Weymouth Drama Club

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Coordinates: 50°36′19″N, 2°27′3″W

Weymouth Drama Club

The Weymouth Drama Club logo
Background information
Name: Weymouth Drama Club
Date Formed: 1931
Location(s): Flag of England Weymouth, Dorset, England
Official site: www.weymouthdramaclub.co.uk
Genre(s): Drama

The Weymouth Drama Club is an amateur dramatics organisation located in Weymouth, Dorset, England. It has been producing comedies, musicals and plays for seventy five years as of 2006.

Performances are held at the club's own Warehouse Theatre, and at the Weymouth Pavilion owned by the Weymouth and Portland Borough Council.

Contents

[edit] History

The Weymouth Drama Club was formed in 1931 and had presented plays annually since then, except for the (1939-1945) World War II years.

It presented the first straight play in the Weymouth Pavilion after it opened in 1960. Both pavilion and in-house productions have been running since then, including straight plays, comedies, musicals and pantomimes.

The current in-house residence of the club is the Warehouse Theatre which is located in Hope Street, Weymouth.

[edit] Sections

[edit] Curtain Raisers

Curtian Raisers Logo
Curtian Raisers Logo

Weymouth Drama Club has had a junior membership, called Curtain Raisers, since 1982. Prior to that children and young people had been recruited for specific productions such as The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, The Roses of Eyam and Cavalcade. The youngsters that appeared in Cavalcade wanted more opportunities to continue with their drama and nagged until a junior section of the club (Curtain Raisers) was set up by Jacqui Trent.

The first production was Mob 82, a compilation of drama, poetry and movement held at the Weymouth Arts Centre. At that time, there was one group meeting each Thursday, covering the 11-16 age range.

The children have been in many productions since then, some on their own and many with the adult members of the group. Such was the demand that a second group was set up in 1999 to cater for 7-11 year olds.

Whilst a few have gone on to study drama at college and two are now professional theatre technicians, the majority of members take up drama for fun. It helps them form some great friendships, teaches them to work together and boosts their self-esteem.

[edit] Curtain Raisers Encore

Curtain Raisers Encore is a part of the Weymouth Drama Club for 11-16 year olds. The young people are taken on a "first-come, first-served" basis.

Once a part of the group, the young people take part in workshops about the theatre, various aspects of drama and technical topics such as lighting and sound.

[edit] Wardrobe hire

The Club has an extensive wardrobe, which is available to hire. Everything from medieval to modern day, from pantomime to Shakespearean.

[edit] Past productions (by year)

Since the first play was performed at the Weymouth Pavilion in 1960, the following productions have played at the Pavilion Theatre, and at the club's own smaller venue - The Warehouse Theatre:

1960 (November)

  • The Reluctant Debutante

1961

1962

  • Watch It Sailor
  • The Admirable Crichton

1963

1964

  • The Amorous Prawn
  • The Killer Dies Twice

1965

  • Gilt And Gingerbread
  • Anastasia

1966

  • Count Your Blessings
  • Berkley Square

1967

  • The Burning Glass
  • Mad About Men

1968

  • Bare Foot In The Park
  • The Whole Truth
  • Tom Jones

1969

1970

1971

1972

1973

  • Saw Who You Are
  • Lord Arthur Saville's Crime

1974

1975

  • Enter A Free Man
  • Suddenly At Home
  • How The Other Half Loves

1976

1977

  • Move Over Mrs Markham
  • Pink String And Sealing Wax

1978

1979

  • Family Dance
  • Any Number Can Die
  • Roses Of Eyam

1980

1981

1982

  • Dick Whittington
  • Straight Up
  • Bequest To The Nation
  • Surprise Package
  • The Redville Wanderer

1983

  • Cinderella
  • Born In The Gardens
  • Lloyd George Knew My Father
  • Night Watch

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

  • Robinson Crusoe
  • Unleashed
  • Nobody's Perfect
  • Herbal Bed

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

[edit] External links