About the Company

The Playhouse Company

The Playhouse Company has been thriving as a community amateur company since its inauguration in 1960. It is managed voluntarily by the members.

We stage a wide variety of theatrical productions - modern and classic plays, as well as musicals. We stage three shows throughout the year at Cheltenham's Playhouse theatre: usually one musical and two plays.

The first play performed by the Company on 9 July 1960 was If Four Walls Told written by Edward Percy.

History of the building

In 1716, the first mineral springs were discovered in Cheltenham, transforming it into a Spa. In 1788, his majesty King George III came to Cheltenham to drink the waters.

1806 saw the opening of the building as public baths, built by Henry Thompson. It boasted fourteen warm baths fitted with marble and Dutch tile; one large cold bath; and a number of smaller cold baths. In 1898 the Baths were bought by the Cheltenham Corporation and converted into a swimming pool and slipper baths, renamed Montpellier Baths.

Just before the end of WW2, the Cheltenham Borough Council realised the town's lack of theatrical facilities, and converted the swimming pool into a theatre. The original swimming pool still exists under the auditorium.

In April 1945, the first play performed at the theatre was Arms and The Man by George Bernard Shaw.

Show Archive

Show List: 1960 - 2014

Gallery

For photographs from our shows, please use our Gallery.

The Committee

A group of ten members are nominated to the committee by the membership at annual general meetings. All committee members are voluntary. The committee meets monthly to manage the business of the Company and organise and oversee our programme of shows.

Roles on the Committee are as follows: