Thame Players, who run the Players Theatre in Thame, have been making do with inadequate facilities and a lack of space in the dressing room for a long time. It was no longer fit for purpose and looked uninviting and uninspiring. The dressing room is an important space, because it’s used constantly by actors in Thame Players’ productions, by production teams (costume, make-up, props), by visiting shows and by community groups who use the theatre.

Approaches were made to potential funders who could help Thame Players to revitalize the dressing room. They found two funders who agreed to make the dressing room transformation possible.

Lightfoots Solicitors, who have been at the heart of the local community for over 170 years. More than just a law firm, they offer award-winning legal services and innovative solutions to businesses and private clients, providing a unique perspective on the challenges people often need to face.
The Performing Arts Fund of South Oxfordshire District Council (SODC), which is designed to enhance the cultural landscape by providing financial assistance to projects that demonstrate a significant community impact, meet identified needs, and ensure access to the performing arts in South Oxfordshire.

The dressing room project focused on making visual and physical improvements, creating a far more inviting space for users. Once the funding was in place, a team of Thame Players volunteers worked hard to achieve this objective: all existing furniture, fittings and carpeting were removed and electrical services were isolated, with all contents, including props and costumes, moved onto the stage. The walls and ceiling were decorated; new carpeting and hanging rails for costumes were installed; two new dressing table units plus mirrors were added. All of this took weeks of work, but it was worth it, as the refurbished dressing room is not only much more space-efficient, it is a congenial and comfortable space for actors, visiting performers, community groups, and other users.

Cllr Georgina Heritage of SODC said, “We were pleased to support this project: Thame Players’ dressing room now reflects well on the theatre as a community asset, and as a congenial place in which performers spend time.”

Jenny Shaw, Head of Marketing at Lightfoots Solicitors, said, “We were delighted to support Thame Players as the only dedicated theatre in Thame. The major improvements to the dressing room will have a positive impact on all who use it”.

Feedback from performers has been universally positive: Thame Players’ Molly Rogers said, “The new dressing room looks fantastic, it’s such a relaxing place to be in now. This was a very worthy investment.” Mike Rochford, Chair of Thame Players, said, “Having the refurbished dressing room made a huge difference to the cast of the pantomime in December. Although the room is the same size, the more efficient use of space made it feel far larger. It also meant that it was far easier to create separate areas within the room to make people feel comfortable. Being relaxed backstage transfers through to feeling more calm going on stage and filters through to better performances.”

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