Essex based theatre company producing high quality productions Company Overview Breaking down the barrier between actor and audience. Proving theatre can be adapted to any venue Description Abstract Theatre is a theatre company based in Essex as was set up in the summer of 2008. Producing plays, musical and pantomimes. General information Abstract Theatre are always looking for new cast members. If you are interested in auditioning for us contact us info@abstracttheatre.com Mission To bring theatre into the 21st century Contact info@abstracttheatre.com
Epping Mail address: 6a The Green, Writtle, Chelsmford, Essex CM1 3DU
Academy Arts Theatre School run performing arts classes in Epping for children aged 3-21 yrs. Contact info@academyarts.co.uk
Actocrats
Shoeburyness
Performing since 1974, producing a panto, full length play and 3 one act plays per year. Meeting on Thursdays at 8 p.m at Friars Community Centre, The Renown, Constable Way, Shoeburyness.
A Braintree based group of talented Adults who perform at the new vestry theatre in Braintree . Lots of fun and a entertaining time guaranteed Our directors have over 25 years of directing and teaching experience with multi awards for both production as well as performance excellence.
Ad Hoc Players meet weekly to rehearse or discuss upcoming activities and productions. Rehearsals are called on Thursdays, between 7.30pm - 10pm. We meet at Nelmes Church, Nelmes Road, Hornchurch, RM11 3JA, from 7.30pm each week - visitors are welcome. When we are rehearsing a piece for performance we will often increase the number of rehearsals in the last few weeks. We also hold quarterly review and planning meetings and an annual general meeting (AGM). All members are expected to attend the AGM and quarterly meetings. Members may also need to attend the odd stage management meeting, should they decide to become involved in this area of performance and production. For more details on when and where the group are next meeting, please email adhocplayers@live.com Ad Hoc Players are members of Havering Arts Council (Registered Charity. 248171). Ad Hoc Players Theatre Club | adhocplayers@live.co.uk | www.adhocplayers.co.uk
BTEC Performing Arts College in Essex The specialist unit for 16-18 year olds A bespoke training which enables students to develop their education with the best of today’s industry.
Venue: All Saints Church Hall, Ardleigh Green Road, Hornchurch Meet: Thursdays, 8 pm New members always welcome. Experience not necessary, but a sense of humour is. A friendly group established more than 40 years ago. We aim to stage three full length productions a year, ranging from high drama to pantomime and music hall. We have also entered local drama festivals with some success. Just as tall oaks from tiny acorns grow, so All Saints' Players evolved from small beginnings. Gang shows put on by the Scouts attached to the church fired the ambitions of some performers and so the idea of a drama group was germinated and the seeds sown. ASPs was formed in 1966 and presented themselves to a responsive audience with "Nine to Five", a play written by a local playwright. Some of that very young cast are still members of the group to this day. Since then, the company has presented a regular assortment of productions ranging from high drama and farce to pantomime and music hall. Comedy has always been a favourite with both audiences and members of the group who have honed their skills in this medium to a high degree of achievement. Things have not always gone smoothly for the company who suffered a severe setback in 1989 when a fire in the church hall just before the production of a pantomime destroyed a great deal of equipment and costumes. Lighting equipment, hired from an outside source and damaged in the blaze, was not covered by the group's insurance and so a large debt was incurred. Nothing daunted, they fought back and soon cleared their financial burden and have since gone to possess their own extensive range of stage lighting along with complex switching gear. They also purchased a comprehensive sound system which includes a hard-of-hearing loop so that audience members who have hearing difficulties can enjoy the performance to the full. The group has entered local festivals with some success. Their first entry was in 1995 when they won the award for best actress at the Havering Arts Council's festival. Set design and costumes have always played a major part in the group's thinking and both have been the receipt of favourable comments and awards by festival adjudicators and audiences. ASPs are lucky to have a home base from which to perform and house their extensive scenery and costume resources. Although the confines of the church hall are sometimes limiting, it does enable the group to present intimate theatre of high quality. Two members of the company who first trod the boards in the church hall have gone on to appear on the professional stage but whilst members are happy to accept demanding roles, the group's aim is to entertain, have fun and please audiences. Recent productions include - Absurd Person Singular, Idle Hands, Pack of Lies, Aladdin, The Day After The Fair, The Late Mrs Early, Old Time Music Hall, Jack & The Beanstalk. Contact via our website or social media
The UK's newest and coolest rock music school is now in Colchester! Learn the guitar, drums, bass guitar or vocals, then perform live every week in a band. Join us for studio time and a calendar of live gigs and festival performances.
