The Commonswood Players - a brief history

The Commonswood Players from Welwyn Garden City, were formed in 1988 when a group of parents of pupils at Commonswood JMI School and some of the school's teachers and staff came together to have a bit of fun and, if possible, raise some funds for the school. The Infant Hall was transformed into a sort of theatre, and 'Cinderella' was thrust onto unsuspecting pupils, parents and friends.

Encouraged by their success, further pantomimes were presented. Each one an improvement on the last, with sets, characters, costumes and effects reaching new heights of inventiveness and excellence (not mention full-size chairs for the audience!). The 'panto' established itself in the school calendar. In all, ten pantomimes were enjoyed by the school children and their families, and over £12,000 was raised.

In 1998 The Commonswood Players decided to become independent of the school, enabling it to expand, develop, and experiment with a variety of drama forms. This involved gradually loosening ties with the school, and looking to other performance spaces and new audiences.

The type of production has changed, the membership has widened, and the audience has diversified. Each new production is a challenge.