Wells Theatre Festival says community theatre plays a vital role in building thriving communities.

As theatre professionals, for the organisers of the Festival this is taken as read, but they have been encouraged and inspired by what they have seen grow out of the foundation of the Wells Community Theatre Company.

The Company was created in 2018 as part of the Wells Theatre Festival. Since then, the Festival has nurtured a close-knit ensemble which has grown from strength to strength. Ahead of its 2023 Festival which will be held in July, the Festival team want to explore and build on the success of five years of the company and the burgeoning community theatre scene in Wells and the surrounding communities that has sprung up since the first Festival in 2018. 

Wells Theatre Festival are hosting an event - Doctor Theatre – how theatre in the community transforms lives and builds resilience, on the evening of 18 March at the Union Church in Wells. It will bring together artist, director, and film-maker Gary Andrews and local actor and writer, Richard Crowe in conversation. The two will talk about their own experiences of arts in the community. The audience will also be invited to share their thoughts and experiences.

Gary Andrews is known to tens of thousands of followers on social media as @garyscribbler. He is an animator, artist, director, and filmmaker his Doodle-a-Day Diary has become a hit on social media through which, Gary charters his journey as a widower and as a lone parent, following the sudden death of his wife Joy in 2017. His doodles have helped many thousands of people, some on their own journey with grief, others just tickled by his infectious wit and stories from everyday family life.

Alongside his professional work as an animator and film-maker, Gary is also passionate about community theatre and its positive impact on people's lives.   Gary also helps run The Archway Theatre in Horley, Surrey which celebrates it 70th anniversary this year. He has considerable experience performing and directing community productions both indoors and in the open air. 

Richard Crowe started writing for the stage when he was 17. His play Cock and Bull Story (Lyric, Hammersmith) has played on every continent since 1985. Richard has also worked as a creative producer, leading on a diverse range of projects, including the development of the European Garden Heritage Network; production of Natural Partners, promoting the value of artists working in the environment, and five years (2007-12) as London 2012 Creative Programmer for the South West.

Having lived with depression over a number of years, Richard experienced a full-on breakdown in 2014 and, following two years in the mental health system, he was diagnosed as bipolar. His response to this was to return to writing and the stage, performing in his one man show, Over the Wall Picking Apples, every show culminating in a fascinating discussion between actor, director and audience on themes from the play.

Over lockdown Richard developed his own digital practice, presenting a programme of online theatre nights; a series of podcasts on the future of theatre post-COVID, and producing a film, In Search of Cinderella, honouring Somerset's pantomime tradition at a time when live panto could not be performed.

 Wells Theatre Festival was formed in 2018 and has produced sell-out community productions of Shakespeare's plays under the artistic direction of Ros Johnson. In doing so it has created a close-knit community through which people from all backgrounds and experiences have come together.

Ros Johnson said "We are so excited to be bringing another programme of professional theatre to wells in the summer but for me the aspect of the festival I am most passionate about is the community theatre production. Over the years we have built a strong ensemble of performers and it has been wonderful to see them progress. I am so looking forward to hearing about Gary's experiences and talking to our audience about what is important to them about community theatre, to inform our work going forward."

Doctor Theatre – how theatre in the community transforms lives and builds resilience will take place at 7pm on 18 March 2023 at the Union Church, Union Street, Wells. Tickets are £10 and available at https://tinyurl.com/5n9xae4f. Wells Theatre Festival will take place 6 – 9 July 2023 for more information visit www.wellstheatrefestival.org or email [email protected]