Bardfield 2 Lower Hall, Great Bardfield, Braintree, Essex CM7
The Bardfield Players have been entertaining residents of and visitors to Great Bardfield for many years now. We put on two productions a year, around April and November. Our productions range from murder mysteries through bitter-sweet dramas to all-out farces. New members are very welcome, just turn up on a rehearsal night. Membership is open to anyone who would like to join us, and you get your first year free! Hooray! (after that it's £14 per annum, boo!). We meet every Thursday evening in the Town Hall, Great Bardfield from 8.15 pm to 10.00 pm for rehearsals. Every now and again we have been known to pop into the local hostelry after rehearsing...
Barking Operatic Society was started in the 1970s as a Council night school class and was originally called Barking Operatic Workshop. Under the auspices of the former Barking Arts Council, the Group was led by local music teacher Ethel Giles, who was paid by the Council, and members paid night class fees to the Borough. Barking Operatic Workshop put on its productions in local halls and schools throughout the Borough. In 1979, Ethel Giles retired and another Barking music teacher, Carole Cable took over as Musical Director. The evening class was cancelled, but members wanted to continue their interest and formed Barking Operatic Society which was given a grant by Barking Arts Council to help pay for the Musical Director and a pianist. B.O.S. members collected membership fees and organised fundraising events and from the 1980s, were able to stage larger scale productions - usually in The Broadway Theatre, Barking. When Barking Arts Council was disbanded, B.O.S. was told to apply directly to the Grants Section of the Council for funding. This the Group has done ever since and B.O.S. is very grateful for the financial assistance it receives from the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham without which its ability to stage high quality musical productions would be severely curtailed. Carole Cable died unexpectedly in May 1997, but since January 1998, B.O.S. has been fortunate to have Carol Lucas, another Barking and Dagenham music teacher, as its Musical Director. The Society currently has more than 30 members and is now a well established feature of the musical life of the Borough. In November 2005 Barking Operatic Society decided to change its name and as from January 2006 has become... Barking Music and Drama, or... info@BarkingMAD.org.uk Why not join us?... Barking Music and Drama warmly welcomes new members........ If ever you long to bust into song, Yearn for the chance to get up and dance, As a matter of fact, if you want to act, Then pick up the phone and make yourself known..... ........to our Membership Secretary who will send you membership details, or place your name on our mailing list for future productions, or send us an info@BarkingMAD.org.uk.
Basildon Operatic Society is an established amateur theatre company based in Basildon, Essex. The origins of the society go back to the 1930s when the organist at St. Mary's Church, Langdon Hills, decided to stage Pirates of Penzance to keep the children in the church choir out of trouble at the weekends. Curiously then known as St. Mary's Athletics Club (!), the society grew over the years to become first Laindon and District Amateur Operatic Society, and then more recently Basildon Operatic Society. The society performs in both shows and concerts, currently producing its annual show in late May or early June, and its concerts in the weeks leading up to Christmas. Originally BasOp's shows were exclusively selected from Gilbert and Sullivan's Savoy operas, but these days a good number of musicals are produced too. BasOp is unquestionably Basildon's leading musical theatre society. BasOp can be contacted by the following means: Contact via contact@BasOp.org.uk mail via Society box office: Tomtit Hall, Tomtit Lane, Woodham Mortimer, Essex,CM9 6TE
The Basildon Players was formed in 1963, although our roots go back to the late 1950's, and as such we are the longest established theatrical company in the district. f you are over 16, Male or Female, Old or Young want to act or help out behind the scenes then come on - what do you have to lose? Contact via backstage@basildonplayers.co.uk
Annual Drama Festival The Brentwood Catholic Theatre Club have been organising the annual competitive one act drama festival since 1948. This means that this year, the 66th, possibly makes it one of the longest running one act drama festivals' in the UK. We also think that it is one of the friendliest and we welcome old friends, new participants and young performers. Although originally only groups from within the Brentwood Diocese were allowed to enter, the competition is now open to any drama group or theatre company from anywhere in the UK. Tickets for the Festival can be purchased on the door or booked in advance from the Brentwood Theatre on 01277 200305 www.brentwood-theatre.org Performances start at 7.30 each evening, with the Saturday matinee (Youth Section) starting at 2.30. It is great fun to watch and a great learning opportunity both for participating groups and students of drama and theatre studies and as many of the top local theatre companies have entered this should be another Festival to remember. Contact via website
We are a well-established lively amateur theatre group that performs three shows a year at Waltham Abbey Town Hall in Essex. We welcome new members at any time. There's plenty to do backstage, front of house as well as on stage MembershipThe group is open to anyone with an interest in all aspects of amateur theatre. All you need is a willingness to have fun and muck in. Nobody gets paid and everyone works hard! We do need children for some of our shows but they must be accompanied by an adult in a parent role. Annual membership subs are £25 and for unwaged and children are £12.50. They are due in March to coincide with the Annual General Meeting. Contact via our website or social media
Benfleet The Appleton School Theatre, Croft Road Benfleet, Essex SS7 5RN
We are very friendly and welcome new members, whether singing, acting, social, back-stage, or front-of-house etc. We meet each Friday for rehearsals at 7.45pm at South Benfleet Junior School, High Road, Benfleet Contact via our website or social media
Bentley Green Players
St. Mary's Church, Great Bentley
Bentley Green Players are a friendly Drama Group based in Tendring, Essex. We put on two plays a year and welcome new members.
