Our January 2012 Newsletter is now available via the Newsletters page. This issue focusses on our February 2012 production of The Hound of the Baskervilles - a fast-paced comedy based on Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's famous book. Tickets are selling fast so don't delay - contact our Box Office on 01926 863334 between 2.00pm and 8.00pm! Also featured is:

• Auditions for Charley's Aunt
• Update from our Management Team meeting
• A back look at our Pantomime and Christmas events

Finally, our next Play Reading for Fun will take place in the Theatre Foyer on Thursday 23 February at 7.30pm.

• An Obituary of Peter Soesan who sadly passed away recently.
• Announcement of our Playreading for Fun evenings - the next one is on Thursday 12 January 2012.
• News of the 100 Club
• Update from the recent local Little Theatre Guild meeting held at the theatre.

Finally, we announce our:

2011 Christmas Party

Our annual Christmas Party will be held on Saturday 10 December in the Foyer of the theatre. Places are very limited so please contact Karen Shayler via our Contact Us page or put your name up on the list in the Foyer.

Peter never recovered from the accident he had whilst at home two weeks ago and sadly passed away this morning. He was a long-term member of the Priory and had played an active role in the theatre during that time including being on the Management Committee for some years. Peter was also a strong supporter of Organ Donation and his wishes have been carried out to the benefit of others.

He will be greatly missed by us all and we extend our deepest sympathies to Claire and the family at this difficult time.

Details of the funeral arrangements will follow in due course.

Richard Collett
Chairman, Priory Theatre 

If you already enjoy Shakespeare, you will know that this is a terrific tale. If you are trying the Bard for the first time, this is a great starter. It has everything: comedy and tragedy, tears and laughter, love and hate, song and dance, kings and shepherds.

The jealousy of King Leontes brings tragedy to his family and his new-born baby is cast out. Sixteen years later, we see her as a young woman, deeply in love and surrounded by joy and gaiety. As always, the path of true love does not run smooth, but soon all is resolved; families are re-united and everything ends happily.

Director Dixie Atkins is a 35 year veteran member of The Priory Theatre, and has directed over 30 productions up and down the country. Dixie said; ’This is the third Shakespearean production at The Priory theatre in it's 78 year history. We are exceptionally proud to be part of the RSC Stages project. All the cast are working very well together, with all cast members benefitting from a section of the cast who have performed Shakespeare previously'.

Michael Boyd, RSC Artistic Director explains the RSC Open Stages project:

‘RSC Open Stages is a new project that aims to embrace, develop and celebrate amateur theatre, re-forging the bond with the world of professional theatre while opening up access to Shakespeare for performers and audiences alike. Over 2011/2012 the RSC, in partnership with a number of regional theatres and amateur theatre associations, will run a national programme of skills sharing events and showcases, with amateur societies from across the UK producing their own RSC branded Shakespeare themed productions. The RSC wants to lead a step change in the relationship with the amateur sector; to recognise its rich traditions, open our doors to its work and collaborate with partners nationally to leave a significant legacy.’

The Winter's Tale runs from Monday 24th October to Saturday 29th October at the Priory Theatre, Kenilworth
Box Office  is on 01926 863 334 (between 2pm and 8pm)

The first newsletter - our August 2011 edition - has been published on the new Newsletters page that can be found under the News menu.

We have updated our mailing list subscription options to include an option to allows subscribers to set their preference as to whether or not they wish to receive the newsletter electronically.

If you are not already a subscriber, and want to be notified when a new newsletter becomes available, subscribe to our mailing list.

President - Gerald Osborne
Chairman - Richard Collett
Secretary - Sue Bradley
Treasurer - John Evans
Artistic Director - Susi Walker *
Production Manager - Chris Sharpe *
Business Manager - Steve Boden
Stage Director - Phil Spencer
Press and Publicity Manager - Mike Connell
Health and Safety Manager - Alistair Morrison
Maintenance and Projects Manager - Iain Macleod-Urie *

Our New Management Committee (L-->R): Gerald Osbourne, Phil Spencer, Sue Bradley, Mike Connell, Richard Collett, Susi Walker, Iain McLeod-Urie, Chris Sharp, Alistair Morrison, and John Evans.

All Priory Theatre members are entitled to attend and vote at the annnual elections. This year there will be a vote by members present on the night for the new Artistic Director role - as there is more than one nomination. The nominations for Artistic Director are:  Dixie Atkins and Susi Walker. If you wish to cast your vote for a candidate, please attend the meeting.

Nominations have now closed for all other management commitee positions, and there will be new additions to this forthcoming year's team.

We look forward to seeing you there.

The Priory Theatre in Kenilworth is proud to present Agatha Christie's celebrated thriller, The Unexpected Guest.

A man arrives, unexpectedly, at a house after a car accident.  He finds a women standing over the dead body of her husband. Why is he so anxious to help her cover up the crime? Is she truly the killer? There are four other people in the house and they all have motives for the murder.  As with all of Agatha Christie's mysteries, the plot has a dozen twists – and red herrings galore – before we learn the truth. 

Director, Alec Brown said; ’The challenge with Agatha Christies The Unexpected Guest has not been the intriguing plot, the large number of possibilities for who-dunnit, but finding an actor who was prepared to sit in a wheelchair and play dead for 35 minutes without moving a muscle. Having been rehearsing for just 8 weeks, we have now got a great cast and a great play which we hope will keep the audience on the edge of their seat until the very end of the play???"

The Unexpected Guest runs from Wednesday 22nd June to Saturday 2nd July - tickets are available from the Priory Theatre Box Office on 01926 863334 (2.00pm-8.00pm).

{L-R) Claire Sykes, Mollie Taylor and Dawn Morris during rehearsals for Rona Munro's Iron.After 15 years Josie (Mollie Taylor - pictured centre) decides to visit her mother in prison, where Fay (Dawn Morris - picture right) is serving a life sentence for the murder of her husband. From fragile beginnings, the relationship between the two women strengthens, but Josie is still uncertain of the truth. Was the husband truly evil? What was Fay’s motive? Fay’s exchanges with the guards (Claire Sykes, pictured left, and Stuart Lawson) provide humour and pathos, despite the dark subject, and give us further understanding of this complex character. This a modern drama not to be missed.

Director, Andrew Woolley said; ’The cast have been working tremendously hard over the rehearsal period to get the atmosphere and characters just right for this show, including a visit from the police to teach restraint and control technique. This show promises to be a stunning drama with lots of twists and turns being revealed along the way.'

Iron is an intense psychological drama in which a mother and daughter try to break through the barriers of time, memory and punishment which separate them. But between them lies the fact of murder. A murder Josie cannot remember and Fay has always tried to forget. Uncovering the memories they share is more dangerous than either of them can imagine.

As ever, book your seats via our Box Office on 01926 863334 (2.00pm-8.00pm) to avoid disappointment.

Find out more about the show on the Iron production page.