Promenade Productions is an amateur dramatic society based in Cheltenham, has been together for 25 years producing an annual musical and pantomime and also performing concerts catering for young and old alike and with the help of our Young Promenaders are passing on skills, both on stage and backstage.


Please browse around our site where you will find details on how you can enjoy our productions and / or even join us! For further information on how to get involved or become a member, please click on the contact section.

Details of forthcoming auditions are available on our news page...
I n February 1984, after seeing a small advertisement in the Gloucestershire Echo, a group of people interested in forming a new amateur dramatic society met at the Savoy Hotel. As a result of that meeting and some funding from Bovis Homes, plans were made to perform ‘OKLAHOMA’ at the Shaftesbury Hall Theatre.

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).
From such small beginnings it is amazing to see how much of a community has developed from the society ~ we have seen entire families involved in productions, had couples meeting, marrying and having families of their own. Over the years many of our Young Promenaders who have grown up with the society continue to perform in productions while others have gone on to bigger and better things on the West End stage.

Some of the original cast from 1984 are still members today and we welcome new members into all areas of the society and hope that Promenade Productions will continue to entertain the community in Cheltenham for many more years to come.

Promenade Productions currently rehearse on Tuesday evenings at Swindon Village Hall and Wednesday evenings at Emmanuel Church Hall. Productions are performed at The Bacon Theatre, Dean Close School, Hatherley Road, Cheltenham.

Over the years we have given concerts in aid of Cancer charities, The Alzheimer’s Association and provided the entertainment for Women’s Institute and Round Table groups performing ‘Songs from the Shows’ and are often joined by members of our Young Promenaders.

If you are interested in finding out more about concerts please e-mail info@promenadeproductions.co.uk

Dick Whittington Jan 2012

Well done to all who joined us for Dick Whittington, we hope you have now recovered!  It was a great pantomime and we have had some very positive feedback from our audiences so well done everyone.

This Is Gloucestershire Review
Christmas may be over for another year, but there is still time to reel off that evergreen riposte “It’s behind you!”, along with the usual side-order of hissing, barracking and cheering (Oh, yes, there is). Set course for the Bacon Theatre, and savour this post-festive extravaganza which will momentarily dispel any thoughts of cold winter nights.

The multi-generational cast is strong and versatile, from glittering Fairy Bow Bells, hilariously gruff Captain Cuttle, the wonderfully wimpish Sultan and legions of animated children enjoying their first years in the spotlights. Jodie Hemming oozed confidence in the title role, while Ceri Winrow injected plenty of spark as brash and witless Idle Jack. Colin Bennett brought a quiet dignity to the role of Alderman Fitzwarren, even if his wayward nightcap threatened to ruin it early on. Crystal-clear songbird Rosie Weston radiated pure joy as his dutiful daughter Alice, and revealed a considerable talent for regional accents.

Yet it was the cat and the rat that ruled the roost in this mayoral and Moroccan mayhem. Molly Champion-Pinchin shone throughout as Dick’s sweetly endearing moggy, and there’s nothing quite like a top-quality villain to stir up trouble. Ably backed by his Blues Brothers-ish lieutenants, Tim Jones’ charismatic portrayal of King Rat was simply riveting. Boo him in character, yes (and didn’t we!), but save your biggest cheer for him at the end.

In front of beautifully lit sets, the delightful dancing water nymphs displayed grace and charm, before launching into one humdinger of a hornpipe. Meanwhile, the chorus was in fine voice, especially during Sail Away, a remarkably effective adaptation of One Day More from Les Misérables which brought the first half to a spine-tingling conclusion.

This vast army of talent, however, owes it all to the incomparable John Pannett, the definitive pantomime dame who remains the driving force behind these glorious seasonal spectaculars. Whether he’s dressed as a washed-up squid, your average DIY paint chart, chessboard or The Last Night of the Proms, and firing off those corny jokes with the rapidity of a machine-gun, the show would simply not be the same without him. Whither next for this inspirational giant – the honours list?

It lacked a little pace at times, but it was vintage Prom Prods – colourful, witty and hugely entertaining. The audience loved it, and the rapturous reception they afforded it at the final curtain was wholly justified. Turn again and fast forward to next year.

Simon Lewis

NODA Review to follow as soon as I have a copy.....


Over the years Promenade Productions has received many awards from the Gloucestershire Drama Association including Best Pantomime, Best Set and Best Costume and from the National Operatic and Drama Association awards for Best Programme (Pantomime).

For our summer production of ‘Guys and Dolls’ we are pleased to announce that we have been awarded the following from the Gloucestershire Drama Association :-

  • Best Musical

    We knew it was a good show, our audiences told us, but this is a great result, congratulations to all cast and crew for an amazing job, you all deserve this award

  • Best Transcendent Moment

    For “Sit Down You’re Rocking The Boat” ~ a fantastic scene in the show, great music, great reactions from the cast and, most of all, a great solo from Tim Jones as Nicely, Nicely ~ it really was a high point of the show and you could tell by the looks on the faces of the cast, it was something everyone enjoyed.

  • Runner Up Best Actor & Best Actress

    For Greg Aston for his portrayal of Sky Masterson and for Kate Aston for her performance as Miss Adelaide ~ they both did a fantastic job.

Once again well done to everyone involved in making ‘Guys and Dolls’ such a fantastic success and we hope you will all want to join us again next year for ‘The Sound of Music’ …….