Promenade Productions today

Promenade Productions currently rehearse in the evenings on Tuesdays (at Swindon Village Hall) and Wednesdays (at Emmanual Church Hall). Performances are held at the Bacon Theatre (Dean Close School, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham).

We also perform at concerts in Cheltenham. Over the past few years we have helped to raise funds for Cancer charities, The Alzheimer's Association and performed for The Women's Institute entertainment. We perform Songs from the Shows and often our junior section, Young Promenaders will also perform some numbers. If you are interested in Promenade Productions concerts please contact Showcase on 01242 224144.

The whole idea of Promenade Productions was dreamt up in the bath by the founder member Anne Emery! A group of people interested in joining a new amateur dramatic society, met in February 1984 at the Savoy Hotel, (now Hotel Kandinsky), after seeing a small advertisement in the Gloucestershire Echo. As a result of all the enthusiasm that night OKLAHOMA was planned for performance at the Shaftesbury Hall Theatre (now flats we believe). The first production team was Richard Sharpe (Musical Director), John and Gill Pannett (Director and Choreographer) with the guidance and support of Anne Emery and Catherine Newman (Rehearsal Pianist). We were also helped out with some finance from Bovis Homes.

It is amazing to see how much of a community has developed from Promenade Productions - we have seen entire families involved in productions, had couples meeting, marrying and having families of their own. Two of our members are in West End productions and a number of members have developed through Young Promenaders. Some of the original cast from 1984 are still members today, and we continue to welcome new members to our productions, assisting backstage, to Young Promenaders and to our audiences. We hope that Promenade Productions will continue to entertain the community of Cheltenham for many more years.

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