What Came Before
 
Prior to the Second World War,  Herne Bay had a successful theatrical group, known as the "Mask Players", presenting  plays  and  pantos.    Their  operations were   suspended   during   the  war  and  although an  effort was  made  to  re-start  the group  after 1945, it came to nothing.   There was thus  something  of  a  vacuum  in the town  as far as thespian activities were concerned.  However, theatrical amateurs  being  what  they  are,  it  was  not  long before  this  vacuum  was  filled.

The Early Years
 
 One  of  the groups  which  emerged  was  known  as  "The William Askew  Players"   and  it  was  this  group  which at  a  meeting  on  27  May  1948  was  reformed  as "Theatrecraft". Under the chairmanship of Mr  R  A  Addyes-Scott  and  the  patronage  of  the company's  first  president,  Miss  Frances  Green, this  small  band  of  players  launched  themselves on  an  unsuspecting  public  with  a  presentation of  "The  Barretts  of  Wimpole  Street"  later  in 1948.  

Originally  the  intention  was  to  present  only plays  and  three  plays  per  year  were  produced

However, as  Theatrecraft developed  it  took  on  (at the  specific request  of the old Herne Bay Urban District  Council  in  1957)  the task  of  reviving the   town's   annual   Christmas   pantomime  which had  been  provided  by  the  "Mask  Players"  up until  1939.   This led to a pattern of two plays and   one   pantomime   per  year  being  produced.

A   further   widening   of   Theatrecraft's   scope of activity occurred in 1964 when modern musicals were  included  in  the  repertoire.    A  regular pattern  of two  plays,  a musical  and a pantomime each  year  evolved  making  Theatrecraft  the  most prolific of the town's amateur theatre organisations.  

The Present - and the Future......
 
From  small  beginnings  in   1948, Theatrecraft  has presented over 100  plays,  45 pantomimes, 40  musicals  and  some 10  revues  or  compilation  shows.     The  number of  people  involved  over  the years  is  hard to estimate but runs into hundreds. We are truly a "family" society, with a recent production involving three generations of the same family!
 
Today, we are a thriving theatrical company, with strong links to the Herne Bay Community. We consider ourselves to be true "strolling players" as - unlike many societies, we are not committed to any one venue, but are free to choose the "right" performing space for the "right" production.  This means that, in any one year, we may produce a pantomime at the Kings Hall Theatre - seating almost 500, an open air musical in the magic surrounds of Strode Park, as well as offering drama and comedy in the superbly intimate setting of the Playhouse in Whitstable.
 
As for the future?   Who knows?   But one thing we can be sure of - with our 60th anniversary in 2008, we shall continue to delight and entertain audiences of all ages in Herne Bay and East Kent.  Come along and join in the fun.

This  Programme  cost a whopping 6d!  (about 2 1/2p in modern money)
Can anyone name the pensive Cinders?