DEARNE Playhouse staff are hoping to host their own professional quality musicals through a new company that is being supported by a £3m investment.
The theatre has plans to host high-standard musicals every year in June, with the first coming on June 11 in 2025.
Amateur performers will still be invited to join and will receive coaching and work alongside industry professionals to put on a new kind of production for the area.
Theatre manager, Julie Medlam, told the Chronicle: “We’ve always wanted to do big musical productions.
“There’s already interest from professional music directors and choreographers to get involved so now it’s just about organising everything.
“It’s good to get amateurs real professional experience - we’re all excited for it.
“All our productions are big and vibrant anyway, but we hope this will be something different and we’ve got a cracking group of people working on it.”
The theatre is currently receiving major new renovations through Goldthorpe’s Towns Fund, which has already allowed for a new roof to be put in place with professional lighting and sound rigs.
The Towns Fund from the government will see £23.1m invested to renew and revitalise Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe and Bolton-upon-Dearne - of this £3m was allocated for a community and cultural hub which centres on Dearne Playhouse.
Now they are in the process of redecorating the theatre’s ground floor, repairing stonework at the entrance, and improving the flooded basement to create a space for this hub where the new musical theatre company can operate and rehearse.
Following this, work will focus on improving the welfare park and providing additional parking to benefit the whole area, including the Lift Centre, the Dearne and District Football Club, and the IKIC (I Know I Can) Centre.
Julie added: “The first phase of works has already made a massive difference to the theatre, and we are excited about all the internal works that will happen this year.
“This will help us realise our dream and vision for the theatre to really widen future community engagement.”
Matthew Stephens, the chairperson of the Goldthorpe Town Deal Board, said: “We are delighted to see the progress
of the community and cultural hub which will be a fantastic asset for Goldthorpe and the wider area.
“The project will not only preserve the heritage of the building, which has been there for 100 years, but also create new opportunities for the community, especially the young people, to get involved in the arts and culture.
“The venue hosted the Heart of the Wood in December, which gave young performers from across the area the chance to be creative and enjoy attending or performing at the theatre.
“We hope Heart of the Wood has created a legacy and will be a catalyst to encourage young people to be creative and enjoy what this hub has to offer.”
