The Blakehay Theatre, Weston-super-Mare

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Blakehay Theatre
Wadham Street Baptist Church.jpg
The Blakehay Theatre which was previously the Wadham Street Baptist Church
AddressWadham Street
Weston-super-Mare
England
Coordinates 51°21′04″N2°58′49″W / 51.351197°N 2.980339°W / 51.351197; -2.980339 Coordinates: 51°21′04″N2°58′49″W / 51.351197°N 2.980339°W / 51.351197; -2.980339
OwnerWeston-super-Mare Town Council
Capacity 207 seat
Current useTheatre
Construction
Years active10
Architect Hans Price
Website

The Blakehay Theatre is a 207-seat theatre in Weston-super-Mare, North Somerset, England. Its building was originally a 19th-century Baptist church.

Contents

History

The theatre building was Weston-super-Mare's first Baptist church, built in 1850 as Wadham Street Baptist Church, and was also the town's first public building. [1] [2] In 1862 Hans Price, who became the town's leading architect, was commissioned to adapt and enlarge the building. [3] The name comes from "Black Hay", a field that originally lay between the High Street and Wadham Street. [3]

During World War II the theatre was hit by incendiary bombs. After the war it was rebuilt inside the original Victorian shell. In 1985 the building ceased to be a place of worship. In 1986 the Blakehay was saved from demolition and replacement with a block of flats by the actions of the Weston-super-Mare Building Trust and run by the Civic Society who converted into a venue for amateur and professional events and public meetings.

In September 2004 Weston Town Council purchased the theatre for £195,000. [4]

Current use

WE OFFER A STIMULATING AND INCLUSIVE PROGRAMME AT THE HEART OF WESTON’S CULTURAL LIFE, APPEALING TO THEATREGOERS OF ALL GENERATIONS. The Blakehay Theatre’s mission is to be leading the way in this zeitgeist for Weston-super-Mare. We create Theatre for the whole community, bringing national popular shows and treading subject matters onto the stage. To promote a creative hub for artists and performers in the local area and a cultural home for fans of the arts.

Our uniquely diverse program of locally produced and touring work is curated especially for you. We are striving to create an inclusive creative community to make the most of a beautiful venue by using all of its spaces for artistic endorsers, and we are delighted you want to be a part of it.

WE MAY BE LITTLE, BUT WE HAVE BIG IDEAS! Our vision is to build a ‘big-city’ creative culture into the heart of the Victorian seaside resort of Weston-super-Mare. We need continued public support to help sustain and grow this vision through ticket sales, personal donations, sponsorship and help spreading the word!

We are constantly working and adapting our programme each season to bring new and exclusive works to Weston-super-Mare, but we can’t do that without your support, so please spread the word and support our little theatre with big ideas!

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References

  1. "Our History". Clarence Park Baptist Church. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved 2007-07-04.
  2. "Blakehay Theatre". Whats On Weston-super-Mare. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  3. 1 2 "About Us". Blakehay Theatre. Retrieved 2 July 2014.
  4. "Blakehay keys handed over to town council". The Weston Mercury. 27 September 2004. Archived from the original on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-07-04.