Prescot Playhouse Project

[kemble]

Not sure if anyone else has heard about this, or actually attended the meetings. But about 3 weeks ago there were 3 meetings held in Prescot about the possibility of building an Elizabethan Theatre here. A director from the RSC/Old Vic/BBC came and talked about what they want to do in Prescot, because it has links with Shakespeare and had the first theatre outside of London in the 1500's (I think). Anyway, they wanted to make a film including the towns people acting and helping to actually make it to encourage the lottery to fund it;

Prescot Playhouse project needs you!

You can help bring a stunning new community and visitor attraction to Knowsley by attending one of a series of fun consultation events in January.
An exciting fact: Prescot was home to the only free-standing Elizabethan playhouse outside London and William Shakespeare almost certainly lived and worked in the area.

To celebrate this, Knowsley Council and the Northern Shakespeare Trust and other partners are bidding for £20 million from the Big Lottery’s Living Landmarks Fund to develop a new community and visitor centre in the heart of Prescot.

This exciting venue would include an Elizabethan theatre to commemorate the importance of Prescot’s history and also facilities that could include community spaces, exhibitions, spaces to view the museum collection and local archives, a café, education and theatre workshops and accommodation for a range of family-friendly activities including performances, cinema, workshops, events and special projects. Local people will have a real input into the development of the scheme and the final design.

This competitive bid will only succeed with the support of local people, so please come along to the consultation sessions, have your say and show your support for this fabulous new facility for Knowsley. This is a national scheme and the Prescot Playhouse Project has been included in the national shortlist of 23 projects.
http://www.knowsley.gov.uk/news/news..._01_05_01.html

It sounded amazing, education wise and for the city, it was wonderfully presented and the people who want to make it happen were genuinely interested in local ideas, but since then...nothing! It is early I suppose. But has anyone else here been to these meetings/know about this/involved? I'm interested to know how much local support it has.

http://prescot-playhouse.knowsley.go...se_centre1.htm