Connecting professional and amateur theatre in Newbury, West Berkshire and beyond

Newbury theatre guide

Find out about theatre events coming up in and around Newbury and West Berkshire, reaching out to Oxford, Basingstoke and Reading. This site is updated very frequently - see What's new below.

Spotlight

In the spotlight, week beginning 7th February

News and special events

Kennet Opera's next production is The Elixir of Love by Donizetti, which will be performed at the Newbury Corn Exchange on June 24th to 26th. Rehearsals are on Wednesday evenings at the Hungerford Rugby Club at 19:30, beginning January 27th. All welcome. Auditions for chorus parts are open to all - anyone interested is welcome to come along for a few rehearsals before auditioning. Auditions for principal parts are initially only open to society members, though others will be considered if the company cannot cast internally. For more information, see the society website: www.kennetopera.co.uk.

Actors wanted
1) A Class Act are urgently in need of two or three males of any age for Scurrilous, a new show for 2010 at Arlington Arts in May. This is a fantastic opportunity to be involved with a brand new show that is is supporting the "Help For Heroes" charity. If you would be keen to get involved please call David Slade urgently on 07810 402412 for details.
2) Newbury Operatic Society are urgently looking for around 4 male singers / dancers to take part in Fiddler on the Roof. The show dates are the 7th to 10th April at Newbury Corn Exchange. It's a great musical with some memorable songs such as If I Were a Rich Man, Tradition, Sunrise, Sunset and many many more. Rehearsals are Tuesday evenings from 7:30 until 10:00. If anyone would like to be involved in this exciting production, please visit www.newburyoperatic.co.uk. Alternatively come to one of the rehearsals at the Newbury Mencap Centre, Enbourne Road, Newbury RG14 6AT.

The 2010 production from Aldermaston Players is Dry Rot by John Chapman in a dinner/theatre format at Aldermaston Parish Hall on 19th, 20th, 26th and 27th February.

The Watermill Theatre is reviving its 'Raising Voices' initiative, where playwrights are invited to submit a new full length play for The Watermill on the subject of their choice. Each play will be read by one of a team of professional practitioners who will write a short critique for the writer. Three plays will be chosen and the writers will have the opportunity of working for a day with a professional director and actors to present their play at a staged rehearsed reading at The Watermill in front of a public and invited audience on March 29th, 30th and 31st. See the Watermill's web site for more details.

What's new RSS feed

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Date Item
7 FebBoundary Players' production this week(!) in Tadley is Simon Brett's whodunit Silhouette.
5 FebAbingdon Operatic Society's spring production is Anything Goes in April.
25 JanBurghfield & Sulhamstead Players' panto this week is Snow White and the... 3 Gnomes! at Sulhamstead Village Hall.
24 JanKennet Opera are auditioning for chorus parts in their June production of The Elixir of Love.
20 JanA Class Act and Newbury Operatic Society are both looking for male actors for their spring productions.
12 JanCompton Players' Spring production is Joe Orton's farce What the Butler Saw from 21st to 24th April.
12 JanA Class Act are still looking for a number of male adults to fill some roles in their May production of Scurrilous.
12 JanFaringdon Dramatic Society's panto at the end of January and beginning of February is Aladdin.
10 JanDue to the bad weather, the SLY Theatre auditions are now on 18th January, not 11th January.
9 JanReview of SLY Theatre's The Ash Girl ("chilling and immersive, performed by a talented able cast" - NWN).

Coming soon

Boundary Players - SilhouetteBoundary Players - SilhouetteSilhouette by Simon Brett is Boundary Players' production from 9th to 13th February. Act 1 of this ingeniously structured play revolves around the murder of Martin Powell, a successful actor, in the study of his own home. By the end of Act 1, Inspector Bruton seems to have it sewn up, but in Act 2, set before the murder, it becomes apparent that it is not quite so simple.

The Hungerford Town Show - CarouselThe Hungerford Town Show - CarouselThe Hungerford Town Show from 17th to 20th February is Carousel. The poignant story of the faithful Julie and her brutish husband Billy is one of the most powerful books of the musical theatre and perfectly matches its extraordinary score. Famous songs include Mister Snow, If I Loved You, June Is Bustin' Out All Over and When The Children Are Asleep.

KATS - Cinderella 2 - After the BallKATS - Cinderella 2 - After the BallCinderella 2 - After the Ball is KATS' panto from 18th to 20th February at Kennet School, Thatcham. It's a fast paced show with lots of laughs
in traditional panto style, featuring not just Cinderella and Prince Charming but also Flash (the pantomime horse), Red Riding Hood and the Big Bad Wolf, along with a very capable Grandma.

Woodley Theatre - Terra NovaWoodley Theatre - Terra NovaIn the winter of 1911, five Englishmen and five Norwegians raced each other to the bottom of the world. Only the Norwegians returned. Woodley Theatre present Terra Nova - a spectacularly inventive play about the heroic but doomed race to the South Pole. Uplifting and powerful drama running from 23 to 27 February.

Newbury YoungStars - Annie JuniorNewbury YoungStars - Annie JuniorSet in depression era New York, Newbury YoungStars' Annie Junior tells of a orphan determined to find her parents, who abandoned her years ago on the doorstep of a New York City Orphanage run by the evil Miss Hannigan. In a series of adventures, Annie foils Miss Hannigan's devious plans and finds a new family. It's on at Arlington Arts from 4th to 6th March.

Compton Players - What the Butler SawCompton Players - What the Butler SawCompton Players' Spring production is Joe Orton's farce What the Butler Saw from 21st to 24th April. Hailed as a modern comedy every bit as good as Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest, Orton's play focusses on the antics of Dr. Prentice, a psychiatrist who believes that the best way to interview a girl for a job is to seduce her.

The Sainsbury Singers - Beauty and the BeastThe Sainsbury Singers - Beauty and the BeastThe Sainsbury Singers bring one of the most moving and enchanting love stories to Reading next May. Experience the magical romance of Disney's Academy Award winning feature brought to life in a spectacular stage production for all the family. A selfish prince is changed into a beast by an enchantress. In order to break the spell, he must learn to love... but time is running out.

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This site was last updated on 07-Feb-2010.