about our application

The application is being submitted by Giles Shenton, Lawrence Prestidge and Rosie Pickering. 

Support from people living in the Stratford-upon-Avon area is vital. 

We'd also like support from other industry professionals who believe in our goal and would be happy to back our vision publicly. 

The management team for the theatre will be as follows:

Giles Shenton

Theatre Director

Lawrence Prestidge

Community Engagement & Front of House Manager

Rosie Pickering

Marketing & Touring Theatre Manager

Several local residents with the skills and knowledge to contribute at the outset have expressed their interest in the project and want to see the venue become a hub serving the community. These individuals include Helen Cave (Executive Administrator, Backstage Trust /previously Head of Stakeholder Events at RSC), Mark Carey (actor/writer), Simon Kemp (musician/composer), Cecillia Currey (set designer/costume maker/prop maker), Christopher Saul (actor/teacher/writer), Mel Harvey (magician - Member of The Inner Magic Circle/children’s entertainer/ puppeteer), Georgie Taylor (actor/schools in education/accessibility for performances & relaxed performances/drama educator working in schools, weekend clubs, LAMDA tutor and Safeguarding officer), Jack Richardson (TV & video producer/director), Iain Lauchlan (Theatre director/producer/actor/writer), Colin Lewis Edwards (Previous Director of the Riverside Shakespeare Company in New York/drama therapy teacher/Shakespeare trainer for the Department of Education/Theatre studies examiner and previous Director of ITV’s Children’s Television Workshop, winning a special BAFTA for its contribution to Children’s television), Alison Sutcliffe (Previous drama teacher at RADA, Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, BSA and Bristol Old Vic Theatre School/Theatre director for RSC, rep., national tours, West End & Broadway and co-founder of The Bridge Theatre Company) and Abigail Rokison-Woodall (author and academic specialising in William Shakespeare & lecturer in Shakespeare and Theatre at the 

Shakespeare Institute, Stratford upon Avon). 

Local organisations have already shown their support for this application. These include:

ILEAP – A charity for children, young people and adults with additional needs that delivers a user-led programme of leisure activities within the local community so that vulnerable people can access leisure provision in a safe and supported way.

Avon Support – The company provides personalised support services for disabled adults to help them live more independently and achieve their goals.

Rosie T Dance Academy – In addition to training, the academy offers a range of support for its students and the dance community. They provide scholarships for those struggling with fees, offer a custom uniform program in partnership with Dansez, and prepare their dancers for professional careers, including preparing them for challenges they will face on their journey.

Holy Trinity Players - Trinity Players was founded at Holy Trinity Church Stratford-upon-Avon in 2007 to offer drama as part of worship as well as for entertainment. They have a vision for a church which those who love drama, music and the spoken word may see as their spiritual home. 

Black Box Tuition - Black Box was founded in 2024 with the aim of building young people’s confidence through Vocal Tuition, Musical Theatre & Drama Clubs in Worcestershire, Warwickshire, 

Gloucestershire and The Cotswolds. 

Lifeways - Friendly, peaceful, supportive. Lifeways is a complementary natural health centre with an acre of community-run garden located in the centre of Stratford-upon-Avon. They provide a safe, high quality environment for the practice of more than 30 complementary and traditional therapies and one-to-one counselling.   In addition they run regular meditation, Pilates and Yoga classes as well as a range of weekend workshops and training courses.

Myton Hospice -  Myton are leaders in compassionate end of life care; their work centres on patient wellbeing and involving them in decisions about their care. Perhaps most importantly, they give their patients 

more quality time with their loved ones. 

Young Minds Matter -  A Warwickshire based, registered charity supporting young people through a mentoring service, building resilience, self-esteem and confidence. They also host inspirational fundraising events, showcasing the amazing talents of young people and promoting mental health awareness. 

The venue on Rother Street has had several names over the years. It has recently experienced some success under the name Stratford Play House in engaging touring bands and comedians, and losing this would be a shame. Additionally, it will be much easier for promoters and members of the public to find online, as searches will undoubtedly include ‘Play House’ or ‘Playhouse’. Future plans involve building on this initiative and transforming it into the town's community arts hub. 

To achieve this, we propose renaming the venue, the 

Stratford Playhouse Community Theatre.

