Theatr Colwyn
Abergele Road
Colwyn Bay
Conwy
LL29 7RU
Tel: 01492 577888/872000
Fax: 01492 533971

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the Friends

IT'S JUST A THOUGHT...

Woody Allen (1935 -),
writer, film director, actor, comedian, humorist

"Comedy just pokes at problems, rarely confronts them squarely. Drama is like a plate of meat and potatoes, comedy is rather the dessert, a bit like meringue."

"I don't want to achieve immortality through my work. I want to achieve it through not dying."

"If you're not failing every now and again, it's a sign you're not doing anything very innovative."

"80% of success is showing up."

"In my house I'm the boss, my wife is just the decision-maker."

"I tended to place my wife under a pedestal."

"Money is better than poverty, if only for financial reasons."

"Interestingly, according to modern astronomers, space is finite. This is a very comforting thought - particularly for people who can never remember where they have left things."

"I had a terrible education. I attended a school for emotionally disturbed teachers."

"The talent for being happy is appreciating and liking what you have, instead of what you don't have."

Theatr Colwyn is one of the liveliest entertainment venues in the county, offering a wide repertoire of events including: Cinema, Classical Drama, Musicals, Classic & Contemporary Dance, Children’s Shows, Variety, Spectacular Christmas Panto, Live Music, and Local Amateur Productions.

Dates for Your Diary

* Tuesday 7 February 2012 - Coffee Morning at Theatr Colwyn from 10.30am - 12noon

* Tuesday 21 February 2012 - Friends Annual Dinner at Colwyn Bay Cricket Club, Rhos on Sea, 7.30pm

For more information about the above events, please email this website or telephone 07840 123344.

December 2011

PANTO NEWS – PRESS RELEASE FROM JOANN RAE

A CONWY theatre has recorded its most successful pantomime in memory.

Staff at Theatr Colwyn in Colwyn, which reopened in September following a major front of house redevelopment, were thrilled with the response to Jack and the Beanstalk, which played to more than 82% percent capacity houses throughout the 2 week run, with lots of sell out shows. The soaring ticket sales bucked the economic downturn that has forced families across the county to tighten their belts.

Theatre manager Phil Batty said: “We would all like to thank the people who came to see the show and supported Theatr Colwyn over Christmas. It made our first Christmas since reopening one that we will always remember, it was wonderful to see the auditorium packed out and everyone enjoying themselves.”

Jack and the Beanstalk featured Colwyn Bay-based Jane and Stuart Loughland, known as Safire, illusionists working at the top of their game in the UK. The rest of the professional cast were all current or former residents of Conwy county.

Since the theatre reopened in September, almost £2,000 has been donated by generous audience members following performances. All of the money given will go towards the second phase redevelopment which is planned for the venue. This project which will see the backstage / dressing rooms transformed. Mr Batty added: “We are so very grateful to every single person who has kindly put money in the collection bucket. Every penny will help us towards the goal of redeveloping the backstage area of Theatr Colwyn in the near future.”

November 2011

LONG EXPOSURE
A PHOTOGRAPHIC EXHIBITION BY PAUL SAMPSON

Background:
Last September I read in the local paper of the imminent closure and refurbishment of the theatre. Thinking this would be a fantastic and worthwhile project to document I approached the theatre manager Phil Batty who agreed to give me full access to the theatre during the works.

The renovations took around a year to complete and I visited the theatre weekly, come rain, shine or snow! Some weeks it was so cold it was hard to even feel the shutter release on the camera but I felt compelled to continue visiting, just in case the building gave up a secret and I was not there to record it.

Over the year I documented the on-going building works and now have about 4000 images following this process. Within these images I managed to record areas and objects intrinsic to theatre life that have now been lost forever, never to be replaced.

Exhibition:
I soon realised the work I was creating was of huge historical importance and value to the theatre, Wales and the area in general. I felt it was imperative that we embraced the importance of these images and make them available for future generation to enjoy. I set about working out ways to produce an exhibition and the installation of a gallery area in the newly created Community Room was suggested. Once the gallery space had been agreed on it was clad with MDF board to allow hanging of pictures.

