14 Chapel Street North, Colchester, CO2 7AT
Box Office: 01206 366000
Open Tuesday to Friday 1pm to 3.45pm. At other times we operate an actively managed telephone answering service.
Or book online 24/7 at www.headgatetheatre.co.uk (booking fee applies)
Coming up at the Headgate Theatre March starts with open auditions for Brontë, about the 19th century literary family, and finishes with Abigail's Party, Mike Leigh's situation comedy of manners. In between there's music from the 1940's, students of our local musical theatre degree course, and the kids from KATS.
In the year we mark the 75th anniversary of VE Day, in April Headgate Theatre Productions will be presenting The Diary of Anne Frank. And at Easter, amongst Sherlock Holmes, a ventriloquist and a jazz pianist, there's another of our workshops for 8 to 16 year olds. Our Wind in the Willows workshop will have the youngsters working on Greased Lightning, as well as ABBA and Beatles classics, as they tell this iconic story.
Scroll down for more details about what's coming up and click through for more information and to book.
Weekly on Mondays - 10.15am to 1.15pm - during term time Act V It's not to late to join our group for those aged 50+ with an interest in all aspects of theatre. No theatre experience is necessary and there's no requirement to perform!
Participants will enjoy two workshops each week covering a wide range of subjects, delivered by industry professionals. Break times are lively, with ample time for a chat and to forge new friendships. Fees: £8 per session with first session free Phone 01206 366000 for more information or just turn up on a Monday around 10am!!
Open Auditions: Brontëby Polly Teale A compelling literary detective story about the turbulent lives of the Brontë sisters. Polly Teale's extraordinary play evokes the real and imagined worlds of the Brontës, as their fictional characters come to haunt their creators.
Read through: Wednesday 4th March at 7.30pm. Scripts will be available.
Audition Date: Sunday 8th March at 10am
Second date/call backs: Wednesday 11th March at 7.30pm
Production Dates: All cast members must be available for the whole week commencing 18th October. Performances Wed 21st – Saturday 24th October, with a matinee on 24th. Download further information here or contact dawn66king@gmail.com
Tuesdays from 3rd to 31st March Dis Donc! French Drama Clubs - Beginners and GCSE or equivalent/Higher Level French Beginners sessions 10am to 11am. GCSE or equivalent/Higher Level French 11am to 12noon.
Dis donc! is an informal, enjoyable French Language Drama Group devised and led by creative educator Mary of Line and Language.
Come along and join in this series of sessions of sound and movement using French language and drama skills. Engage in a gentle vocal and movement warm up; benefit from (a little) cultural, historical and literary input; and collaborate to create short and relaxed performance pieces.
Performance pieces will arise from traditional tales by Perrault; medieval French literature; and classic twentieth century French language drama. Sessions are suitable for participants with beginner level French language skills Tickets: £9 per session or £40 for all five
Fri 6th March at 7.30pm Mother/land by Eilish Mullane Uproar Theatre
Audwin transcribes the words of better men, distributing them around a newly-divided city, but rebellion comes at a price. As the Stasi close in, Audwin must decide who he can really trust, and how he can keep them safe. Contains violence
Tickets: £5
Sun 8th March at 7.30pm Live with The Femmes The Femmes
Prepare to be whisked back to the 1940's with this vocal harmony trio as they take you through the years giving classic hits that vintage twist! With more fizz than a glass of champagne these girls will get your toes a tapping and leave you jumping and jiving! Tickets: £12
Mon 9th March at 7.30pm Performance Platform featuring Harmonics vocal ensemble UCC Musical Theatre
Students from the University Centre Colchester degree course present a varied programme of musical theatre numbers. They will be supported by the college vocal ensemble, Harmonics. Tickets: £5