The group puts on plays, musicals and pantomimes whilst also fundraising for several charities. We raised over £2600 for charity with just our last two productions. New members are welcome. Please contact us at beyondtherainbowtheatre@hotmail.com
The Blackmore Players started out in 1969 and have been growing stronger ever since! Join us on stage or behind the scenes. New members are ALWAYS welcome! You don't have to be from Blackmore to join! While the core membership is that of village residents, we have people who have stayed loyal after moving out to Ingatestone, Chelmsford and Braintree, as well as new members from Billericay - and even Saffron Waldon! Members are welcome from anywhere but generally the majority of our members are from the local villages including Doddinghurst, Kelvedon Hatch, Fryerning, Stondon Massey, Highwood and, of course, Blackmore. We meet every Wednesday in Blackmore Village Hall and rehearsals start at 8pm. We sometimes rehearse on a Friday or Sunday evening, but this depends on the show and the producer. The postcode of the Village Hall is CM4 0QR. Email: info@blackmoreplayers.co.uk
Billericay Operatic Society generally rehearse at Brightside Primary School in Billericay on Friday evenings between 8pm and 10pmbr>We normally put on 2 shows each year in around March and October Our performances are held at the Brentwood Theatre, 15 Shenfield Road, Brentwood, Essex. CM15 8AG Should you be interested in joining our friendly group or wish to contact us with any questions, please contact Jane Martin, Vice Chair/Membership Secretary. (Ideally, via the below e-mail address billericayoperatic@hotmail.co.uk
Braintree & Bocking Bocking Village Hall, Church Street, Braintree
For over 30 years locals have been entertaining by taking to the stage in the Bocking Village Hall. From serious plays to comedy and cabaret to panto our company welcomes all to sample the life of the stage, on or back! We are a friendly, mixed age group who put on two main productions every year in the spring and autumn, enter local festivals in the summer, and perform a pantomime every other year. There are a variety of different roles, not just on stage but backstage, costumes, props, front of house and publicity. You could also become a friend of the Bocking Theatre Club, getting involved in other ways and coming along to social events. We meet at Bocking Village Hall, Church Street, Bocking. Contact via website
Benfleet Operatic Society was 50 in 2006 and started a cool new Musical Group Especially for Young People called BOSCATS (Benfleet Operatic Society Children's Amateur Theatre) ehearsals are on Tuesday evenings from 6.15pm to 7.45pm, at Benfleet Methodist Church Hall, High Road, Benfleet. (bottom of Vicarage Hill)
Help us to make BDS a real part of the community. For information on tickets and how to take part you can Contact via our website or social media Braintree Dramatic Society was formed in 1928 by a group of enthusiasts who had previously produced plays under the aegis of the County High School Old Pupils Association. Rehearsal days are currently Mondays and Thursdays,at 8pm, either at St. Michael’s Church Hall or The Institute Hall, Braintree, Essex. The Society also arranges trips to local theatres to see both professional and other amateur productions. If you are interested in joining or have any questions about the Society then please contact our Society Secretary Contact via our website or social media
We are an amateur musical theatre group based in Braintree, Essex, performing two musical shows per year. The Society was founded in 1949 by Jack Cogan who was Music Master at Braintree High School and Choirmaster and Organist at St Peter's Church. A Gilbert and Sullivan enthusiast, the first stage production was 'The Pirates of Penzance' in 1951 which he produced, musically directed and conducted. The Society has produced a wide variety of challenging musicals - recently the 100th show, Anything Goes, was performed in October 2007 at the Institute. In addition, from time to time, groups have given concerts, parties, floats entered in the carnival procession and other entertainments provided. Over the years, many of those involved have been whole families and indeed a number of a second generation have followed in their parents' footsteps. If you would like to know more about our society, please get in touch by e-mailing us via info@bms-essex.co.uk, or pop along to one of our rehearsals on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 7.30pm at Braintree Arts Theatre (shows and rehearsals)
