Formerly Featherstone & District Amateur Musical & Dramatic Society, the Society was formed during the Second World War on 14 September 1943 and, even through these difficult times, succeeded financially and with its quality of production. In these early years, the Society visited the forces, providing entertainment in normally isolated and inaccessible places.
The first production as Featherstone Society was The Pirates of Penzance in 1944, with a change from Gilbert & Sullivan to musical comedy in 1946.
The Society has adapted to many different styles of production over the years, in a variety of venues, from the very traditional musical comedies to pantomimes. In more recent years the Society received much acclaim for its high standard of production, in particular such challenging, modern musicals as Jesus Christ Superstar and new releases such as Seven Brides for Seven Brothers and The King With Cold Feet – all amateur premieres at the time.
In 1995 the Company promoted its new image when it became Encore Theatre Company, but still remains proud of its Featherstone roots.
As well as performing musical shows, the Company is also proud of its support over the years to local charitable organisations which have benefited from the staging of fundraising cabaret performances on their behalf.
Encore Theatre Company looks forward with enthusiasm and confidence to celebrating many more years of entertainment.
Members of the ETC Committee are confirmed annually at our AGM each April. The current committee is as follows:
President: Ralph Jaggar
Vice President: Carole Whelpton
Chair: Clare Heins
Secretary: Pam Robinson
Assistant Secretary: Dawn Walton
Treasurer: Sue Sheppard
Social Media Officer: Sarah Clarkson
Publicity Officer: Phil Clarkson
Social and Fundraising Officer: Nicole Walton
Members' Representative: Alex Bush
The Company recognises outstanding loyalty, support and service to its activities in the awarding of Life Membership and we are pleased to acknowledge the following members / former members in this regard:
Jane Allison; Marina Boyer; Sarah Clarkson; Christine Cook; David Cook; Jeni Fieldhouse; Keith Fieldhouse; David Gilson; Audrey Haggerty; Clare Heins; Ralph Jaggar; Lesley Pickersgill; Martin Pickersgill; Catherine Pidd; Pam Robinson; Andrew Sheppard; Sue Sheppard; Linda West; Carole Whelpton; John Whelpton
Each year at the Annual General Meeting, the Company presents the Merit Award to one of its members to recognise outstanding effort during the previous year. Originally named The Chorus Award, it became known as The Caswell Award for Merit (in memory of Mollie & Mannie Caswell, long-serving Life Members) and more recently was presented in memory of Sheila Stainburn, former President of Encore.
Previous winners of the Merit Award are detailed below:
1994 - Adam Fletcher
1995 - The Craven Family
1996 - Denise Lancaster
1997 - Lee Thompson
1998 - Barbara Callear
1999 - Beverley Brighton
2000 - Paul Kelly
2001 - Geoff Sherwood
2002 - Sheila Stainburn
2003 - Pam Oxley
2004 - Jo Bevitt
2005 - Fiona Lancaster
2006 - Catherine Pidd
2007 - Sarah Dyson
2008 - Maureen Pugh & Karen Smith
2009 - Nick Hubbert
2010 - Micah Lyons
2011 - Andrea Riley
2012 - Andrew Sheppard
2013 - Julie Backhouse
2014 - Pauline Dyson
2015 - Phil Clarkson
2016 - Phil Clayton
2017 - Alex Bush
2018 - Lee Gray
2019 - The Encore Membership
2022 - Sue Sheppard
Our 'Friends' patron scheme allows those who are not active members of Encore Theatre Company to still support our group. Many thanks to the following for being our Friends!:
Brenda Allott & Pam Newton; Shirley Bell & Joan Richardson; Jo & John Bevitt; Vanessa & Robert Clarkson; Barbara Colman; Pauline & Michael Dyson; Cllr Richard & Audrey Forster; Mrs E G Hulme; Susan & Ralph Jaggar; Jean Kelly; Melissa McDade; Jean & Arnold Randall; Christine & Donald Richards; Andrea & David Riley; Joyce Scranage; Linda & Graham Stokes; Esme & Malcolm Vaughan; Pauline West
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