Blackburn Drama Club

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Blackburn Drama Club
Background information
Name:	Blackburn Drama Club
Date Formed:	1944
Location(s):	Blackburn, Lancashire, England
Official site:	www.blackburndramaclub.co.uk
Genre(s):	Drama

The Blackburn Drama Club is an English amateur dramatics organisation located in Blackburn, Lancashire. It has been producing plays for 63 years as of 2007. In that time, the Drama Club has staged over 230 productions. ^[1]

Performances are held at the Thwaites Empire Theatre, which is located in Ewood, Blackburn.

Contents 1 History 2 Present day 3 NODA awards 4 Past productions 5 See also 6 References 7 External links

[edit] History

Blackburn Drama Club was formed in 1944. A group of ten enthusiasts decided to bring back amateur dramatics to Blackburn after the corruption of the activity following the war.^{[2] [3]}

The Drama Club made its debut with a production of Gaslight at the YMCA Hall, three weeks after the organisation gathered for their first meeting. It was February 1944.

In November 1964, the stage and props were destroyed by a fire. The club moved on to a new venue, the Technical College, in which the Drama Club staged over 140 performances until moving to the newly refurbished Thwaites Empire Theatre in 2002.

The Drama Club's first production at this venue was Bouncers. Over 1,000 people attended the performance, a significant rise in audience members since the 1960s. ^[4]

[edit] Present day

The Drama Club currently stage around four productions a year in the Thwaites Empire Theatre in Blackburn.^[5] The time that spans these productions makes up a 'season'. At the start of a season, usually in the months of June and July, play readings and auditions are held at the theatre. Rehearsals usually begin six weeks before a production.^[6]

New members often come across the Drama Club via their website, which can be accessed below, or local directories and tourism adverts. To become a member, subscription currently stands at £10 a year.^[7]

As well as stage productions, the club also do a variety of other dramatisations, such as outdoor events, radio plays (mainly for BBC Radio Lancashire) and amateur films.

[edit] NODA awards

• 1995 - 1 nomination, 1 win
• 1996 - 1 nomination, 1 win
• 1997 - 10 nominations, 5 wins
• 1998 - 6 nominations, 3 wins
• 1999 - 0 nominations, 0 wins
• 2000 - 8 nominations, 4 wins
• 2001 - 5 nominations, 2 wins
• 2002 - 9 nominations, 5 wins
• 2003 - 6 nominations, 1 win

Note: NODA awards ceremonies ceased after 2003.

References for this section: ^[8]

[edit] Past productions

1944

• Gas Light
• The Torch Bearers
• Ghosts

1944-45

• Robert's Wife
• When We Are Married
• The Silver Cord
• Tobias and the Angel

1945-46

• Star in Eclipse
• Candida
• The Two Mrs Carrolls

1946-47

• While the Sun Shines
• The Little
• Foxes
• Watch on the Rhine

1947-48

• The Women
• Rope
• The Light of Heart
• See How They Run
• The Ranks of Tuscany
• Dance of Atonement

1948-49

• The Skin Game
• Time and the Conways
• Duet for Two Hands
• The Father

1949-50

• Miranda
• Made in Heaven
• They Walk Alone
• The Lady From Edinburgh
• Twentieth Century Lullaby
• A Marriage Has Been Dissaranged
• The Voe is Blue

1950-51

• The Chiltern Hundreds
• Message for Margaret
• The Sacred Flame
• The Cure for Love

1951-52

• Little Lambs Eat Ivy
• Mrs Moonlight
• Rain on the Just
• By Candle Light
• Ladies in Retirement

1953-54

• Don't Listen Ladies
• Laura
• Ring Round the Moon
• Too Clever for Love
• Corinth House

1954-55

• Love in Idleness
• Dark Summer
• Relative Values
• Love's a Luxury

1955-56

• Affairs of State
• Waters of the Moon
• The Noble Spaniard
• The Gift

1955-57

• The Happy Marriage
• A Question of Fact
• Someone Waiting
• The Happy Prisoner

1957-58

• The Whole Truth
• Book of the Month
• All for Mary
• Uncertain Joy

1958-59

• Heaven and Charing Cross
• Dear Charles
• Rose Without a Thorn
• Sailor Beware

1959-60

• Treasure Hunt
• The Secret Tent
• Red Letter Day
• Wind of Heaven

1960-61

• Running Riot
• The Man Upstairs
• The Witch
• Nude with Violin

1961-62

• My Flesh, My Blood
• Break Out
• Mary Stuart
• Wolf's Clothing

1962-63

• My Three Angels
• Flowering Cherry
• The Innocents
• Roar Like a Dove

1963-64

• The Amorous Prawn
• The Return
• Blithe Spirit
• Billy Liar

1964-65

• Dear Delinquent
• Trespass
• Trial and Error
• Rape of the Belt

1965-66

• Semi-Detached
• The Lark
• Doctor in the House
• Rebecca

1966-67

• The Wooden Dish
• Present Laughter
• Trap for a Lonely Man

1967-68

• The Dock Brief and A Resounding Tinkle
• Simon and Laura
• The Heiress
• All in Good Time

