Crowthorne Musical Players
Charity Registration Number 1139345
Aim & Purposes
Crowthorne Musical Players (CMP) was formed in 1950 by members of the Parish Church and since that time has performed many musical shows at various venues. Early performances were concerts and revues in local halls, progressing to pantomimes and light opera. Since the 1970s the society has produced at least one major Broadway or West End musical every year. Originally these were staged at Edgbarrow School, but since 1989 have been performed in the Wilde Theatre at South Hill Park, Bracknell.
In addition to the major show, there are generally two smaller shows produced, one in the summer, and a Carol Concert before Christmas. These are performed in local community halls. Recently, we have also had the opportunity to Stage a fundraising “One Night Only” performance at the Wilde Theatre courtesy of the theatre management.
Our aim is to provide entertainment to members of the local community and to offer the possibility of partaking in amateur dramatic performance, be it onstage, backstage or front of house. We welcome new members and are always happy to receive offers of help with the technical aspects of producing a show for public performance.
We endeavor to encourage new talent and develop skills in our members be it in acting and singing, or in the much-needed technical support roles which are essential to ensure smooth running of our performances.
Objectives & Activities
The main objectives of the Society are to promote works of musical entertainment and develop public appreciation of such works through performances as described above.
Also, as mentioned previously, we endeavour to foster budding interest and skills in the various aspects of dramatic art and have recently seen several acting members take greater interest in stage direction and choreography.
Members of the Society, through a volunteer system, aid in the practical aspects of the performance in the run up to the show and during the show week. Such items as publicity, advertising and ticket sales are typically supported by the Committee Members and Backstage and Front of House operations are run by members and other volunteers.
Achievements and Performance
This year, during the reported period from 1[st] October 2023 to 30[th] September 2024 we have largely recovered from the effects of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Our Annual Christmas concert showed an increase in attendance, over the previous year, but had not fully recovered to the 2019 level. It was however successful, with audiences enjoying our normal selection of Carols and Christmas related songs and readings.
Our main show in March 2024 was the musical version of Ghost which was well received, with audience figures recovering to pre-Covid levels, as people continued to enter the theatre again.
Our summer show “A Culinary Cabaret” in July featured songs all having a food or catering connnection. This featured such songs as Be Our Guest (Beauty and the Beast), The Worst Pies in London (Sweeney Todd), Apples and Oranges (The Theory of Relativity), The Innkeeper’s Song (Les Miserables) and The Menu Song (Pump Boys and Dinettes).. This was a very successful production, with audience numbers continuing to improve over the last few years.
In September we performed again at the Wilde Theatre for a one night only show Music of the Night, a celebration of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s music, courtesy once again of the South Hill Park management who donated the theatre to us for this show. We much appreciated their support in these difficult times. With a sell-out audience of over 310, this event enabled us to raise valuable income to assist with the costs of our main shows. At the end of our financial year, we had just started rehearsing for our production of The SpongeBob Musical, which was expected to be a great crowd puller for 2025.
In times of continuing funding difficulty and cutbacks, funding support to the theatre (The Wilde Theatre, Bracknell) via a ticket price levy, enables local societies performing at the theatre to help with the costs of running this wonderful and ever less well funded venue.
Audience sizes are recovering towards pre-pandemic years, and the overall trend is towards a continuing growth in audience confidence and a resulting increase in numbers. This leads to a better financial return which is supplemented by usual fund raising opportunities – local Summer and Christmas Fayres, carnivals, cabarets etc which continue to support our capital reserves.
Structure, Governance & Management
The Society is managed by an elected committee of Chairman, Secretary and Treasurer plus a number of ordinary members. This committee works with production teams formed for each of the shows to ensure that rehearsal and performances of the production progress smoothly.
Meetings of the committee are approximately monthly and serve to carry out the normal running of the society, and to act in the role of Producer to deal with any matters arising during the direction of the current performance.
Trustees of the Society are numbered amongst current and past members of the committee and ensure that the operation of the society is in carried out in agreement with the requirements of the Charity Commission and HMRC.
Membership of the Society is open to all parties interested in its aims and CMP welcomes anybody with an interest in performing or aiding in the production of our performances throughout the year. Several levels of membership are available depending on the individual’s preference e.g. full membership covering participation in all shows and reduced membership for those only wanting to take part in say the Summer, Autumn and Christmas shows.
Financial Review
The finances of the Society are managed by the Treasurer and committee through budgetary planning for each of the shows. Various fundraising events
are undertaken throughout the year to aid in the production costs of the performances eg raffles, quiz nights etc.
The Society accounts are reviewed annually and those for the current year are attached in the Appendix to this report
Signed on behalf of the Committee by Peter Winn (Charity Commission Individual Contact)
Peter Winn
Appendix I
CRowfHORNE IIUSICAL PLAYERS SUWAARY OF IIKOME & EXPEMOITURE YEAR£wDilxrae(fl xa3 ioXSEPTEfvI•EI 14 264t0&3 4?1447 1 313 43314T 4)2 31 AC LSC al c¥ ctTWt 343025 6WIS 1 33410 2$1468 3173 745f 17J 1 17&3Z 47,tWJl 33 532.58 GENEIIAL WCOAIE 10) 30 HMRC Gth TI6 UB 146 1)) 245 151 71 Fwir¢ S 7 1 4058 14074.13