The new proposed logo for the theatre can be seen at the top of the page. The main image is of the building itself, reminding us of its heritage, prominent place, and history within the town. The ring of people holding hands signifies community, and the circular shape reinforces the idea that everything at the theatre is continuous – shows being created and performed, creative skills being learnt and used to create more shows, with the whole cycle restarting. The likeness to a ship's wheel links to the River Avon, with its constant flow through the community. It also represents the notion that the Stratford Playhouse Community Theatre is helping steer the community along a continuous path.

Stratford Playhouse Community Theatre has been set up as a Community Interest Company. This is a not-for-profit company that will allow the theatre to conduct activities to promote and advance the dramatic and other performing arts, including audience development, workforce training, and access initiatives, while engaging in fundraising and community outreach.  

Stratford-upon-Avon is known internationally as a town with a magnificent cultural history. The wealth of local talent should be utilised to create a safe space to assist those in need within the community and equip future generations with the tools to continue this incredible artistic legacy. 

The structure is straightforward: 

1. Generate income from the commercial aspects of the venue.

2. Reinvest the income into community projects and training/workshops.

3. Engage local professionals to manage the theatre, 

raise awareness, provide training, and run workshops.

4. Utilise both professional and non-professional participants to create new works and productions that tour locally and nationally for the Stratford Playhouse Community Theatre.

5. Reinvest income from touring productions back 

into the charity to sustain the cycle.

Touring productions coming into the theatre, such as bands and comedians, are essential for covering expenses and also for subsidising community-based events. Historical trends with pantomimes and family shows indicate a strong market for family-oriented productions in the local area. We will place greater emphasis on scheduling these productions to boost revenue while also attracting young audiences to the arts and encouraging participation in various workshops and training sessions available at the Stratford Playhouse Community Theatre.

Additionally, we will focus on programming a broader range of events based on a box office split model, making them more appealing to touring companies and enhancing the likelihood of incorporating diverse artistic genres. 

We also aim to produce small-scale theatre productions that will tour nationally as Stratford Playhouse Community Theatre productions, raising awareness of the theatre and its work beyond the local area. 

This approach will also provide a platform for transforming new writing into live performances and provide work for local creatives. 

Existing connections will be utilised to create a rural touring scheme, collaborating with local venues and village halls to deliver entertainment to the wider Stratford area. 

This initiative will bring live theatre and music to those 

who cannot travel, thereby increasing awareness of the Stratford Playhouse Community Theatre in the surrounding region while promoting 

all that the theatre has to offer.

The revenue from the more commercial activities and touring productions would be able to fund/subsidise the cost of various local individuals contracted to provide training/run workshops etc. 

Such activities would include but not be limited to;

Drama workshops and training/Stage Management workshops/training/Puppetry workshops and training/Individual drama tuition/Drama and TV writing workshops/Set design/costume & prop making workshops/Theatre directing workshops/Musical workshops & lessons/TV/filming/video workshops/Specific individual tuition for performers preparing for auditions/Magic workshops and training/A space to develop and perform new theatre projects/Tech assistance for performers needing to submit self-tapes for auditions.

Those already expressing interest in the project can contribute all of the above, and additional opportunities will arise for others to collaborate with this initiative. The workshops and training will provide practical assistance in creating new shows that could tour locally or nationally, enabling local individuals to be part of the creative process in professional touring theatre and music. This will create an ongoing focus for participants, offering the opportunity to gain valuable experience in various skills. It will provide a platform for local artists while promoting mental health through the transformative power of theatre and the arts. 

Regular events will be programmed to ensure the consistent use of all spaces and a steady flow of people into the theatre, creating marketing opportunities for other events and promoting all available opportunities at the venue. 

These could include - ‘Open mic’ events for budding comedians, musicians, poets, and actors and cabaret evenings/Rehearsal space for local musicians/groups/bands/theatre groups/Provide a safe space for charities and groups such as Street Arts Project to meet regularly/Provide a permanent home for local amateur theatre/musical theatre groups/Space for talks and events provided by local organisations.

Please contact us if you have any questions or want more information about the application. 

Please contact us if you feel happy to endorse our application or offer assistance in some way.

If you know anyone else who would be interested in supporting our vision, please direct them to this website. 

If our application is successful, we will be seeking someone with bookkeeping or finance experience to join the theatre management team. Please pass on our details to anyone who may be interested.

Please also subscribe below if you would like to be kept up to date with the application or simply as a way of registering your interest in the project.

Thank you for taking the time to read our vision for the vacant Rother Street community arts venue.

Giles Shenton

GSP Theatre Productions

07554 429526

www.gilesshentonproductions.co.uk

www.facebook.com/stratfordplayhousecommunitytheatre