About Broxbourne Theatre Company

(formerly ETCEA)

The 2009/10 pantomime will be
CINDERELLA 
8-10 and 14-16 Jan 2010

Recent shows ...

THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE
6-9 May 2009

2008/9
Robin Hood and the
Babes in the Wood

2007/8
The King and I
Aladdin

More shows below


General Information

About Broxbourne
Theatre Company

About Broxbourne
Civic Hall and Theatre

Broxbourne Civic Hall
Seating Plan

Bollescroft Headquarters

Contact Us

Membership

The Young Set

Booking Offices

Travel Information

Postal Mailing List

1943-2007
Show Summary
60 Year History

PANTO NEWS
Broxbourne 2007 Pantomime
Dick Whittington
wins two NODA Awards


More shows ...

2006/2007
Calamity Jane
Dick Whittington

2005/2006
My Fair Lady
Sleeping Beauty 
The Rhythm of Life

2004/2005
Goldilocks and the Three Bears
Crazy For You

2003/2004
Cinderella
Oklahoma

2002/2003
Jack and the Beanstalk
Fiddler on the Roof

2001/2002
Scrooge The Panto
Me and My Girl

2000/2001
Aladdin
South Pacific

1999/2000
Oliver
Peter Pan

Fame The Musical

1998/1999
Sugar
Beauty and the Beast

1997/1998
Kiss Me, Kate
Little Red Riding Hood


All photos and images are
licensed for use on this site
for viewing only and may
not be reproduced without
permission.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Broxbourne 
            
 The King and I -- The Schoolroom (show picture)
Photo: The King and I (May 2008)

Broxbourne Theatre Company is one of the Lea Valley's leading amateur theatre companies, with a 65 year reputation for colourful and spectacular productions.

Founded in Enfield as ETCEA (Enfield Technical College Entertainments Association) in 1943 by Alec Stretch, the company rapidly built up a strong reputation for pantomimes and musicals.

ETCEA was invited to present Broxbourne's 1977/78 pantomime Robinson Crusoe after two years in which the Council had suffered heavy losses presenting four and six week professional pantomimes with sometimes as few as 6 people in the audience. Councillors, who had already agreed that long run pantomimes were never likely to be viable in Broxbourne, gladly accepted the opportunity to have ETCEA present a shorter run of nine shows on its behalf.

The shorter runs proved immensely successful, with most performances playing to full houses.

* * * * *

With the support of Broxbourne Councillors, ETCEA was invited to change its name and make Broxbourne its permanent home. Thus Broxbourne Theatre Company, formerly ETCEA continued to present the Borough's official annual pantomime every year for more than 25 years.

Broxbourne Theatre Company also independently presents a  musical in May each year, the details of which are on this site.

[More detailed information on our 60 year history]

* * * * *

In 2005/6. Broxbourne Council decided to present an additional commercial pantomime, displacing our own show into January. In the first year, this resulted in only a small reduction to our own pantomime sales. This was in part due to the additional publicity that our own show received because of the novelty of competing against a commercial organisation. But w ithout that additional publicity in 2006/7, audiences were very significantly down and with heavy competition from other pantomimes just a few miles away to the North, South, East and West it is going to be hard work for both shows to continue to capture such an audience in future years.

Broxbourne Theatre Company is an entirely non-profit organisation. Cast and crew are all unpaid volunteers. Nevertheless, it still costs around £50,000 to present its two major shows each year. Hitherto, its pantomime has always played to full houses and Broxbourne Theatre Company has relied heavily on the income from the pantomime to balance its annual budget.

Accordingly it urges the local public, whether or not they also see the commercial show, to continue to make Broxbourne's OWN Pantomime their first choice, just as they previously have in buying well over 100,000 tickets over the last 30 years.

* * * * *

Headquarters are at Bollescroft , a council building which Broxbourne Theatre Company restored from dilapidation using proceeds from the pantomime. There is also a Young Set which meets weekly in Bollescroft, encouraging the under-16s to take an active start in theatre.

New members are always welcome, whether for onstage or backstage activities. Minimum age for membership of the main Company is 16, but those aged 9-15 can join the Young Set (a waiting list may apply). Join here !

For further information, see the links in the margin or below, or if you need any further information please contact us

Pictures from Robin Hood
and the Babes in the Wood

Aladdin Pantomime at Broxbourne Civic Hall January 2008
January 2009
 

Pictures from
The King and I

The King and I at Broxbourne Civic Hall May 2008
May 2008

Pictures from
Aladdin

Aladdin Pantomime at Broxbourne Civic Hall January 2008
January 2008
 

Pictures from
Calamity Jane

Calamity Jane at Broxbourne Civic Hall May 2007
May 2007

Pictures from
Dick Whittington

Dick Whittington Pantomime at Broxbourne Civic Hall January 2007
January 2007
 

Pictures from
My Fair Lady

My Fair Lady at Broxbourne Civic Hall May 2006
May 2006


Now booking for the pantomime
CINDERELLA
in January 2010

or join our free Mailing List for details of the 2010 musical
HELLO DOLLY

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of Thoroughly Modern Millie Broxbourne