Welcome to the Friends of Strode Theatre Page
The Friends of Strode Theatre have been supporting Strode Theatre, and through it the Arts in Somerset, since 2006 with funds to improve facilities and enable innovation. In view of the recent funding cuts, their role and importance to the Theatre has become even more essential.
There are now over 600 Friends, and the scheme has raised over £85,000 in total, through annual donations, the ‘Adopt-A-Seat’ scheme, fund-raising events like craft fairs and quiz nights, Gift Aid, other donations and fund-raising performances.
In the summer of 2011 the Theatre lighting went “green”. Energy efficient LED lighting in the foyer, the auditorium and on stage is making a great difference to the Theatre’s energy consumption and, of course, the electricity bill! The Friends have given £10,000 towards this major re-fit, which involved changing not just the light bulbs, but also many of the fittings.
And, also this summer, a Friends donation of £10,000 enabled Strode Theatre’s projection room to go digital. More and more films are becoming available only in the digital format, which was starting to limit the choice of what the Theatre could programme. Digital projection is now a well-tried and tested technology, and it was time for Strode Theatre to catch up.
Friends’ funds since 2006 have contributed to new sound systems for live shows and film, for the new seats and carpets, and for the new box office system including online booking.
Becoming a Friend will make you eligible for priority booking (usually a week before each new season) and special Friends events, which have included:
Backstage tours of Strode Theatre
‘Meet the Director & Cast’ for the Globe Theatre’s Hamlet
Outings to productions at the Bristol Hippodrome and the Brewhouse, Taunton
Preview film screenings
A private view of a new exhibition
Special fundraising shows
Please join the Friends of Strode Theatre and help us keep Mid Somerset’s venue for live theatre, film and visual art alive and flourishing during these challenging times.
To join, we ask for a donation of at least £15 for one person, or £25 for two people at the same address, per year. You can now also donate monthly by Standing Order.
Please contact the Box Office for a application form or download the PDF version below.
Friends_new_leaflet_August_2011_(2).pdf
The Friends of Strode Theatre is a Registered Charity no. 1112942