We are always looking for new members to join us. If you would like to take join Brentwood Operatic for their next production please contact our membership secretary, Janet, via membership@brentwood-operatic.com Brentwood Operatic Society has been entertaining the people of Brentwood for over 100 years and, in 2005, celebrated its centenary year in style, producing two shows and a large scale concert which took audiences back to the very beginning. Usually the society produces two or three shows a year, two at the Brentwood Theatre and one at the Queen's Theatre in Hornchurch.We like to produce both well known shows as well as the lesser known. Recent shows have included Me & My Girl, Throughly Modern Millie and the NODA award winning production of Jekyll & Hyde. Brentwood Operatic Society is affiliated to NODA (The National Operatic and Dramatic Association) and Brentwood Arts Council. The support of the Arts Council and Brentwood Borough Council towards the running of the Society, a non profit-making amateur body, is gratefully acknowledged. Contact info@brentwood-operatic.com
High-quality training for young ambitious actors in the Brentwood area. Individual tutoring, group classes and free school workshops available from Sept. 2015. The Brentwood School of Acting offers a variety of classes for actors aged 12 - 18. The aim of the classes is to develop confidence, excellence, imagination and creativity. The BSA fosters excellent actors that take their love of the dramatic arts into adulthood. Our teachers empower and inspire young people to intellectually and physically explore theatre texts whilst encouraging collaboration, communication and confidence. We enable young people from all backgrounds to develop their understanding of acting. Contact: enquiries@brentwoodacting.co.uk
Brightlingsea Community Centre, Lower Park Rd, Brightlingsea, Colchester CO7 0LG
Brightlights Youth Theatre is a very happy, friendly group where kindness to each other is encouraged, where friendships are founded, and where children aged from four to 18 can grow in confidence while being nurtured and supported. Wednesdays: Brightlings 4- 6 years and Juniors 6 -9 years 4.30-6pm Pre -Senior 9-12 years and Senior 13 upwards 6-7.30pm Saturdays: Brightlings 4- 6 years and Juniors 6 -9 years 10-11.30am Pre -Senior 9-12 years and Senior 13 upward 11.30am-1pm
We’re serious about our music, but we don’t take ourselves too seriously – we have a lot of fun producing our shows and socialising afterwards. We welcome new members of all ages , we hold auditions for our Principle roles but no audition is necessary for our Chorus – enthusiasm, commitment a willingness to learn new skills and join in are the sort of qualities we’re looking for and you don’t have to sing – there are plenty of backstage jobs to help with, too! Contact via website
The Panto Group have been entertaining the people of Brightlingsea for 40 years. We are a non profit making organisation dedicated to entertaining, performing and enjoying stage performance. From small beginnings at the local primary school, to a cast and crew of 90 or so members today performing on the stage at the Brightlingsea Community Centre.
The Brookside Theatre is an award-winning 140-seat theatre in the London Borough of Havering and the first and only professional arts venue in Romford.Based within the historic Romford War Memorial buildings, it was established in 2012 and now plays host to a varied programme of events; full scale musicals, plays, live music, stand-up comedy, tribute acts and celebrity guests.The aim of the theatre has been to raise funds for the continued renovation and subsequent upkeep of these historic buildings. It is entirely self-sufficient, self-funded and voluntarily run and serves to entertain, enrich, inspire and educate the community and provide a first-class theatrical experience that is both accessible and affordable. Through the theatre, creative opportunities are provided for members of the community of all ages to learn and experience all aspects of theatre production and with the introduction of two in-house societies, members of the community are actively encouraged to participate in in-house events. The theatre also offers the opportunity of showcasing local talent and provides arts educational programs that promote life-long learning to the borough’s diverse community. Contact email info@brooksidetheatre.com
