<commit_before>---
layout: page
title: History
group: top
current: history
---

# History of The Nottingham New Theatre

## Dramsoc

The University College Nottingham Dramatic Society (Dramsoc) was formed in 1927 and performed its first play, <NAME>'s 'Mr Pim passes by' in the following March. The society offered members an opportunity to read, discuss, produce and enact plays. The late 1950s and early 1960s were a golden age for the society. The production of 'Coriolanus' reached the finals of the National Student Drama Competition, and the 'Taming of the Shew' enjoyed a week-long tour of Germany. The society also took <NAME>'s 'St Joan' to the outdoor Minack Theatre in Cornwall. DramSoc was eventually disbanded in the 1980s

At this time, TEC (the Technical Executive Committee of the Students' Union) was organised as a number of Departments, of which SPD (the Stage Productions Department) was responsible for theatre lighting and sound. The SPD Manager of TEC was ex officio Technical Director of Dramsoc, as well as taking responsibility for the electrics at the annual University Opera, performed in the Great Hall of Trent Building.

NTG (the Nottingham Theatre Group) was a separate body, which as far as I recall did not receive grant funding from the Students' Union, whose purpose was to present an annual revue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. These shows were developed and previewed in New Theatre. NTG would typically rent a venue in Edinburgh and fit it out as a temporary theatre, sub-letting the space and equipment to other Fringe groups such as Durham Student Theatre or Bristol Revunions. The SPD Manager also served as the Technical Director of NTG.

Student Theatre at the University continued in various forms, increasing through the New Theatre on campus.


## Nottingham Everyman Club

Nottingham's Everyman Club was formed in 1958, to encourage students and local people int he city, who were interested in theatre, to collaborate on productions. The club had some notable successes in the 1960s.

![Old Stage](https://photos.newtheatre.org.uk/New-Theatre-Past/i-MMZNR6c/0/M/382108203_6cf1e5832e_o-M.jpg){: .right}{: .page-photo}

## The New Theatre

The Nottingham New Theatre is a playhouse and production company based on University Park campus, Nottingham, England. It is funded in part by the University of Nottingham Students' Union and constitutes one of the Union's Media Groups. It is the only entirely student-run theatre in England.

![Foyer Extension](https://photos.newtheatre.org.uk/2011-12/Matthew-Bannister-Visit-2012/i-VgSsh2w/0/M/428161_10150669394401460_1300692780_n-M.jpg){: .left}{: .page-photo}

The New Theatre has existed in one form or another for about 70 years. The earliest member on our database graduated from the university in 1945, and we have had a solid stream of members for the last 70 years.

The New Theatre was originally housed in the Archaeology and Classics building of the University of Nottingham. In 1966, members of the Technical Committee (responsible for the stage lighting activities and equipment on behalf of the Students' Union), were involved with equipping the theatre. At this point, the New Theatre company had not been formed.

![Studio A](https://photos.newtheatre.org.uk/201314/Seating-Appeal-2013/i-zB8NQLT/0/M/35%20Matthew%20closing-M.jpg){: .right}{: .page-photo}

In 2001 an extended foyer was added to the building, following a donation from an alumnus of the University.

Until recently, the New Theatre was contained within the Archaeology and Classics building. The summer of 2012 saw an extensive redevelopment of the building housing the New Theatre. The Archaeology and Classics building was demolished from the site, leaving the New Theatre as its own freestanding building. Parts of the old building were retained, and repurposed as new rehearsal rooms, a studio space, storage rooms and a new constume cupboard. The foyer was also significantly extended.

In 2012 the committee voted to alter the name of the theatre from "The New Theatre" to "The Nottingham New Theatre".
<commit_msg>Reworked /history content<commit_after>---
layout: page
title: History
group: top
current: history
---

# What is The Nottingham New Theatre? 

The Nottingham New Theatre is a playhouse and production company based on University Park campus, Nottingham, England. It is funded in part by the University of Nottingham Students' Union and constitutes one of the Union's Media Groups (alongside University Radio Nottingham, Nottingham Student Television Station, Impact Magazine, and TEC PA and Lighting). 

It is the only entirely student-run theatre in England, with around 25 individual shows across two seasons per academic year, spanning 6 performances a week, to total around 100 live performances every year.

With a long and rich history, the Nottingham New Theatre has had a steady stream of members through its doors across many departments for the last 70 years.

# History of The Nottingham New Theatre

## 1927 - Formation of Dramsoc

![Old Stage](https://photos.newtheatre.org.uk/New-Theatre-Past/i-MMZNR6c/0/M/382108203_6cf1e5832e_o-M.jpg){: .right}{: .page-photo}

The University College Nottingham Dramatic Society (Dramsoc) performed its first play in 1928: A.A. Milne's *Mr Pim passes by*. 

The society offered members an opportunity to read, discuss, produce and enact plays. 

