20 Years in the Limelight Milton Keynes
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LOCALLOCAL HISTORYHISTORY LOCAL HISTORY Backstage at the new theatre Milton Keynes Theatre in 1999 Milton Keynes Theatre, Central Milton Keynes Later, in court, Amy pleaded guilty group as part of its Stage Experience space, and modernism. to common assault and public order shows. Theatre manager Jaide Birch has offences. “I would say that was the been with the venue since it first 20 Years in the Limelight Other big names from across the closest you could come to working opened its doors in October 1999. pond who have starred in panto professionally in the industry,” he “The venue has changed so much include Dirk Benedict, aka Face said of the summer events, “The over the past 20 years but our Milton Keynes Theatre was a dream that took decades to realise, but when it from 1980s smash-hit TV show creative team that worked on the values, work ethic and dedication to The A-Team, and Elvis' former wife, show with us were definitely industry deliver amazing experiences to all came it brought A-list actors and all the glitz of the West End to town... Priscilla Presley. Homegrown talents standard.” of our customers hasn’t changed,” who have taken the reins for the Michael bagged a lead role in one she said. seasonal shows include Gok Wan, of the Stage Experience runs, before “Not one working day is the same s a youngster in Milton that it took a whopping 500,000 man- There have been occasional Brian Conley, Bradley Walsh, Shane going on to study performing arts. and I’ve been thrown into all sorts of Keynes in the 1980s, a hours to build the complex, and more controversies (Jerry Springer The Richie, Gareth Gates, Lenny Henry This July, he returned to the theatre projects and done some crazy things. school trip to the theatre than 2,300 concrete-mixing lorries Musical upset a few people), and locally-based Gary Wilmot. – playing one of The Temptations in I’ve flown across the auditorium in a meant hopping on a bus, delivered more than 25,000 tonnes occasional accidents have stopped Musicians who have delighted the acclaimed Motown the Musical. Peter Pan harness, been dressed as andA travelling to Oxford. of concrete to the site! play, and of course, many a star has fans at the venue are as varied as The role is his first professional a Tweenie, shovelled a lot of snow Although the new city had some The curtain finally rose on the trod the boards. Elvis Costello, Queen's Brian May, engagement, and has seen him swap and been snowed in for two days with establishments offering theatre on all-dancing, all-singing Milton Keynes Among the most famous are Joan Katherine Jenkins and cockney aces front-of-house, for a career in the Fairy Bowbells! its stages, nowhere was sufficient, or Theatre on October 4, 1999, and Collins, who starred in Full Circle, and Chas & Dave, while singers who have spotlight on stage. “It is such a fast-paced, constantly Musicians who indeed large enough to stage huge during a week of celebrations, more the late, great Sir Roger Moore, who taken on stage roles include David Michael isn't the only one who has changing environment to work in, but national productions. than 1000 local people took part starred in The Play What I Wrote. Essex, Tommy Steele, Will Young and gone from showing people to their I’ve always been supported by a hard- have delighted The potential for Milton Keynes to in performances – actors, dancers, Another much-missed actor, Roger Alexandra Burke. seats to being the one shifting tickets working, dedicated team who really fans at the venue house a large theatre was originally musicians and backstage staff. Lloyd Pack starred with Martin In 2010 Royalty was seated and helping put bottoms on those love what they do. highlighted in the development The first show on its stage was Freeman in The Last Laugh, and when Prince Andrew—patron of same seats; Louise Dearman used “I’m really proud to be celebrating are as varied as blueprint. But it didn't come quickly. Annie, and fittingly, the enduring story in 2009, Waiting For Godot was English National Ballet—attended to work the bar, and sold ice-creams MK Theatre’s 20th birthday, and Campaigners had been calling for a of the red-haired orphan returned to delivered by British theatre giants Ian a performance of Romeo & Juliet and programmes, before becoming a can’t wait for the next 20!” Elvis Costello, new theatre since the early 1970s, the MK Theatre stage earlier this year. McKellen and Patrick Stewart, to the by the world-class classical ballet familiar leading lady in the West End. Visit MK Theatre at atgtickets.com/ Queen's Brian but it took decades before the dream Milton Keynes Theatre mightn't be delight of ticket-holders. And who can company. She went on to star as both Glinda miltonkeynes n Godspell showed in 2002 became a reality. one of the oldest establishments forget Sheridan Smith in Funny Girl? But the theatre isn't only a place and Elphaba in Wicked, and came May, Katherine The theatre was designed by the we've ever featured in the pages of Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney where people go to be entertained. back to Milton Keynes during UK Jenkins and architects Blonski-Heard, who were Pulse, but it has packed plenty into its appeared in pantomime at the theatre It is a place where dreams can come tours of Guys and Dolls and Evita, Milton Keynes Museum is one of the best interactive museums, appointed in 1993. 20-year history. in 2009 - starring as Baron Hardup in true – just ask Michael Jeremiah. taking the lead as Eva Peron. a perfect outing for all ages, staffed by friendly volunteers, and cockney aces Locally-based actor Kevin Whately, Since opening night, more than a production of Cinderella. The rising star from Milton Keynes The auditorium, which can be highly recommended by visitors on TripAdvisor. whose extensive credits include Auf seven million people have taken a Amy Winehouse's pantomime visit used to work front-of-house at the adjusted to vary between 900 and Chas & Dave” Wiedersehen, Pet and Lewis launched seat to enjoy one of more than 8,000 the same year gathered plenty of theatre as a teenager. 1400 seats, is widely heralded by the This feature was written by Milton Keynes Museum. Find out more about forthcoming events and see our opening times at: the construction back in 1997. productions – spanning musicals, national media attention after a fiery Then he began acting in the many stars who perform there, and www.mkmuseum.org.uk. Fact-fans will be interested to know comedians, plays, ballet and opera. confrontation with a theatre manager. theatre's own MK Youth Theatre who appreciate its welcome use of 38 October 2019 | MK Pulse Magazine | 32,000 Copies delivered every month door to door across Milton Keynes For the latest local news visit www.mkpulse.co.uk | MK Pulse Magazine | October 2019 39.