1968-69

• Barefoot in the Park
• Double Image
• The Chalk Garden
• The Love Match

1969-70

• This Was a Woman
• Love and Kisses
• The House on the Cliff
• Hindle Wakes

1970-71

• Shadow in the Sun
• Relatively Speaking
• The Matchmaker
• Make Me a Widow

1971-72

• All Things Bright and Beautiful
• Settled Out of Court
• Let's All Go Down the Strand
• The Diary of Anne Frank

1972-73

• Wild Goose Chase
• Who Killed Santa Claus?
• Hobson's Choice
• The Anniversary

1973-74

• Johnny Belinda
• Wait Until Dark
• Celebration
• Duet for Two Hands

1974-75

• How the Other Half Loves
• The Demon Barber of Fleet Street
• A Day in the Death of Joe Egg
• A Policy of Love

1975-76

• Love on the Dole
• Persons Unknown
• The Price
• Gaslight

1976-77

• Ann Veronica
• Accolade
• Move Over, Mrs Markham
• Dangerous Corner

1977-78

• The Crucible
• Woman in a Dressing Gown
• The Killing of Sister George
• Nude with Violin

1978-79

• Murder with Love
• Zack
• Rookery Nook
• Separate Tables

1979-80

• Come Blow Your Horn
• Time and the Conways
• Murder at the Vicarage
• I’m Talking About Jerusalem

1980-81

• Oh! What a Lovely War
• The Farm
• Bedroom Farce
• Pygmalion

1981-82

• The Winslow Boy
• Death on the Nile
• Shut Your Eyes and Think of England
• Saturday Night at the Crown

1982-83

• Cat Among the Pigeons
• Bell, Book and Candle
• Ring Round the Moon
• Murder Mistaken

1983-84

• Accrington Pals
• The Happiest of the Three
• Say Goodnight to Grandma
• Outside Edge

1984-85

• Therese
• When We Are Married

1985-86

• Table Manners
• Music Hall
• Born in the Gardens
• Spring and Port Wine

1986-87

• The Shop at Sly Corner
• Music Hall
• Season's Greetings
• Bonny Brid

1987-88

• Hobson's Choice
• An Inspector Calls
• Move Over, Mrs. Markham
• Music Hall

1988-89

• Hindle Wakes
• Fur Coat and No Knickers
• Death of a Salesman

1989-90

• All in Good Time
• The Glass Menagerie
• The Day After the Fair

1990-91

• Hay Fever
• A Christmas Carol
• Blood Brothers

1991-92

• A Doll's House
• Noises Off
• Abigail's Party

1992-93

• The Crucible
• Blithe Spirit
• Beyond Reasonable Doubt

1993-94

• Music Hall
• Breezeblock Park
• The Importance of Being Earnest

1994-95

• Charlie's Aunt
• A Taste of Honey
• Habeas Corpus

1995-96

• The Lion in Winter
• Happy Families
• Pack of Lies

1996-97

• Billy Liar
• Racing Demon
• They Came From Mars…

1997-98

• Touch and Go
• Present from the Past
• Whose Life Is It Anyway?

1998-99

• Confusions
• Passion Killers
• The Anniversary

1999-2000

• House Guest
• Shakers
• Journey's End

2000-2001

• Bouncers
• The Chalk Garden
• Wildest Dreams

2001-02

• Herbal Bed
• Cash on Delivery
• The Memory of Water

2002-03

• Sense and Sensibility
• Bouncers
• Brassed Off
• Nude with Violin

2003-04

• Trivial Pursuits
• A Man for All Seasons
• An Evening with Gary Lineker
• Night Must Fall

2004-05

• Playhouse Creatures
• Caught in the Net
• Two Planks and a Passion
• Beyond a Joke

2005-06

• The Diary of Anne Frank
• Black Comedy
• Brimstone and Treacle
• A Chorus of Disapproval

2006-07

• Neville's Island
• Hobson's Choice
• Fur Coat and No Knickers
• The Heiress

2007-08

• Abigail's Party
• One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
• Don't Dress for Dinner
• The Matchmaker

[edit] See also

• Acting
• Actor
• Blackburn
• Drama
• Theatre

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Blackburn Drama Club Website
• Thwaites Empire Theatre Website