<img src='' title='Author: Keith Harrison' alt='' id='templ_icon_' width='' height='' /> Author: Keith Harrison

Gatehouse Summer School 2024

The Gatehouse Theatre is delighted to announce that our 2024 Summer School production will be CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY.

This is the perfect first step for young people who are interested in a career in entertainment – or just want to have fun and make some new friends over the summer.

Under the tuition and guidance of professional directors, choreographers and producers, it’s a great introduction to live theatre – with no pressure put on anyone taking part. First and foremost, it’s about enjoying yourselves!

This year’s production promises to be an golden-ticket cracker.

Based on the famous novel by Roald Dahl, the production features an original score composed by Marc Shaiman with lyrics by Shaiman and Scott Wittman (Hairspray) and a book by David Greig.

The score also pays homage to the Leslie Bricusse/Anthony Newley score from the 1971 film with songs from the motion picture including ‘Candy Man’, ‘I’ve Got a Golden Ticket’, ‘Oompa Loompa Song’ and ‘Pure Imagination’.

The world-famous Willy Wonka is opening the gates to his mysterious factory… but only to a lucky few.

Young Charlie Bucket and four other golden ticket winners will embark on a life-changing journey through Wonka’s world of pure imagination including chocolate waterfalls, nutty squirrels and the great glass elevator, all to be revealed by Wonka’s army of curious Oompa-Loompas.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is your golden ticket to free entertainment in Stafford this summer!

The project is open to anyone aged between 9-18 years of age and dates of the summer school run from the 5th to 24th August 2024.

Performances will be on the 23rd and 24th August 2024 and tickets for the shows are completely free!

Auditions for our summer school will take place on the 12th May from 10am. More details will follow after you’ve submitted an application form.

To apply for our summer school experience, download an application form here and return to Casting@Freedom-leisure.co.uk.

Fees are £300 per person. Bursaries are available to cover fees in some cases.

To apply for a bursary, download an application form here and return to Alison.Young@freedom-leisure.co.uk. (Bursaries are strictly limited and not all applications are guaranteed.)

We look forward to creating this wonderful musical with you!

Can you help provide accommodation/digs for artists performing in forthcoming Gatehouse shows?

We’re looking for people with availability to put up artists who are appearing at our theatre in 2024.

Payment is available and all our artists are lovely people!

Simply fill out the form here and send it to alison.young@freedom-lesiure.co.uk or call Alison Young on 01785 619080.

Can you help provide accommodation/digs for artists performing in forthcoming Gatehouse shows?

We’re looking for people with availability to put up artists who are appearing at our theatre in 2024.

Payment is available and all our artists are lovely people!

Simply fill out the form here and send it to alison.young@freedom-lesiure.co.uk or call Alison Young on 01785 619080.

Fee-Fi-Fo-Fum, Jack And The Beanstalk is full of fun!

Yes, we are proud to announce that our 2024/25 pantomime will be the all-time family favourite Jack And The Beanstalk.

We are delighted to announce that the 2024 Stafford Shakespeare production will be The Bard’s much-loved comedy TWELFTH NIGHT.

Performances are scheduled to take place from June 21 to July 7 with the venue yet to be decided.

Further details are available from https://www.staffordbc.gov.uk/…/show-must-go…

LIGHTS! CAMERA! GATEHOUSE LANDS COMMUNITY AWARD
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre and Stone Leisure Centre are celebrating after winning accolades at the national Freedom Leisure Awards Ceremony.

Stone Leisure Centre was awarded Best Performance of the Year across all Freedom Leisure sites for their fantastic Learn to Swim programme, while the Gatehouse Theatre won the Wales and The North Region’s Healthy Communities Project of the Year for their Classic Film Afternoon programme. Stone Leisure Centre and the Gatehouse Theatre are managed by Freedom Leisure on behalf of Stafford Borough Council.

Stone’s Learn to Swim programme has been a huge success, involving beginners of all ages and Manager Nick Meehan said: ‘We help children from 3 months upwards and adults to learn how to swim. It’s a fantastic experience that opens up new possibilities for everyone, as well as supporting confidence, enjoyment and safety in the water.

‘We’re delighted to have won this award as recognition for the team’s efforts and also for the people who have come along and learned to swim with us.’

The Gatehouse Theatre’s Classic Film Afternoons have also been a huge hit with the local community and General Manager Gary Stevens said: ‘We’ve been blown away by the response from people in Stafford and beyond. We show classic films and people get a cake and a hot drink for as little as £5.00 in total.’
The events are Dementia Friendly and also operate alongside the Gatehouse’s involvement in the Chatty Café initiative.

