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About Us
The Community Players currently produce and perform a yearly fund raising pantomime at the Playhouse, Storforth Lane, Hasland.
The players are a mixture of adults and young people from the Community Health Service,The Post Office,Scouts and local
schools and dancing groups,and other dramatic groups.
The group first formed in 1989 as a fund raising review, made up of community health staff and performed at the Royal
Hospital, Calow.
The first show “Them Outdoors”raised £580.00 and was partly aimed at raising the morale of far flung community
nurses of the then North Derbyshire Health Authority. The group was known as the Community Health Players, two
original members are still in the group, Ruth OSullivan(actor) and Mick Wiltshier(Stage Manager).
The players were organised by Mavis Oscroft, who sadly died in 2005, and Sue Jaye who left the group in 1998. The players
have always written and performed their own scripts. Their first Script Writer was Eva Kirk, a now retired District Nurse
who was with the group until 2004. Other script writers include Henry Oates and Alan Walker, both of whom have retired from
the group. Imelda Cole joined the group in 1996 as an actor in Jack and the Beanstalk, and she started co writing the
script in 1998, she has written the last four pantomime scripts solely.
The group moved to the Playhouse Theatre, Hasland in 2003 with their production of the "Snow Queen"
The group has had many leading ladies, Joanne Shakespeare, Fiona Chisnell, Carole Dunphy, Jenny Hill, Janet Chappel,
Imelda Cole,Ailsa Burrel,Kate.
Also leading men, Danny Connor, Duncan Miller, Stuart Buckton, Chris Commons, Graeme Turner to name but a few.
Our Dames have included Alan Walker, Stuart Buckton, Duncan Miller, Kevin Levers and currently Glen Robson.
"Fool" characters have included Eva Kirk, David Skipworth, Fiona Chisnell, Stuart Buckton & Amanda Close.
The following musicians have also spent time with us, Danny Close, Ted Wainwright, Clare Lisi, Andy and Lee.
We have a mascot/animal character who appears in most current shows "Foxy" lovingly worn by Sue Turner, and an occasional
character "Billy Bass" both costumes have been designed and made by Pat Bown and Pat Woolnough.
Our Dancers are now young dancers from local dance schools however in the past the cast members always started off as dancers!
We have an excellent production team currently with Hilary Daughtrey producing this years show "Treasure Island", with
the help of Pat Woolnough and Pat Brown - Costumes. Peter Davies - Lighting. Mick Tipping - Set Design. David Skipworth -
Secretary. Judith Deakin - Choreography. Linda Barker - Musical Direction. Mick Wiltshier leads our Stage Crew with the
help of David Fenton and Thomas Kirk.
Inkersall Explorer Scouts led by Pete Marsh are our regular front of house crew.
Imelda Cole is now off stage and is our current Director and Script writer.
The players have often had full families in the group; the Kirks, the Jayes, the Turners, the Close family, the Fentons,
the Dunphy’s,the Cole-Healys, the Burrils, the Barkers and this year the Sykes family will have three members in
"Treasure Island".
So far the group has raised nearly £30,000 for local charities.
New Members are always welcomed and need to be sponsored by current members,members have to be over 15.
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18 Jan 2006
Today sees the return of the Community Players with this years production of Babes in the Wood
11 Oct 2006
Our 2007 performance has been anounced as Treasure Island. Look out for more news soon!
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