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Chorley Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society NORTHERN REGION Show Location This Theatre is a Full Member of the LTG

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Year Ending 31st Aug - 2008

Productions Production Author Comment % Capacity Seats Sold Run for Your Wife Ray Cooney 8 Perfs 48 910 Midsummer Night's Dream (A) William Shakespeare 36 512 Dick Whittington John Morley 10 perfs 97 2380 Celebration Waterhouse/Hall 72 1022 Stepping Out Richard Harris 94 1342 Lucky Stiff Ahrens & Flaherty 8 Perfs 62 1183 Guys and Dolls Loesser/Swerling/Burrows Youth Theatre, 3 Perfs 0 0       Total: 7349

Report on Year The 75th Anniversary season opened with a champagne reception but with rather poor audiences. Things improved considerably however and on the whole it has been a reasonably good year with final figures only slightly down on last year. The season deliberately featured revivals with the exception of the musical. Due to a change in both musical director and director, it was felt only fair to allow the new team to produce to their own strengths and inclinations. The result was an innovative and rip-roaring success even though once again, the audiences didn’t really reflect that. It was very much their loss and made a good contrast to the rest of the programme. The highlight of the actual celebrations was a glitzy gala evening held on 1st March near to the original February launch but avoiding our regular dates. Great effort was made to contact as many past members as possible and the theatre was packed with past and present members mostly all talking at once! It was a joy to see so many old friends from all over the country and a positive delight to see all the male members of the Youth Theatre resplendent in DJs! Everyone had made a magnificent effort to pay tribute to the society. The formal part of the evening took the form of reminiscences from older members and entertainment by various members with a stunning finale from the Youth Theatre. As the whole evening was organised by younger members it would seem that the society need have no worries about the future. Plans for 2008/09: Productions of: Cash on Delivery, Of Mice and Men, Cinderella, Art, The Last Five Years, Loot and Rent.

Year Ending 31st Aug - 2007

Productions Production Author Comment % Capacity Seats Sold 'Allo 'Allo Jeremy Lloyd and David Croft 95 1358 Crucible (The) Arthur Miller 38 542 Jack and the Beanstalk 10 Performances 95 2259 Charley's Aunt Brandon Thomas 46 655 Musicals Around the World 8 Performances 72 1365 Hobson's Choice Harold Brighouse 71 1015 Little Shop of Horrors Howard Ashman and Alan Menken Youth Theatre, 3 Performances 0 0       Total: 7194

Report on Year We have had a much more successful season with the percentage attendance rising to 70% overall. This represents an increase of 14% and takes us back to where we were a couple of years ago before the sudden decline. The programme was obviously much more to the taste of our regular audience. Sadly most of them chose not to see an excellent production of The Crucible which played to only 38% capacity. This is particularly frustrating when compared with the high figures for the remaining productions. We can’t force people to come however and many theatres probably share the experience. The coming season will be the seventy- fifth since the formation of the society in 1933. Plans are well advanced for a number of special events to mark the occasion. Plans for 2007/2008: Productions of: Run for your Wife, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Dick Whittington, Celebration, Popcorn, Stepping Out and Fiddler on the Roof.

Year Ending 31st Aug - 2006

Productions Production Author Comment % Capacity Seats Sold Bouncing Back Joe Mills By special arrangement with John Godber 50 716 Amadeus Peter Shaffer 40 573 Babes in the Wood Damian Trasler, David Lovesy and Steve Clark 10 Perfs 80 1911 Up 'n' Under John Godber 57 820 42nd Street Stewart, Bramble, Warren & Dubin from Ropes 81 1162 Farndale Ladies Murder Mystery David MacGillivray/Walter Zerlin Jnr 30 431       Total: 5613

Report on Year Another disappointing season financially as audience figures continued to fall. This year saw another drop of 8% to 56% overall. This is the lowest for over twenty years and is a cause of great concern. Productions were well received, particularly Amadeus and 42nd Street but the theatre was far from full. The musical director of 42nd Street suffered a burst appendix and had to be replaced at the eleventh hour. Fortunately she is now fully recovered. The replacement had just one week available so that was gratefully accepted and the planned first three nights cancelled. A minor problem! Plans for 2006/2007 Productions of 'Allo, 'Allo, The Crucible, Jack and the Beanstalk, Charley’s Aunt, a musical revue and Hobson’s Choice.