Gary added: ‘We love being a place where people can just pop in for a coffee and a chat, use our free wi-fi or just warm up at this time of year! We are a community facility and the Classic Film Afternoons are a brilliant example of why the Gatehouse is at the heart of the community in Stafford.’
The next Classic Film Afternoon is on December 7 when there will be a special Christmas showing of the Bing Crosby film, Holiday Inn (film starts at 1.00pm).

Freedom Leisure Chief Executive Officer Ivan Horsfall Turner visited the Stafford and Stone venues to congratulate the teams personally on Friday.
He said: ‘I’m really pleased to present the Healthy Communities Award for this very innovative project to the Gatehouse. The Theatre team are making a positive contribution in respect to mental health benefits to the local community.

Freedom Leisure’s Stafford Area Manager Liz Hulse said: ‘I am delighted to share the good news that our teams at Stone Leisure Centre and the Gatehouse Theatre were recognised for their achievements at our company conference. It’s great to see the success and hard work of our colleagues in Stafford Borough recognised nationally.’ 

It’s time to take your seat at the Gatehouse for the next 10 years, with our new ‘Name a Seat’ programme.

Whether you’re looking for the perfect gift for a loved one, mark a special moment, say thank you to a friend, or honour a fellow theatre-lover, naming a seat in the main auditorium is the perfect memento of happy hours spent at the Gatehouse down the years.

Your support will make a big difference and help towards projects including our Gatehouse Youth Theatre groups, which give local youngsters their first taste of theatre, our Dementia Friendly Classic Film Afternoons, or our ongoing support for local community groups.

It won’t guarantee you’ll be able to book the seat for every show, but you’ll be part of the furniture in more ways than one!

Simply choose what you’d like to say on your specially-engraved metal plaque and we’ll proudly display it on a seat of your choice for the next 10 years.

Donations start at £150 for one seat or £250 for two (although you can donate as much as you like above those amounts).

You will also receive a downloadable Certificate of Thanks and a picture of the plaque in place (we will also happily arrange a visit to the theatre for you to grab your own photo).

So name a seat today – and there’ll always be a part of you at the Gatehouse.

Simply contact the Box Office on 01785 619080 for details or call in for a chat about naming YOUR seat.

The Gatehouse Theatre will receive £1,500 from Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme that it will use to continue its Classic Film Afternoons this autumn.

The popular Dementia Friendly daytime shows include a classic film, a hot drink and a cake for just £6.00 (or £10 for two). Showings take place on a big screen and this season will feature movie gems such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Some Like it Hot and Rebel Without a Cause.

Gatehouse Theatre general manager Gary Stevens said: ‘We are delighted to receive this money from Tesco’s Stronger Starts fund – and especially grateful to all the people of Stafford who helped by backing us with their tokens in-store.

‘Our shows are Dementia Friendly, fully accessible and great value. We look forward to seeing even more guests for refreshments and these classic films over the next few months.’

To boost funds for extra food and activity equipment, Tesco is introducing a £5m grant programme, in partnership with Groundwork UK, to give children across the UK a stronger start in life. The grants will help schools and children’s groups provide nutritious food and healthy activities that support young people’s physical health and mental wellbeing, such as breakfast clubs or snacks, and equipment for healthy activities.

Tesco’s Stronger Starts – previously Tesco Bags of Help and Tesco Community Grants – has already provided over £100 million to more than 50,000 projects across Britain.

Jason Tarry, Tesco UK CEO, said: “Helping schools and children’s groups access the food and resources they need is vitally important in getting children a stronger start in life. Children with enough food have more energy, better concentration, and ultimately achieve more too.”

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “As a community charity, we have seen first-hand how schools and other groups supporting young people have been playing a much bigger role in ensuring children are getting a healthy start to the day and getting access to spaces and services to support physical activity and mental health. Family budgets are tight and school budgets are tight, but it’s so important that children stay fed, fit and focused, so we’re delighted to be able to prioritise these activities alongside Tesco with the Stronger Starts programme.”

Funding is available to community groups and charities looking to fund local projects that bring benefits to communities. To find out more visit tescoplc.com/strongerstarts

Drum roll please . . . our latest Gatehouse Youth Theatre shows have been revealed. Get ready for Chicago, Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Matilda The Musical.

Join us today by emailing Alison.young@freedom-leisure.co.uk.