About
Forming in 2023, Purple Pineapple Theatre Academy is getting ready to take the creative world by storm, or North Lincolnshire at the very least. Thanks to the support of BCSA and Egdon community funding, Purple Pineapple Theatre Academy is able to bring the people of Broughton this fantastic resource to help our young people become confident, creative communicators.
Welcome to Purple Pineapple Theatre Academy
We offer a range of theatre services throughout North Lincolnshire. Opening in 2023 Purple Pineapple started in Broughton offering a youth theatre group for children 7 - 18 years old.
Throughout the terms, the children explore a variety of theatre techniques and performances. Children are offered the opportunity to devise their own piece of theatre for the summer showcase, perform in the big production in December and explore acting to camera in the Winter/spring term.
Purple Pineapple is now expanding to offer its services to local schools. Developing various options to allow schools to enrich their curriculum with drama and provide creative options that allow their students to build confidence, reduce anxiety and boost creative thinking.
Meet the Team
Elizabeth Welch
Lizi has been performing since she was 3 years old. Starting out with what was Wendy Fosters Dance School in Brigg, she quickly developed a love for theatre. She went on to join Scunthorpe's Youth Theatre and then on to study drama to A-Level and degree.
Lizi performed for 10 years with Scunthorpe Am Dram Group The Hospital Players and then moved to Broughton Dramatic Society in 2018, which is where she met Craig. With BDS Lizi has performed in several genres of plays, often favouring the more dramatic role. Lizi's favourite role to date was the landlady in Jim Cartwright's Two.
Lizi has worked as an Arts Technician at Baysgarth School where she supported all arts lessons, before starting her career in Marketing. She now works for Lindsey Lodge Hospice as their Marketing Manager, as well as working with Darren Johnson at the Baths Hall Youth Theatre.
Lizi has been a resident of Broughton her whole life, and has been involved in many Broughton community groups and activities, including scouting and BCSA. Lizi used to run past Broughton Theatre Group Elm Performance and is currently Broughton's Town Crier.
Craig Benson
Craig was late to the acting bug, having joined Broughton Dramatic Society in 2012, having had no previous experience of acting. However, he is now our biggest champion and will happily tell you the good impact Theatre can have on your life.
Craig's first love was (and still is) football. Both playing and managing, Craig has been an inspiration to young people for many years. You can usually find Craig playing football on Sundays for Briggensians.
During in time on the stage, Craig has appeared in over 15 productions for Broughton Dramatic Society. You may recognise him from playing the leading man opposite Lizi during When Did You Last See Your Trousers, as Haggard's snivelly assistant in Haggard, or the suave double-crosser in Ladykillers.
Craig's theatre passion is always comedy, the more slapstick the better. He is looking forward to passing that on to the next generation!
