determined to move forward and keep Andy's legacy alive.
Earlier this year we performed a new play entitled 'Life On the Spectrum', which was written and directed by one of our neurodivergent members. In June we performed a selection of songs from our previous shows at the Nether Edge market. This was very well-received and it's an extended version of this performance that we're putting on at the Nether Edge Festival.
We also hope that this performance may spark interest amongst the local community to support us in carrying Spectrum Theatre forward. We urgently need new members with an interest in drama and/or autism who could help support our sessions and enable us to put on future productions.
