Stoke-on-Trent Repertory Theatre is a theatre in

Stoke-on-Trent Stoke-on-Trent (often abbreviated to Stoke) is a city and Unitary authorities of England, unitary authority area in Staffordshire, England, with an area of . In 2019, the city had an estimated population of 256,375. It is the largest settlement ...

, England. It opened in 1997. The Stoke Repertory Theatre Players present a season of plays each year. The theatre is also a venue for local dance, drama and musical theatre companies.

History

Stoke Repertory Theatre Players

A group of amateur actors and actresses in Stoke-on-Trent met in 1920 to stage the play ''

Caste Caste is a form of social stratification characterised by endogamy, hereditary transmission of a style of life which often includes an occupation, ritual status in a hierarchy, and customary social interaction and exclusion based on cultura ...

'' by

T. W. Robertson Thomas William Robertson (9 January 1829 – 3 February 1871) was an English dramatist and stage director. Born to a theatrical family, Robertson began as an actor, but he was not a success and gave up acting in his late 20s. After earning a m ...

, which they performed in February 1921 at the

Empire Theatre, Longton The Empire Theatre (earlier the Queen's Theatre) was a theatre in Longton in Stoke-on-Trent, England. It was later a cinema and a bingo hall; it was destroyed by fire in 1992. History The theatre was originally named the Queen's Theatre. The first ...

. They later created a theatre, converted from a mission church in Beresford Street in

Shelton Shelton may refer to: Places United Kingdom *Shelton, North Bedfordshire, in the parish of Dean and Shelton, Bedfordshire *Lower Shelton, in the parish of Marston Moretaine, Bedfordshire *Upper Shelton, in the parish of Marston Moretaine, Bedfor ...

; it opened in March 1933 with the play '' Lean Harvest'' by Ronald Jeans. They subsequently presented a season of varied plays each year. The theatre in Beresford Street closed in May 1997."The Repertory Players 1920–2017". ''Rep at 20''. Stoke-on-Trent Repertory Theatre. (Brochure for 2017–2018)

New theatre

In 1992 the Stoke Repertory Theatre Players were on the verge of purchasing the former Empire Theatre in Longton where the group had performed some years prior, more recently converted into a bingo hall. There were plans to renovate the building back to its original state as a theatre. On New Year's Eve 1992, days before the purchase was due to be completed, the building was destroyed by fire. The building of the new theatre was subsequently proposed to replace the deteriorating theatre in Shelton. Funds received for the project included donations from local businesses, and a grant from the

National Lottery Community Fund The National Lottery Community Fund, legally named the Big Lottery Fund, is a non-departmental public body responsible for distributing funds raised by the National Lottery for "good causes". Since 2004 it has awarded over £9 billion to ...

. The theatre was designed by Hulme Upright and Partners. It opened in November 1997, with a production of '' Noises Off'' by Michael Frayn.

The theatre today

The theatre seats 250. The Rep is a limited company with charitable status, and is staffed by volunteers. The theatre normally presents during the year a season of six plays. It is also hired by local dance, drama and musical theatre companies."Stoke Repertory Theatre"
''Visit Stoke''. Retrieved 28 October 2020.

References

{{Stoke-on-Trent Buildings and structures in Stoke-on-Trent Theatres in Staffordshire Culture in Stoke-on-Trent 1997 establishments in England