John Peel Theatre
The Little Theatre at the Heart of Wigton
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Our Next Production:
Murder is (Festively) Served
Tickets available online
or by phoning 01697 424624
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President: Melvyn Bragg
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Our Facilities:
Proscenium arch theatre
90 raked seats
Wheelchair access
Induction loop
Licensed bar
Real coffee
Ice cream & snacks
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Registered Charity No: 1178881
Achievements
Theatre by the community, for the community
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
- Delivered our first relaxed performance
- Concert from The Haar
- Concert from Damien Barber and Mike Wilson
- Concert from Mikey Kenney and Michael Paul Metcalfe
- William Carrick's memorial stone remounted in the wall of the theatre
- Celebrated 60 years of The John Peel Theatre
- Second visit from Dragonfly Drama Group and additional day workshop
- Concert from Kathryn Roberts and Sean Lakeman
- Concert from Bryony Griffith and Alice Jones
- Concert from The Mel Outsider Reformation
2023
- New external door fitted to allow for increased audience numbers
- Launched Folk at the John Peel
- Concert from Charlie Dore and Julian Littman
- Concert from John Kirkpatrick
- Visit from Dragonfly Drama Group
- Exterior of the theatre given a facelift
- Refreshed the decor inside the building
- Celebrated 70 years of entertaining Wigton
2022
- Hosted our best-attended panto to date, having moved it to a new slot in February half term
- Raised grant and crowdfunded money to begin installing solar batteries before winter to combat the fuel crisis
- Expanded our Open Mic Nights so that the Virtual Open Mic Night has its own slot on the second Friday of alternate months
- First set of solar batteries installed
- New balcony added to the stage
2021
- Finishing touches to the theatre refit
- New kitchen installed and refurbishment of the green room
- Wi-Fi installed throughout the theatre
- First hybrid open mic in August
- Moved to completely online ticket sales
- Installed a new card payment system for the bar, ticket sales and membership
- Increased membership following lockdown
- Joined PayPal Giving Fund
- Developed COVID-19 secure practices in time for our first production of the year
- Welcomed two visiting professional productions - Scrooge Diaries by Peter Macqueen and Sleeping Beauty by Shared Experience
- Built a new box office in the theatre foyer
- Formalised our theatre hire offer
- Lighting rigging safety checked and certified
- Extra fire wardens trained
- Fire safety survey renewed
- PAT and all other electrical systems tested and passed
2020
- Toilets completely refitted
- Hearing loop restored and extended
- Sound stage created
- Back-stage monitor system upgraded and extended
- New LED Moving Head Lights installed
- Ran very successful Virtual Open Mic Nights during the lockdown period
- Recorded the theatre's first Mummers' Play using Zoom for both rehearsals and recording
- Regular Virtual Open Mic Night attendees recorded a version of The Fairytale of New York which has had over 7500 views
2019
- Roof repaired
- Grant money raised to refurbish auditorium seating
- Rock concert with Gage in July
- Second visit from Peter Macqueen with a performance of Old Herbaceous
- Breakthrough in our research about the memorial stone
- Third Shakespeare play performed with a cast of 20 - Macbeth
- Extra performance of Macbeth by request of Trinity School
- Started work on a small wildlife garden at the back of the theatre
- Raised money for drum-kit for the theatre
- New doors installed
- All auditorium seating refurbished
- New flooring in the corridor and auditorium
- Our most ambitious pantomime set yet and a cast of 32
- Special feature about the theatre on Border Lookaround
2018
- New solar panels installed
- 10 Open Mic nights
- Second Shakespeare play performed with a cast of 34 - The Tempest
- Rock concert with Gage in July
- Visit from Peter Macqueen with a sell-out performance of The Professor of Adventure
- Awarded a substantial grant from Allerdale to upgrade the theatre’s doors
- Remembering. Commemorated the 100 year anniversary of the end of WWI in November with a programme of music and readings, with contributions from members of the Wigton community
- Continued to run theatre skills classes with new recruits
- Ran a range of play readings and social events for members
- Welcomed several new adult recruits over the year
- Significantly improved the wings of the stage
- Revamped the foyer, corridor and bar areas (including a wider choice of drinks)
2017
- Winners of Cumbria Life's Cultural Awards - Amateur Group of the Year
- Regional winners of the M&S Energy Fund. Awarded £12,000 for solar panels
- Upgraded theatre lighting with the addition of LED parcans, 2 intelligent moving heads and a new Avolites Titan One virtual lighting console thanks to a grant from Wigton Coop of £2396
- 11 open mic nights showcasing local talent and some great new singers
- Concert with Absolute Zero in March
- Concert with Gage supported by Running with Scissors in July
- Production of She can’t not be doing something as part of Play with a Poem, touring to Theatre by the Lake and Penrith, ending with a home performance in April
- Confusions by Alan Ayckbourne with live music from the John Peel Theatre Band in June
- Theatre Skills Workshop Showcase in July
- First ever Shakespeare play by Wigton Theatre Club. Romeo and Juliet played to sell out audiences in August
- Dubbed by audiences as our ‘best panto yet’, Camelot the Pantomime played to packed audiences for 8 shows
- Visiting shows from the ever popular Cockermouth group Wyldwood, with their new show Revolution and professional company La’al Marra Productions with Soaked, which was a sell out success
- Halloween film night of The Rocky Horror Picture Show with fish and chips and fancy dress
2016
- Concert in February: Over £300 raised for Cumbria Flood Relief
- Ten Open Mic Nights from February to December
- May: Woven in Wigton
- July: The Last Post
- July: Helen O'Grady parents' show
- August: Concert with Salvation & Blue Sky Illusion
- Guest Performance of Midsummer Night's Dream by Wyldwood Theatre Company
- We hosted a touring show: Music, Magic and Mayhem in October
- Film show: Footprints of our Fathers on Armistice Day, 11th November
- Pantomime in December: Aladdin
- Over 30 youth theatre workshops
- We completely upgraded the theatre sound system
- We replaced our exterior signage
2015
- Successful bid for a grant from The Arts Council
- Grants awarded from Allerdale Council, Hadfield Trust, Community First Grants, Wigton Town Council, Neighbourhood Forum and The Cumberland News Group
- Complete repaint of the theatre auditorium by theatre club members
- New bar and foyer created
- Foyer window reinstated
- Window stonework repaired
- Larger technical box built with improved access
- Four plays including community play Made in Wigton
- Two film shows
- Established a monthly Open Mic Night
- Panto - Mother Goose (written by the John Peel Theatre's writers' group)
- New website launched