## 1940s - Formation of TEC

Previously The University of Nottingham Technical Executive Committee, and now [TEC PA and Lighting](https://nottinghamtec.co.uk), this group had oversight of a number of departments across the university and Students' Union. The Stage Productions Department was responsible for lighting and sound in the student theatre. 

The SPD Manager also served as Technical Director of Dramsoc, in addition to overseeing the electrics at the annual University Opera, performed in the Great Hall of Trent Building <!--Link to Venue page -->.

## 1945 - Earliest New Theatre Graduate

The earliest graduate in our records. Think you can beat that? Just drop us a line. <!-- Link -->

## 1958 - Nottingham's Everyman Club

Nottingham's Everyman Club was formed in 1958, to encourage students and local people in the city, who were interested in theatre, to collaborate on productions. The club had some notable successes in the 1960s.

## 1960s - Golden Age of Dramsoc 

The production of *Coriolanus* reached the finals of the National Student Drama Competition, while *The Taming of the Shew* enjoyed a week-long tour of Germany. The society also took Ge<NAME>'s *St Joan* to the outdoor Minack Theatre in Cornwall. 

## 1966 - Earliest 'New Theatre' Record

While not called the 'New Theatre', this is the earliest record of student theatre in Nottingham. At this time, members of the University of Nottingham Technical Committee were responsible for the technical areas of the student theatre.

## 1980s - Disbandment, and the Nottingham Theatre Group

While Dramsoc was disbanded, all was not lost for theatre at Nottingham. The Nottingham Theatre Group (while not receiving any financial support from the Students' Union) was formed to present an annual revue at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. 

These shows were developed and previewed in New Theatre. NTG would typically rent a venue in Edinburgh and fit it out as a temporary theatre, sub-letting the space and equipment to other Fringe groups such as Durham Student Theatre or Bristol Revunions.

## 2001 - A New Foyer

![Foyer Extension](https://photos.newtheatre.org.uk/2011-12/Matthew-Bannister-Visit-2012/i-VgSsh2w/0/M/428161_10150669394401460_1300692780_n-M.jpg){: .left}{: .page-photo}

Thanks to a gratious alumni donation, we were able to fund the extension and our new foyer. This houses our Box Office, toilets, and bar, and its glass exterior creates a fresh and open environment for all visitors.

## 2003 - New Theatre meets Lakeside Arts

In the first of what would become an annual partnership, the students of New Theatre collaborated with the professional theatremakers at Lakeside Arts, another on-campus theatre, to perform *Charlie and the Chocolate Factory*.

## 2011 - Uncut / Fringe

Another season of shows allows for more opportunity, and Fringe Season (formerly *Uncut*) is just that. Providing a platform for experimental, new, or more intimate theatre, this season runs parallel to the In House season. <!-- More here, I think -->

## 2012 - Demolition of Archaeology

The New Theatre was, up till this point, housed within the department of Archaeology and Classics. Over the summer, the New Theatre became its own freestanding building - now a popular campus landmark.

## 2012 - Studios A and B (and more rooms!)

![Studio A](https://photos.newtheatre.org.uk/201314/Seating-Appeal-2013/i-zB8NQLT/0/M/35%20Matthew%20closing-M.jpg){: .right}{: .page-photo}

Our small blackbox studios, used as rehearsal rooms, meeting spaces, performance venues, and occasionally turned into a bar were created.

The costume cupboard and props corridor were also refurbished, providing some long-needed new space. 

## 2012 - The Nottingham New Theatre

Following a vote, *The New Theatre* became *The Nottingham New Theatre*, and a new logo was born.

## 2013 - Nottingham New Theatre meets Lakeside Arts

In the first of what would become an annual partnership, the students of New Theatre collaborated with the professional theatremakers at Lakeside Arts, another on-campus theatre, to perform *Lysistrata*.

## 2015 - STUFF 

The first year of the STUdent Fringe Festival - STUFF - paved the way for future years. An Edinburgh preview event, including shows from external production companies, including Nottingham New Theatre alumni, all coming together to end the summer term on campus.

## 2016 - 50th Anniversary

The Nottingham New Theatre's inaugural alumni dinner took place for the theatre's 50th Anniversary. Over 100 alumni guests were welcomed to tours of the theatre spaces, followed by a formal dinner in the Great Hall and Senate Chamber.

## 2017 - Unscripted

Unscripted allows students of any and all experience to take part in the theatre life. With no auditions, the group produces a semi-devised piece. The first performance, in February, was *Camp MacBeth*.
<!-- Someone who knows about Unscripted should write something here -->









{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.054809086515224745, 'fraction_numerical': 0.029289511841469308, 'mean_word_length': 4.553408480944713, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 10, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 10, 'https://': 7, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
{'dir': 'git-commits-cleaned', 'id': '7276920', 'n_tokens_mistral': 2943, 'n_tokens_neox': 2504, 'n_words': 1476}