1910s - 1920s
Rutland Boughton and Alice Buckton are at the centre of professional and community performing arts in Glastonbury. Boughton's original Glastonbury Festival started on the eve of the outbreak of World War I.

1930s
Street Players founded. Productions by playwright and poet Laurence Housman, brother of the famous poet A E Housman, brought to Street by Roger and Sarah Clark.

1948
Street Society of Arts founded due to the enthusiasm of Mr F E Bell and Miss Winnie Payne, with the Street Players at its centre.

1963
Strode Theatre opens on 5th October 1963 with a performance by the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

1996
Planning commences for the extension of the Theatre to provide a bar, improved box office facilities and rehearsal space.

March 1999
The new, lottery-funded, award-winning extension is officially opened, giving the theatre its present, modern appearance and excellent facilities.

For lots more detail on the history of Strode Theatre and the performing arts in this area (including Glastonbury Festival):

"NOT AFRAID TO DREAM" - a softcover book (140 pages) documenting Strode Theatre's 40+ years so far, co-authored by Theatre manager Liz Leyshon and arts journalist Gay Pirrie-Weir, is available (price £5.00) from the Box Office.

Theatre Memories

Some of the stories our patrons told us about their early memories of the theatre:

From David Fletcher:
"I have not been a 'Strodie' for that long. However, I grew up in Purley, near Croydon (Surrey) which then had a huge theatre, called the Davis Theatre, which could seat 2,000. In the 40's /50's, my grandmother took me to hear the great Italian tenor, Beniamino Gigli, singing to a packed house and to my first opera 'Tosca'. The aria '...E lucevan le stelle' so captivated me that I went out the next day and bought a 12" 78 rpm disc! I also saw the Bolshoi Ballet on its first trip, post-war, outside the USSR - the company played only in London & Croydon.

From Brian Epps:
"My most scary moment on stage was appearing in the lead role of Tony in the Boyfriend in front of Sandy Wilson himself!! This was back in 1977 when I had hair and could remember my lines. He was very kind about my performance and even gave me a credit on the radio the next day! All the cast were very nervous and I do remember him talking with us afterwards and slagging off the film version of his show (You know - the one starring Twiggy) which came out at around the same time. He hated it with a vengeance I recall. A certain Anne Diamond wrote the review in the local paper at the time too! I wonder what happened to her?!!!"