Year Ending 31st Aug - 2005

Productions Production Author Comment % Capacity Seats Sold It Started With a Kiss John Godber 53 754 Great Expectations Charles Dickens (ad. Mark Jones) 54 775 Aladdin Hilary O'Neil 10 Perf 90 1927 Time of My Life Alan Ayckbourn 76 1091 Half a Sixpence David Heneker / Beverley Cross 8 Perf 57 1077 Accrington Pals (The) Peter Whelan 54 677       Total: 6301

Report on Year This has been a disappointing season because although we felt we were offering a varied and balanced programme and the standard of productions remained high, audience figures fell by almost 10% over the year. The patrons we did attract appeared to continue to appreciate our efforts. Great Expectations, adapted by the director and which later won two awards, deserved far better audiences than the 54% it achieved. Due to the withdrawal of Cabaret our planned musical had to be changed and after much deliberation Half a Sixpence was chosen as we felt it would appeal to our audiences. Not so - we had the lowest figures for a musical in years, which has certainly badly affected our overall figures. A fine production of The Accrington Pals also played to poor houses which surprised us because Chorley had its own regiment of Pals. This has all been doubly disappointing because our figures have been stable or rising for a number of years. Our Youth Theatre continue to thrive though the average age is now much younger as most of our older members have moved on to college or university. It was good to see some of them in a “studio” production of three one act plays Keeping Annabelle, Waking and Birthday Greetings by successful young writer and former youth theatre member Rachel Welch in the summer. Although the audiences were again disappointing the plays were greatly enjoyed by those who attended. Sadly our backstage and front of house manpower continues to be a problem and we are trying hard to improve the situation. ‘Murder Mystery Evenings’ at a variety of venues around the district continue to be both a good fundraiser and a way of publicising the theatre.

Year Ending 31st Aug - 2004

Productions Production Author Comment % Capacity Seats Sold Playboy of the Western World (The) J.M Synge 52 749 Stags and Hens Willy Russell 81 1149 Snow White John Morley 10 Performances 97 2303 All My Sons Arthur Miller 60 854 Oliver! Lionel Bart 9 Performances 90 1927 Relatively Speaking Alan Ayckbourn 55 792       Total: 7774

Report on Year This has been a successful season with a varied and balanced programme resulting in audience figures reaching over 70% once again. The standard of production has been high and our patrons appeared to appreciate our efforts. It was also a record season for award nominations and we received a number of actual trophies. Sadly our backstage teams continue to struggle despite high hopes following the appeal of two years ago. The work continues to fall on the same individuals and a number of times this season we have been unable to serve interval refreshments due to a lack of volunteers. We have put on a couple of additional productions this year partly to increase income and also in order to do a new play. Although they take place on our one and only stage we call them 'studio productions' because we perform for only two or three nights and use a minimal or curtain set. Bouncers played to excellent houses for two nights in March whilst last month, Technically Speaking, by Rachel Welch a young writer and '. ex youth theatre member, was staged for three nights. This featured locally filmed video projection in its opening sequence and was very entertaining. It also attracted new patrons into the theatre. Another success has been the presentation of 'Murder Mystery Evenings' at a variety of venues and events around the district. The first one took place at the theatre a few years ago but we were asked to do others and this has gathered momentum and is now proving both a good fund raiser and a good way of publicising the theatre. The participants also seem to enjoy it!