The next hurdle was to find funding for the production of the prints themselves. Producing prints to the scale you now see on the Community Room walls is not cheap but I believed they had to be to this size and quality to give justice to the building itself.

I initially approached the new initiative ‘Colwyn Counts’, a revolutionary public voting scheme for the distribution of funds earmarked for community projects between Rhos on Sea and Old Colwyn. With the help and support of some of the ‘Friends’ on the night, I narrowly missed out in the voting by 57 points. Another 6 people voting for me would have secured funding for the exhibition there and then!

Although disappointing, this result proved to me that there was sufficient interest and support for the exhibition and the theatre itself to make it worthwhile in me pursuing. For a long summer I pestered local businesses and organisations to pledge help, support and funding for the project. Being a singular photographer/artist made the job of fundraising a lot harder, it seems if I was part of a community group this may have been easier. I had many knockbacks and met many closed doors but through a dogged determination and the help and support of these local companies the exhibition became a reality.

Progression:
The installed exhibition continues to create a huge interest and buzz and is being received extremely well by its viewers. Most people seem to appreciate my alternate view of the theatre and the renovations. I have tried to capture the ‘feeling’ and ‘spirit’ of the building although I am aware that as with all art, sometimes people will not like, get, or care for my view.

The Arts Council of Wales have visited and suggested that the exhibition could maybe tour the Counties libraries and exhibition spaces in the New Year and I am actively pursuing this option. It is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the theatre.

Sarah Ecob has requested the exhibition be installed within Venue Cymru next year; the earliest free space is June/July.

My website has been recently updated and now includes images from the exhibition include new and previously unseen images from the collection.

The exhibition is available to see in the Community Room between the hours of 10am-5pm, Monday-Friday

Paul Sampson
Contact:
Web: www.focusedimage.co.uk Email: paul@focusedimage.co.uk Tel: 07425 157845

October 2011

HELLO MR JONES...

FORMER Monty Python Terry Jones officially reopened Theatr Colwyn, Colwyn Bay, on Saturday, October 15, at a special ribbon cutting ceremony.

Terry, who was born in the town and is patron of the venue, cut the ribbon in front of an invited audience of guests, reminisced fondly about the years he spent in the Bay as a child and his family connections with Theatr Colwyn.

His grandfather, mother and uncle all appeared on stage there in amateur performance groups and Terry feels a special connection with the 126-year-old venue because of this.

Speeches were made by the newly appointed CCBC Chief Executive, Iwan Davies, CCBC Chairman: Brenda Taylor, Colwyn Bay Mayor: Cllr Margaret Edwards, Chair Joint Management Committee: Cllr Alice Robinson, Venue Cymru/Theatr Colwyn Manager: Sarah Ecob, and Phill Jupitus and Terry Jones.

Clair and Sam, Venue Cymru staff, kindly prepared a lovely buffet – and our very own Cllr Hazel Meredith made a delicious cake.

Following the ribbon cut and reception, as part of the Giddy Goat Comedy Festival, there was a screening of the Monty Python cult film The Holy Grail, after which Phill Jupitus, stand-up comic and team captain on Never Mind The Buzzcocks, interviewed the comedy legend about the making of the film. The event ended with an audience Q&A session.

All of the proceeds raised through the screening were split between the venue’s second phase rear of house redevelopment fund and St David’s Hospice in Llandudno, organiser of the comedy festival.

All in all, a truly celebratory event – well done everyone who was involved.

August 2011

THE THEATRE RE-OPENS.......

COMEDY legend and former Monty Python Terry Jones will officially reopen a Victorian theatre in Conwy County Borough as the curtain rises on a new era in its history.

Theatr Colwyn in Colwyn Bay will reopen in mid-September following a £738,000 front of house redevelopment.

The work has been funded by the North Wales Regeneration Area Programme to the tune of £500,000 and a further £238,000 from Conwy County Borough Council, who own and run the venue.

The project is part of the Bay Life+ Regeneration Programme.

The venue was built in 1885 and is the oldest working cinema in the UK and both the oldest civic theatre in Wales and the oldest working theatre in Wales.

