Regal Trust Report July/Aug 2015

Regal Trust Report July/Aug 2015

Attendance figures

July 2013 786 patrons

July 2014  898 patrons

July 2015  1287  patrons

Aug 2013 1352 patrons

Aug 2014  1398 patrons

Aug 2015  1117  patrons

Two very different months.  July saw a leap in attendance, with a good number at nearly every event.  The August numbers were primarily affected by a poor choice of new family films this summer and the Blockbuster Minions which was so popular many people had already seen it before it came to Tenbury.  We did have some very successful events during the holiday season.  MiniCineMonkeys attracted record breaking numbers each week, and two Musical Theatre Workshops were well supported and greatly enjoyed.  The Frozen sing along party was also extremely successful.

The Trust has made good progress with plans to redevelop the service block in the function room.  This will provide additional toilet facilities by allowing separation between public and backstage areas.  The upgraded facilities will make the room more attractive to hire and improved sound proofing will enable two events to be held simultaneously.  The provision of two dressing rooms will make the theatre more acceptable to incoming shows and the provision of a fixed bar will allow smaller shows to be booked into the function room, and make it a better facility to use when large audiences are expected.  Additional storage has also been procured so excess tables and chairs can be stored outside of the room

The stage curtain motor has been replaced and will now hopefully give problem free service.  The security shutters that secure the auditorium fire doors when not in use have also had a replacement motor.

The latest programme (Number 13) has just been released and details a very ambitious and wide ranging programme of events for the Autumn.  We have relatively few live shows as we struggle to find good original content, but the variety of Broadcast content continues to grow.  Over the next few weeks we have live feeds from the Albert Hall, the Playhouse Theatre, Biggin Hill, the Royal Opera House, the Donmar Theatre, the Vaudeville Theatre, the Barbican,  the London Coliseum, the Courtyard Theatre Stratford upon Avon, the Garrick Theatre, and possibly Manchester’s Exhibition Centre.

Live highlights are the Here to There productions staging of Much Ado About Nothing and the Baroque Theatre Company’s The Great Santa Kidnap.  Both of which should be great fun and should not be missed.

We are in the countdown towards our pantomime Jack & the Beanstalk.  This year we have twice as many performances than last year and have already sold twice as many tickets per show as this time last year.  This is a major event for Tenbury and with 50% of the performances being matinees this should also have a positive effect on the whole business community.  Hopefully they will step up to the challenge of providing linked shopping, and dining opportunities to capitalise on the increased footfall.