Year Ending 31st Aug - 2003

Productions Production Author Comment % Capacity Seats Sold Teechers John Godber 71 1006 Unexpected Guest (The) Agatha Christie 65 925 Cinderella Hilary O'Neil 90 2135 One for the Road Willy Russell 85 1216 Annie Thomas Meehan Charles Strouss and Martin Charnin 89 2118 Hay Fever Noël Coward 53 757       Total: 8157

Report on Year This has been a good season from both an artistic and a financial point of view. The programme was obviously appreciated by our audiences as we have maintained an average of over 75%. Sadly a sparkling and stylish production of Hay Fever did not attract the audiences it deserved or we would probably have beaten all records. We have received an impressive number of award nominations this year and indeed a satisfying number of awards. We have organised some acting workshops for our members taught by an experienced lecturer and director and these were greatly enjoyed and appreciated by all who attended. The response was somewhat disappointing however. Perhaps we chose the wrong time of year. The redecoration of our public areas last summer was generally well received and plans are in hand for the next round of improvements. These include additional fire safety measures, redesign of the facade of the theatre and eventually, external redecoration. In common with everyone else we find that new legislation continues to bring additional, often expensive, requirements. This year we have taken on a new role as one of the community partners of a local high school which twelve months ago was awarded performing arts college status. This has proved to be an interesting challenge for both of us but has certainly brought benefits all round. Our Youth Theatre goes from strength to strength and this autumn one of the leaders is moving on to El5 and another to LIPA. After Christmas we were treated to www.oz, which was very clever and great fun, and in July to a spectacularly good production of Oklahoma. Several Comedy Sportz evenings have also provided us with great entertainment. The Dance Workshop has also continued to be popular.

Year Ending 31st Aug - 2002

Productions Production Author Comment % Capacity Seats Sold Hooray for Hollywood Lorraine Sullivan and Emma Bartlett 80 1142 Rise and Fall of Little Voice (The) Jim Cartwright 52 746 Arabian Nights (The) - the Panto Richard Lloyd 88 2096 Dead Guilty Richard Harris 63 904 Out of Order Ray Cooney 57 817 When We Are Married JB Priestley 60 862       Total: 6567

Report on Year This has been a reasonably successful season with a varied programme and satisfied patrons. However there was great disappointment amongst those involved when after a year of planning and preparation we had to withdraw Oh What a Lovely War! due to lack of support from members. This was hastily replaced by a revival of When We Are Married which was a credit to all concerned but not the hoped for end to the season. At the same time came the knowledge that increasingly some members have felt very much under pressure this season. Whereas it is quite common for a relatively small number of people to shoulder a large proportion of the work, we have felt that this was becoming too serious to bode well for the future. We did some heart-searching and, without going deeply into cause and effect some felt alienated, some felt undervalued or overburdened or both, some felt unwanted and the general apathy needed tackling. At the end of the season therefore a 'rally the troops' evening was held at which well-considered problems and their possible causes were aired and acknowledged. It was well attended and the membership seemed to appreciate the honesty and effort behind it. Many pledges of support were offered. Only time will tell but we will begin the new season with renewed enthusiasm and optimism. During the closed season we have carried out major refurbishment of all the public areas of the theatre including the installation of a new ceiling in the auditorium. The improved environment adds to the feeling of well-being. Due to work in the theatre the Youth Theatre has not mounted a major production this year but continues to thrive and staged two 'entertainments' and three evenings of 'Comedy Sportz' an improvisation game between two teams which originated in the USA, is great fun and has been very well received.

Year Ending 31st Aug - 2001

Productions Production Author Comment % Capacity Seats Sold Visiting Hour Richard Harris 69 985 Witches (The) Roald Dahl 78 743 Last Tango in Whitby Mike Harding 78 1069 Teechers John Godber 37 266 Return to the All Singing and Dancing (A) 88 1275 Frankenstein the Panto David Swan 76 1628 Bouncers John Godber 68 325 Our Day Out Willy Russell 88 1257 Boy Friend (The) Sandy Wilson 69 985       Total: 8533

Report on Year

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