Diemazz

Progress Theatre

Formation	1946
Type	Theatre and Registered charity
Location	Reading, England
Membership	150
Chairman	Aidan Moran
Website	http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk

Progress Theatre is a theatre company owning and managing its own theatre on The Mount, in Reading, Berkshire, England, close to Reading University. The theatre is the oldest one operating in Reading and the only venue in the town dedicated entirely to theatrical productions.^[1][2]

The company was formed in 1946, staging its first production in 1947 and has a reputation for excellence.^[3]. The theatre itself was opened in 1951.^[4]

The company is a registered charity and it is a member of the Little Theatre Guild (LTG) and the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA).^[1]

History

Progress Theatre was established in 1946 by a young group of Reading people as a voluntary theatre group in Reading to present new and challenging productions.

The first production was staged in 1947 and for five years performances were in Palmer Hall, West Street, Reading. The Mildmay Hall in The Mount was found to be available for rent from the Co-operative Society who agreed to its use as a theatre. The members together with families and friends, converted it into a working theatre and the first production was in October 1951.

Since the 1950s a Student Group for 14 to 18 year olds has existed. It offers instruction in many aspects of theatre twice a week during term time. From time to time, beginning with William Baines' Smugglers Bay in 1957, the group has presented a Christmas play as part of the main offerings of the Theatre.

In 1964, after a massive fund raising campaign, the freehold of the building was bought. The basis of the present foyer was built at that time together with other, then modern, facilities. With other alterations and extensions over the years, productions are still staged in the same building which now seats 97 people.^[5]

Present day

The theatre has a membership of about 150 people and puts on a regular menu of classic and contemporary theatre. All of these productions are managed by volunteer members of the theatre.

Progress Theatre has also produced a series of summer open-air Shakespeare productions since the mid-1990s in Reading Abbey Ruins.^[6] These productions are a large undertaking, managed in co-operation with Reading Borough Council, who permit the use of the grounds in and around the 12th century Abbey grounds. This production is largely self managed and, in 2007, was expanded to form the Reading Abbey Ruins Open Air Festival.^[7] No production or festival is planned for 2009.

Past productions

A statue of Bertolt Brecht

Progress has presented contemporary plays since its founding and the first performances in England of The Good Woman of Setzuan by Bertolt Brecht and The Shadow of a Gunman by Sean O'Casey were produced at the theatre^[8] in 1952 and 1958 respectively.^[9]

More recently, Progress has produced a series of Christmas productions based on popular children's books. Some notable productions include:

• Mort by Terry Pratchett (adap. Stephen Briggs) in 1997-1998^[10][11][12]
• James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl in 2005-2006,^[13] using an adaptation by David Wood usually available only to professional productions.^[14]

Recent years have also seen productions of notorious plays such as Blasted by Sarah Kane^[15][16] while the more public-friendly yearly open-air Shakespeare productions in the Reading Abbey ruins have proved popular.^[17]

Past seasons

Famous members

• Kenneth Branagh made his earliest theatre appearances with Progress Theatre in the 1970s, including one minor role as "second policeman".^[8]
• Dame Judi Dench.
• Marianne Faithfull, a pop singer and actress, was a member of the Theatre's Student Group in the early 1960s.
• Gerard Johnson, a British keyboard player, was also a member of the Theatre's Student Group between 1976 and 1981.

Notes

A.^  My Voice(s), a piece of new writing featured in the First Write Fest, was subsequently developed and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2007.[1][2][3]

References

External links

• Progress Theatre website

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