Fri 13th March at 7.30pm. Sat 14th March at 1pm and 5pm Olivia! by Malcolm Sircom KATS Youth Theatre
A female Oliver! On her journey to Victorian London, Olivia meets many well-known characters including Fagin, The Artful Dodger, Eliza Doolittle and Sherlock Holmes. Full of wit and humour this lively musical will have you tapping your toes. Tickets: £10, £8 Child (under 16's)
Wed 18th to Sat 21st March at 7.45pm. Sat Matinee at 2.30pm Abigail's Party by Mike Leigh The Rejects Theatre Company
Suburbanites Laurence and Beverly are entertaining their neighbours, Angela,Tony and Susan. Susan's teenage daughter, Abigail, is throwing a party and Susan is not invited. Over the canapés, fatuous small talk abounds. As tensions escalate, the strains in Beverly and Laurence's marriage surface and Susan's anxieties intensify. Eventually, the suburban smugness is shattered... Tickets: £15, £14 (OAP, FTS, under 16's)
Wed 1st to Sat 4th April at 7.45pm. Sat Matinee at 2.30pm The Diary of Anne Frank Dramatised by Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett Headgate Theatre Productions
Anne Frank was 13 years old when she went into hiding in a secret apartment in Nazi-occupied Amsterdam in 1942. She was a young girl, jubilant, hopeful and honest - and with most of the traits expected in a teenager! The tensions of confinement and the tedious business of staying alive unfold in agonising detail as emotions unravel and human relationships are tested in the most extraordinary and dire circumstances. Tickets: £14, £12 (OAP, FTS, under 16's)
Tues 7th April at 7.30pm Strictly Sherlock by Jonathan Goodwin Don't Go Into The Cellar!
Based on the characters created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Jonathan Goodwin returns as Sherlock Holmes, in a one-man show. Join the king of the detectives as he brings to life those three startling cases, 'The Sussex Vampire', 'The Creeping Man' and 'The Devil's Foot!'. Don't Go Into The Cellar! were formed in 2010, and have toured the United Kingdom ever since with their unique brand of original and authentic stage thrillers, chillers and comedies. Victorian Theatre with Bite! Suitable for age 11 and above. Tickets: £10, £8 concessions (OAPs, students, unemployed)
Sat 11th April at 8pm Voices In Her Head Trish Dunn
American comic/ventriloquist Trish Dunn and her VentCrew take the absurdity out of everyday life, turn it on its head and generate "side splitting" and "oops I peed my pants" laughter. Each member of the VentCrew, aka dummies, will amaze you with their diverse personalities and voices! Suitable for age 16+ as it contains adult comedy. Tickets: £10
Tues 14th to Fri 17th April from 9.30am to 4.30pm Wind in the Willows by Griff Scott A four day workshop for young people aged 8 to 16
Poop Poop! Join Mr Toad, Ratty, Badger, Mole and their friends in this madcap riverbank adventure this Easter holiday. Our carefully crafted script gives each participant the chance to shine and have fun, and days are filled with music and dance. Our tutors work to help everybody to develop confidence and teamwork and to use their own particular talents - and our presentations at the end of the week give the youngsters chance to work in a theatre environment. Tickets: £110
Application forms can be obtained from our Box Office or downloaded from our website. Payment must be made via the Box Office.
Wed 15th April at 7.30pm Piano Divas/The Music's On Me Wendy Kirkland Quartet
With a voice that has been likened to Blossom Dearie with hints of Diana Krall, pianist/singer Wendy Kirkland's influences range from Nat King Cole, Sarah Vaughan, Ella Fitzgerald and Oscar Peterson, to Bill Evans, Wynton Kelly and Chick Corea. Wendy will perform material from her critically acclaimed albums 'Piano Divas' and 'The Music's On Me', including original compositions and several instrumentals to which she has added her own lyrics. Tickets: £15
We often add new events to the programme. 'Like' the Headgate Theatre on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or visit our website for more information on these and all upcoming events.
Weekly on Mondays - 10.15am to 1.15pm - during term time
Tuesdays from 3rd to 31st March
Tues 14th to Fri 17th April from 9.30am to 4.30pm
