A message from the chairman
It gives me great pleasure, on behalf of all the volunteers who created and maintain Barnsley’s Lamproom Theatre, to welcome you to our 25th Anniversary year.
The Lamproom Theatre has, for a quarter of a century, provided our community with a wonderful example of volunteering spirit and endeavour. Everyone, including the Board of Trustees, Friends of the Lamproom, none-technical stage crews, directors and actors, give freely of their time and talent to provide our town with one of the most successful community theatres in the country.
When we opened our doors to the public, for the first time in the spring of 1999, many of us wondered how many years we might survive. After all, the wonderful Globe Theatre project of the 1980’s only lasted for around ten years, so you can imagine our delight as each year ticked by and we were still continuing to provide a wide variety of entertainment for our local theatregoers.
We are indebted to the many thousands of theatre lovers who have attended our productions over the years. You, above all, are responsible for keeping the doors open, the lights on and encouraging us to continue with our efforts. Unfortunately, for reasons that are beyond me, we have been unable to access urgently needed funding from major institutions such as The National Lottery and Arts Council. That is why we can say, with absolute certainty, that our loyal audiences are responsible for our continued success. Thank You!
It is right that, in this our Silver Anniversary year, I remember those who have retired from their duties or are no longer with us. We have sadly lost some wonderfully talented friends during the last twenty-five years. I can assure you that, like most families, our family of friends and associates remember them with love and affection and are grateful to them for the years of laughter and joy that they provided.
And so, as we celebrate this landmark event, we set out on our journey towards the next twenty-five years. I sincerely hope that our successors and patrons have as much enjoyment as we have experienced and that, whatever the obstacles, the Lamproom continues to be affectionately known as, ‘The People’s Theatre.’
Again, Thank You for your continued and generous support. I hope that the return of some of your favourite productions this year, in addition to a host of rich, exciting and diverse events, provide the variety and enjoyment that you deserve.