Following the redevelopment, it now has a completely new front entrance, with the original Victorian brickwork now visible, as well as disabled access into and around the building, ground floor bar, new offices, relocated box office, community room and front of house to backstage link corridor.

Cllr Goronwy Edwards, Conwy’s Cabinet Member for Communities said: “I would like to thank all the officers and members of Theatr Colwyn, together with Sarah Ecob and her team at Venue Cymru for all their hard work in delivering this major investment.
“This is a fantastic transformation of this unique building which is dearly loved and appreciated by so many in the area and beyond. Good luck and well done!”

Sarah Ecob, General Manager, said: “We are extremely excited to be reopening Theatr Colwyn after this period of closure and unveiling our fantastic new front of house facilities.

“Now the work is drawing to a close and we look forward to welcoming our patrons back from the middle of September. “

Ms Ecob added that it was quite a coup to secure the help of Terry Jones for the official reopening event in October.

She said: “Terry is one of the most famous of all comedy writers and performers. For him to make a second visit to Theatr Colwyn is wonderful. The Monty Python afternoon event will not only benefit the venue but also St David’s Hospice, which provides a vital service to the community.

“Through St David’s and the Giddy Goat Comedy Festival, Phill Jupitus has also agreed to be part of the opening event, with a special film screening, followed by a Q&A session with him and Terry Jones.

Phil Batty, Theatre Manager, said: “We are sure that our patrons will be impressed with the way the redevelopment has been carried out and we look forward to welcoming many new visitors for the first time too.

“Our new season programme includes a whole range of events from ballet to drama and Welsh language productions, culminating in our traditional family Christmas pantomime, Jack and the Beanstalk.

“We are all very much looking forward to welcoming Terry Jones back to Theatr Colwyn for the officially ribbon cutting ceremony and the film screening and Q&A, it’s a great way to celebrate our reopening.”

Alice Robinson, chair of Theatr Colwyn’s Joint Management Committee, said: “I have been associated with the venue for decades now but have never seen any redevelopment on the same scale as this, it has been a major refurbishment.

“It is so exciting to see this finally happen, after so many years of hoping. But this is just the first phase. We need to carry out a second phase of redevelopment at the rear of the stage, so the fundraising needs to continue.”

Terry Jones, who is patron of Theatr Colwyn and was born in Colwyn Bay, will cut the ribbon at the venue on Saturday, October 15.

Later that day, as part of a joint venture with the Giddy Goat Comedy Festival, organised by St David’s Hospice, he will be joined on stage by Phill Jupitus, comic and Never Mind The Buzzcocks team captain, for a Monty Python afternoon.

‘Monty Python and the Holy Grail’ which Terry co-directed and co-wrote will be screened and then Phil Jupitus will interview Terry, followed by an audience Q & A.

Tickets for this exciting event are on sale now, with proceeds from the afternoon split between St David’s Hospice and Theatr Colwyn’s redevelopment fund.

By doing this special reopening event, Terry Jones follows in the footsteps of his maternal grandfather, William Newnes.

In February, 1936, when the theatre re-opened following extensive fire damage renovations, Newnes conducted the orchestra for the opening night charity fundraising show.

Terry himself visited the venue in April last year to host a fundraising screening of The Life of Brian.

He is looking forward to coming back and seeing the newly refurbished features.
Terry said: “Theatr Colwyn means a lot to me because my grandfather conducted the orchestra for the Colwyn Bay Operatic Society there and my Mother and Uncle both trod the boards on that very stage."

Steve Doughty, organiser of the Giddy Goat Comedy Festival and Income Generation Manager at St David’s Hospice, said: “We are delighted the re-opening of Theatr Colwyn can be included in the Giddy Goat Comedy Festival!

“It’s such a beautiful theatre and will look fantastic on the big day. Monty Python’s Holy Grail is such a funny film – and there is an extra thrill in having Terry Jones with us, too! Phill Jupitus, of course played The King in Spamalot, which is based on the film – bringing it all together means it is going to be a very special occasion. I hope lots of people can come.”

