Progress Theatre

Infobox Organization
name=Progress Theatre

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size=
formation=1946
type=Theatre and Registered charity
location=Reading, England
membership=150
leader_title=Chairman
leader_name=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.Cite web
url=http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=45&Itemid=93
title=Progress Theatre: profile
publisher=Progress Theatre
accessdate=2007-03-18] [Cite web
url=http://www.berksfhs.org.uk/journal/Jun2000/Jun2000ReadingLives.htm
title=Reading Lives: Reading Museum Service's Oral History Collection
publisher=Berkshire Family History Society
accessdate=2007-03-18]

The company was formed in 1946, staging its first production in 1947 and has a reputation for excellence. [Cite web
url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2005/10/04/woman_who_cooked_review_feature.shtml
title=The Woman Who Cooked Her Huband - review
publisher= BBC
accessdate=2007-09-04] . The theatre itself was opened in 1951. [Cite web
url=http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=47&Itemid=92
title=Progress Theatre Mission Statement
publisher=Progress Theatre
accessdate=2007-03-18]

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).

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. [Cite web
url=http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=50&Itemid=100
title=Progress Theatre: A Brief History
publisher=Progress Theatre
accessdate=2007-03-18]

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 also produces a yearly outdoor Shakespeare production in Reading Abbey Ruins. [Cite web |url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2006/06/28/winters_tale_abbey_ruins_feature.shtml
title=The Winter's Tale
publisher=BBC
accessdate=2007-03-18] This annual production is 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. As with in-house productions, this production is completely self managed and, in 2007, was expanded to form the Reading Abbey Ruins Open Air Festival. [Cite web
url=http://www.abbeyruins.com/history.html
title=Reading Abbey Ruins Open Air Festival: History
publisher=Progress Theatre
accessdate=2008-07-15]

Past productions

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 theatreCite web
url=http://www.branaghcompendium.com/archive14.htm
title=Branagh News Archive: July 2003 – December 2003
publisher=Branagh Compendium
accessdate=2007-03-18] in 1952 and 1958 respectively. [Cite web
url=http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=71&Itemid=135
title=Progress Theatre productions since 1946
publisher=Progress Theatre
accessdate=2007-03-19]

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 [Cite web
url=http://www.discworldmonthly.co.uk/dwm0009.php#S_5
title=Discworld Monthly — Issue 9: January 1998
accessdate=2007-03-19] [Cite web
url=http://www.discworldmonthly.co.uk/dwm0010.php#S_8
title=Discworld Monthly — Issue 10: February 1998
accessdate=2007-03-19] [Cite web
url=http://www.discworldmonthly.co.uk/dwm0011.php#S_1
title=Discworld Monthly — Issue 11: March 1998
accessdate=2007-03-19]
*"James and the Giant Peach" by Roald Dahl in 2005-2006, [Cite web
url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2006/01/04/ltoday04.xml
title=Today you can:… The Telegraph
accessdate=2007-03-19
quote=Bypass panto: see the stage version of Roald Dahl's "James and the Giant Peach"] using an adaptation by David Wood usually available only to professional productions. [Cite web
url=http://icberkshire.icnetwork.co.uk/0600whatson/0300theatre/tm_method=full%26objectid=16510463%26siteid=50102-name_page.html
title=Progress show is giant step forwards
publisher=icBerkshire
accessdate=2007-06-11]

Recent years have also seen productions of notorious plays such as "Blasted" by Sarah Kane [Cite web
url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/content/articles/2006/03/28/blasted_at_progress_review_feature.shtml
title=Blasted: BBC Berkshire review
accessdate=2007-03-19] [Cite web
url=http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=84&Itemid=161
title=Blasted: reviews
accessdate=2007-03-19] while the more public-friendly yearly open-air Shakespeare productions in the Reading Abbey ruins have proved very popular. [Cite web
url=http://www.getreading.co.uk/entertainment/theatre_and_dance/s/2031935_have_we_got_shrews_for_you
title=Have we got Shrews for you...
publisher=Reading Evening Post
accessdate=2008-07-14]

Past seasons

Famous members

*Kenneth Branagh made his earliest theatre appearances with Progress Theatre in the 1970s, including one minor role as "second policeman".
*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.Note|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. [http://www.spuddlington.com/frictiontheatre/FT%20Shows%20-%20My%20Voices%20-%20More%20Information.htm] [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9NzMer9tfc] [http://www.edfringe.com/shows/detail.php?action=shows&id=5185]

References

External links

* [http://www.progresstheatre.co.uk/ Progress Theatre website]