Festive season goes virtual at Westacre Theatre

Westacre Theatre has launched their Winternet Season to bring theatre and festive cheer into the homes of their audiences.

The team behind the community theatre has reached out to 24 alumni of their long-running Bursary scheme to provide individual performances via the theatre’s Instagram page.

Director Sadie Grist said: “We are desperately disappointed at not meeting with our audiences in person this year, but our Bursary students are stepping forward and their stories, songs and poems are enabling us to reconnect with our friends and supporters old and new all through December."

The students have graduated into backstage, onstage and technical careers with top UK venues thanks to financial support from theatre audiences, the borough and county councils.

Audiences can watch Chris Dobson’s rendition of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas by Dr Suess on December 6. One of the original students of the bursary scheme, he now works on puppetry tours for children with the BBC.

Rachel Cummings will perform on December 13 with Christmas in the Crescent by Victoria Wood.

Jazz Long will take centre stage on December 17 when she will tell audiences all about Christmas Dinner (and the Worm).

On December 20, Laura Kate Nice (pictured) will perform an excerpt from the much-loved A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. She has appeared in the BBC series “Call The Midwife”.

Celebrations were planned for the 30th anniversary of Westacre Theatre this year, but have been put on hold for 2021.

Sadie said: "Inevitably all the special events were put on hold along with the Bursary Scheme too. So plans are now afoot for an even bigger year in 2021, we hope you will join us."

Full schedule at www.westacretheatre.com and performances via https://www.instagram.com/westacretheatre/