The first production to take to the stage following the reopening will be Godspell, performed by Contrast Theatre Company, with performances on September 14, 15 and 16.

Further reopening celebrations involving the community are also being planned for the near future.

Tickets for the Terry Jones / Giddy Goat event are now on sale via the box office on 01492 872000.

ENDS----------------------------------------------
Press release dated: 04/08/2011
For further information please contact Joann Rae at Theatr Colwyn on 01492 577886

August 2011

THE FRIENDS HAND OVER £11,000
Cllr Alice Robinson, Barbara Hawley and Dennis Gannon recently handed over £11,000 to the Theatre Management represented by Phil Batty and Sarah Ecob (pictured). £7000 came out of the Redevelopment Fund and £4000 from the Friends general funds.

Many individuals have donated into the Redevelopment Fund since it was launched in April 2010 – members of the Friends and Volunteers, local charities, private individuals near and far, and of course all those who have supported the events organised – the Terry Jones night, Parkway Coffee Morning, the Variety and Starstruck shows, Sponsored Run, and Hotpot Quiz Evening. So a massive WELL DONE to everyone who has supported and been part of this great project.

June 2011

REFURBISHMENT – WE HAVE A DATE!

Good news – the first show back in Theatr Colwyn has been booked for Wednesday 14 September 2011 - Godspell. If you have passed the Theatre recently you will see that the front is now fully boarded up; we trust that when the boards are removed, our new look Theatre will be seen in all its refurbished glory.

May 2011

AUDITION INVITE FOR THEATR COLWYN PANTOMIME

Budding actors across the county are invited to climb the Beanstalk in the search to find characters for this year’s Christmas pantomime at Theatr Colwyn.

In December, the Colwyn Bay venue will present Jack and the Beanstalk and the producers – Magic Light Productions - are holding auditions in late June to find local actors to play a few of the roles and shine the spotlight on some new stars.

Phil Batty, manager of Theatr Colwyn, said: “We want to hold auditions and hopefully see a lot of people from within Conwy county. There are so many talented people out there and maybe we could find someone who may have done some drama or dance in the past and who is ready to work hard. “

All of the other characters in the panto will be played by professional local actors, with some familiar faces. These include local magician Mark Whincup, Stuart and Jayne Loughland (Safire Illusionists who work with The Chuckle Brothers) and Conwy-based actor Steven Bloor, who has previously appeared in many productions at Theatr Colwyn. Phil added: “This is an exciting opportunity for anyone who wants to perform and as yet might not have got their break.”

Jack and the Beanstalk holds a special place in the history of Theatr Colwyn. It was first performed at the venue back in 1909, before the building was closed for renovation – which included the installation of the electric light! 102 years later, the pantomime is planned as the first Christmas show post the £750,000 front of house redevelopment, which is currently underway at Theatr Colwyn, due to finish in the summer.

A musical director/keyboard player and drummer are also being sought. They should send their details to the same address.

The auditions will take place at Venue Cymru in Llandudno. Anyone who would like to be considered for an audition should send their CV and current photograph to: Jack and the Beanstalk Auditions, Theatr Colwyn, C/o Venue Cymru, The Promenade, Llandudno, Conwy LL30 1BB. Deadline for all applications is June 13.

April 2011

Progress at Theatr Colwyn

If you’re feeling that there’s a certain emptiness in your life what with Theatr Colwyn closed for a makeover, you are not alone! The Theatre staff are missing it, Barbara our Chairman is missing it, the people who attend the Coffee Morning are missing it....and as you can see from the photo, there’s still a way to go.

Below is an official press release for your interest:

The exciting redevelopment project at Theatr Colwyn, Colwyn Bay - the oldest operating cinema in the UK, the oldest operating theatre in Wales and the first civic theatre in Wales – is currently in progress.

Due to the nature of the project and the intricacies of working in such an old building, built in 1885, the re-opening will now be summer 2011. Once complete, the venue will have disabled access, a new ground-floor bar, new offices, relocated box office, community room and front of house to backstage link corridor.

