About Us: A Brief History

The Brentwood Theatre Trust is formally established.  Margaret Hutton turns the first sod on our current site, launching the campaign to build a theatre in Brentwood.

Fundraising stands at £90,000 but the campaign is rumoured to be failing.

With over £300,000 now raised, more than half from personal donations and events, the Theatre build commenced.  A second-hand portacabin is purchased and converted into two dressing rooms, with toilets, and an office is rented in the Hermitage building.  David McLuckie is appointed as Theatre Manager.

On 2 December 1993, Brentwood Theatre opens its doors for the first time, with a double bill including a play written by Jeff Merrifield.  Shenfield Operatic Society follow with an Old Time Music Hall on 3 December, before Hutton Players produce our first full-length play, Charley’s Aunt, later that month.

Brentwood Operatic Society produce Godspell in January 1994, the first full musical here.

Brentwood Shakespeare Company is formed and presents A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

The donation to the Theatre of the Frank Jackson Cup, sparks the formation of an annual Awards Evening, with non-professional productions being assessed by a team of adjudicators.

The Brents, our first annual awards night, is launched on 17 September 1997.  With the resignation of David McLuckie, Karen Fisher is appointed as Administrator, with Scott Norman as Chief Technician.

Karen Fisher moves to The Theatre Royal, Stratford East.  David Zelly is appointed as Production Manager and Mark Reed as Administrator (in addition to his role as House and Bar Manager).

Brentwood Theatre Company is formed to present an annual children’s Christmas Show.  The first show produced is David Wood’s Meg and Mog Show.

The 10^th Anniversary Year of Brentwood Theatre and talks begin about the next phase of building works.

The ‘Reaching Out, Building On’ campaign is launched on 14 September to expand the building.  Provisions will include internal dressing rooms, backstage toilets, a small workshop, office space, disabled access and a multi-purpose studio on the upper floor.

Over 50 non-professional groups are now using Brentwood Theatre on a regular basis.

Former Brentwood actor, Stephen Moyer, now working in Hollywood is appointed as our Patron and our local fundraising goes international as his fans in the USA support our appeal.

Preparations begin for the close-down of the Theatre for the summer.  Work starts in June and the new-look Brentwood Theatre reopens for BOSSY’s production of Fame in November, attended by True Blood star Stephen Moyer and his co-star Ann Pacquin.

‘Reaching Out, Building On’ campaign reaches its conclusion and the new extension is fully operational.  Brentwood Theatre now has two performance spaces and significantly improved facilities.

After more fundraising, a new retractable seating system is installed in our main auditorium, increasing our capacity to 113 seats and allowing us to change the use of space in under 30 minutes, instead of more than a day.

Our Box Office goes online for the first time.  Audiences can now book tickets 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Brentwood Theatre is now hosting nearly 250 performances each year, with an estimated 20,000 people coming through our doors.  Many shows now sell-out and the space is constantly in high demand from hirers looking for a suitable performance space.