Amdram group based in Grays, Essex. Produce 3 Plays a year. Perform at The Thameside Theatre Our commitment to high standards goes beyond acting.
Grays
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As a member society of Arts Thurrock, TCP exists as a strong, enthusiastic society of about 40 people whose ages range from late teens to golden oldies. Our commitment to high standards goes beyond acting. Each member takes on other tasks such as props, prompt, costumes, scenery and publicity. Over the years we have entered festivals in Woking, Welwyn, Waltham Forest, Havering, Southend, Felixstowe and Thurrock. Many members have been nominated for best actor/supporting actor and the Society has won numerous trophies. Among many awards garnered recently:- Brentwood Drama Festival 2017 - We were delighted to win the John Scowen Cup for best director - Mike Jones. This was the first time the award had been presented and is named after one of our earliest members who was not only a very experienced performer, but also a director and festival adjudicator. We also won the newly named Glenda Abbott Cup for best actress - Lisa Chapman - for “The Book Club of Little Wittering” by Joan Greening. We came Second overall in the competition and received four other nominations. At the Waltham Forest Festival 2018 Anna Catchpole won Best Actress for the same play. Noda East Awards 2015/2016 and 2017/2018:- Our productions of Vicar Of Dibley and One Man Two Guvnors won Best Play In District 10, East Region from 3 plays nominated. Best Overall Production District 10, East Region out of all dramas/musicals/pantos from Thurrock to Southend. We also received the Councillors' Award in 2015 - this goes to one company in the whole East Region who have contributed to the arts in a particular. This was for our high standard of drama for Vicar Of Dibley and and Blackadder and the fact we also hosted a drama festival. Many members of the society belong to other theatre groups such as TOPS and BasOps. Most recently Josh Handley won best actor as Arthur in “Half A Sixpence”. Several of our members are professional performers who have degrees in Drama and are also skilled singers and dancers.
Our history in brief In 1954 a group of teachers from various schools on the new LCC housing estate on the former grounds of Belhus Manor in South Ockendon got together to stage a production of 'Twelfth Night' by William Shakespeare. Soon other local residents became interested in forming a drama group and regular evenings were set aside for rehearsals at Ockendon Courts Secondary School, thus forming Courts Players. In 1965 the group joined forces with the Thurrock Players from Grays and initiated the new society of Thurrock Courts Players. Over thirty productions were staged at Courts school, but in 1971 the new Thameside Complex in Orsett Road, Grays was built. This housed the new Central Library, a music library and the Local History Museum as well as a coffee bar and office space. Originally intended as a lecture theatre, the Thameside Theatre was adapted to create an exciting opportunity for many performing societies, including Thurrock Courts Players. Our first production at the Thameside Theatre was 'Loot' by Joe Orton. Since then many different styles of production have been staged - musicals, dramas, thrillers, comedies and pantomimes.
