Always on
This project successfully funded on 21st January 2026, you can still support them with a donation.
The OverTheres- Accessible Theatre Show!
Cardiff, United Kingdom
Aim
Help us create an interactive puppet show & workshop that builds literacy, confidence, and creativity for every child!
We are OverTheres Stories CIC, a community interest company founded by neurodivergent puppeteer and artistic director Basil Waite, alongside his fellow neurodiverse creatives and directors Rosie and Luke.
We create accessible puppet experiences designed to connect children and families with stories, books, libraries, and hands-on creativity.
Our work centres on relaxed performances and interactive workshops that welcome neurodivergent children, low-income families, and young people who may feel excluded from traditional theatre environments. We believe storytelling belongs to everyone- and every child deserves to feel confident, creative, and included.
We’re developing a brand-new interactive puppet theatre show for primary-aged children and families, supported by creative literacy workshops.
This isn’t a traditional sit-and-watch performance. Our audiences will help guide the story, meet the puppet characters, and explore how storytelling works through play. Each show is complemented by a hands-on workshop, encouraging children to create their own characters, stories, and performances after we have left the venue.
Every performance will be:
- Relaxed and accessible
- Sensory-aware and friendly for neurodivergent audiences
- Hosted in welcoming community spaces
Venues will also receive creative activity packs, allowing storytelling to continue long after the show ends.
Many children struggle with reading confidence or access to books, particularly those from low-income backgrounds or neurodivergent communities.
Traditional theatre and creative spaces can feel overwhelming or unwelcoming, preventing children from having experiences that spark curiosity, confidence, and creativity.
As a neurodivergent creative who faced barriers to education growing up, Basil knows how powerful it can be when children feel:
- Represented
- Safe to be themselves
- Encouraged to explore creativity without pressure
This project provides children with positive and joyful storytelling experiences that can change their perception of reading - and of themselves.
We’re raising £1,500 to support the Research & Development stage of this project and to provide match funding for our Arts Council Wales application.
Our end goal is to raise £15,000 in total so we can pay a large team of creatives, dedicate more of our time to a valuable and important project and collaborate with partners.
Your donations will help us towards:
🎭 Building our professional puppets, props, and set
🎧 Purchasing essential microphones and sound equipment
🛠 Run early development and rehearsal workshops alongside communities
🎨 Create activity packs for families
If we go above & beyond our goal here, we can lower our funding bid and start more work on this project in 2026!
If Arts Council funding isn’t immediately successful, your support ensures this project can still make a start- meaning children won’t miss out.
Our Thank-You Rewards
To celebrate your support, we’ve created some fun rewards.
All tiers will receive a thank you on our website and social media.
£5 - The Storyteller
A thank-you credit on our website and social media.
£15 - The Writer
Digital Creativity Pack including:
Phone & computer wallpapers, colouring sheets, puppet-making instructions.
£25 - The Librarian
Exclusive behind-the-scenes rehearsal video access & digital creativity pack.
£40 - The Illustrator
A lucky dip hand-drawn art card by Basil, featuring either a classic puppet character or The OverTheres original characters - posted directly to you, behind-the-scenes rehearsal video and activity pack.
£50 - The OverTheres
A 3-minute personalised video message from Flint or Cookie, a rehearsal video and digital activity pack.
£100 - The Head Librarian
An annotated rehearsal script + illustrated art card, digital activity pack and rehearsal video.
£500 - The Producer
A 30-minute Zoom chat with Basil, Rosie, and Luke about puppetry, filmmaking, community work - plus Producer credit on project materials. As well as the digital activity pack and rehearsal video.
£1,000 - The Executive Producer
A 1-hour online workshop with our artists, a handmade, simple, puppet, an Executive Producer credit on our website and social media as well as the digital activity pack and rehearsal video.
This project builds a sustainable touring model for inclusive family theatre - allowing us to reach communities across Wales and beyond, while nurturing emerging creative talent.
With your support, we’re creating:
- Access to theatre for children who need it most
- Confidence-building literacy experiences
- Career opportunities for creative freelancers all over the UK
- Community connections with libraries and local venues
Donate whatever you can, as every pledge matters.
Share this campaign with friends, schools, family groups, parents, and libraries. Or puppet nerds!
Follow our journey online and watch this project grow thanks to your support.
Your support is helping us transform stories into confidence, creativity into connection, and puppets into powerful tools for literacy and inclusion.
From all of us at The OverTheres - thank you for believing in accessible creativity.
Basil, Rosie, Luke, Flint & Cookie.
You can find us at https://www.theovertheres.co.uk/
Funding method
Keep what you raise – this project will receive all pledges made