Sarah Ecob, general manager, said: “The building project has been both complex and fascinating. The complicated structural history of the building, including earlier redevelopments and a major fire in 1930, has been revealing itself on a daily basis.

“Some of the discoveries have presented new challenges and altered how the current project plays out. In addition to all the issues raised by the long history of the building, this is a large and intricate project in a small building with limited access from public highways.

“However, as curators of such an historically interesting building, we must do everything we can to ensure that it is of the highest standard in order that the theatre will thrive for the next 125 years. We are sure that the final result will not disappoint and are very much looking forward to welcoming our customers back in the summer”

“Phil Batty, manager of Theatr Colwyn, added: “It is exciting to see the transition of the plans as they come to fruition. We hope that our patrons are as thrilled as we are with the re-opening this summer.”

The redevelopment has been funded by the North Wales Regeneration Area Programme to the tune of £500,000 and £238,000 from Conwy County Borough Council, which owns and operates the theatre. The work is part of the Bay Life+ Programme.

The Friends of Theatr Colwyn continue to raise funds to increase the amount of work we are able to achieve with this project.

Donations can be made via the Venue Cymru box office in Llandudno or on 01492 872000.

March 2011

PROGRESS AT THEATR COLWYN

Sarah Ecob, General Manager (Venue Cymru/Theatr Colwyn) reports, “The Joint Management Committee, made up of Town and County Councillors, had a site visit to Theatr Colwyn on Monday 21 March. Work in an old building and in such confined spaces is difficult but work is progressing, and the basement area in particular is beginning to take shape. We hope to re-open the building in early summer and will announce a date as soon as we can.”

As soon as we hear any news, we will pass it on!

February 2011

Hand in Hand with the Friends and the Theatre

It has been very encouraging that three organisations have pledged support for the Friends/Theatre. The Colwyn Coffee Townswomen’s Guild and the Foresters Friendly Society (Min-y-Don) have nominated the Friends as one of their charities for the next two years.

We have also been very encouraged by the offer of support from the Colwyn Bay Civic Society who will be sending out copies of our membership form and seat sponsorship form to all their members. If you would like to find out more about the Civic Society, please visit their website: www.colwynbaycivicosciety.co.uk.

February 2011

• Hotpot and Quiz Evening

Well.... Ken Finch, Quizmaster, must have thought we were an intelligent and knowledgeable bunch because the questions weren’t arf ‘ard! The winning table were worthy winners and enjoyed a bag of goodies while the losing table won 2 candlelit dinners – two tins of beans and candles generously provided by the Friends.

With Rachel Silva as singer, we were treated to a mixture of songs old and new to round the evening off. The evening raised about £200 for the Redevelopment Fund so thank you to everyone who came and contributed to the event.

• Annual Dinner

Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Annual Dinner recently. We were pleased to have no less than 3 Theatre Managers with us – Phil Batty updated us on the building work, as above, Gareth Owen, Manager of Rhyl Pavilion, told us tales of his time as Manager of Theatr Colwyn, and Sarah Ecob, Venue Cymru and Theatr Colwyn Manager, was available afterwards for any questions. A donation of £50, in lieu of speaker’s expenses, was given to St David’s Hospice at the request of Gareth in memory of his dearly beloved wife Tija.

January 2011

PROGRESS AT THEATR COLWYN

It is hoped that the work will be finished by March 2011 when a grand opening day is being planned. We will keep you posted on any news we receive.

January 2011

LOCAL SOCIETIES SUPPORT THEATR COLWYN

** We are very pleased to announce that the Chairman of Court Min-y-Don No. 1464, a branch of the Ancient Order of Foresters Friendly Society, has written to us with a very generous offer:
“After reading articles about Theatr Colwyn I have decided that my Charity for the next two years will be Friends of Theatr Colwyn as no doubt many of our members have enjoyed performances at the Theatre and we would like to see it flourish for our future members to visit.”

If you would like to find out more about the Foresters, please visit their website: www.forestersfriendlysociety.co.uk or www.forestersfriends.co.uk.

** We are also very grateful to the Colwyn Coffee Townswomen's Guild who have also adopted the Friends as one of their charities for the year ahead.

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