EPPhistory

The Society was formed in 1932 by the Curate the Rev. Norman Braham, who lived in Ecclesfield Priory. At first the society billed itself as The Priory Players, not until the late thirties did it become Ecclesfield Priory Players.

Performances were held in the Gatty Hall, Priory Road, Ecclesfield, until 1962. The venue then moved to the Colley School Assembly Hall, Parson Cross, until 1966. In 1967 the venue changed again, this time to the hall in Ecclesfield Junior School, High Street.

Rehearsals at this time were held at the Old Methodist Chapel on Townhead Road, where we also stored our scenery and props. In 1975 we purchased this building for our Headquarters. Members affectionately referred to it as "The Dungeon".

During the late 1970's, rising production costs found the Committee wondering if we could convert "The Dungeon" into a theatre. It had long been a dream that "one day" we would have a theatre of our own. It was soon decided that "The Dungeon" was unsuitable for conversion on a number of counts.

In 1978 we heard that the Trinity Methodist Sunday Schoolroom (formerly the Chapel) was to be sold. Following a period of numerous meetings and consultations it was decided that conversion into a theatre was possible. The Dungeon was sold and we finally purchased Trinity in 1979.

Major alterations were required to create the theatre we now call EPPiC, and 1980-81 saw the discussions for the design and the final plans for the conversion being drawn up.

The design period coincided with two other key areas of Society effort. The first was to continue to stage plays at Ecclesfield Town Junior School in order to meet the criteria of our Constitution. The second was to design and launch major fund raising projects and to make appeals to Local Authorities, companies, charities and individuals for funding to allow the project to move on.

We knew we were in for a long haul on the conversion. We had decided to execute most of the work ourselves as the fund raising progressed, using limited specialist help as necessary.

During 1981 the undergrowth was cleared from around the building and trenches dug for the surface water and sewage drains. The Chapel's balcony was dismantled, the internal walls removed and the plaster stripped ff the ground floor walls. The floor at the stage end was removed and the digging out for the basement dressing room was started. This continued throughout 1982 when we were seriously hampered by flooding. Also during 1982 the structural steel work was designed and the working drawings produced.

1983 saw work progressing in many areas, but the main activity was the shuttering out of the basement and the subsequent casting in concrete of its walls and floor. The spiral staircase was positioned and built in. During this year we purchased the stage lighting dimmer racks and some floodlights at auction. The heaviest work was to install the structural steel work required to support the upstairs floor, the proscenium arch and the stage lighting rig.

Following on during 1984 the pre-stressed concrete beams were positioned over the basement to form the stage area and upstairs, over the steel work, to form the first floor lounge area. The external fire escape and steel fire door were erected at the same time. The toilets were sited and built in and the windows were re-glazed with Georgian wired glass.

1985 was a very productive year. The Probation Service agreed to do all the painting, the central heating system was designed, gas was laid on, the kitchen was finished, the staircase positioned and the rewiring was completed. The steel beams and columns were clad with fireproof material and the internal brickwork was completed.

Central heating was installed in 1986. Shirecliffe College re-plastered the whole of the interior. This year also saw the continuation of regular coffee mornings brought into the theatre. The conversion project won the William Stone's Brewery Community Award.

1987 saw many small works completed, the internal doors fitted, the auditorium seating was set out, the stage lighting control room was fitted out and the Probation Service papered and painted the theatre throughout.

Fine tuning and the completion of the stage wiring, the positioning of the stage lighting rigs, the installation of the sound system with the hearing loop, the fitting of the air extraction system, the emergency lighting and the fire alarms completed the theatre, (to that point), in 1988.

The opening play in the EPPiC Theatre in 1988 was Alan Cullen's "The Stirrings in Sheffield on Saturday Night" which received much critical acclaim, as did the newly opened theatre.

At about the same time, the Society was devastated to find that the under-floor timber joists had succumbed to the dreaded dry rot, evidently due to the heating pipes running below floor level reactivating the long dormant spores. Yet another major fund raising effort had to be launched. The whole ground floor was removed and burned, the plaster was once more stripped off the walls, improved ventilation was provided, the walls and ground were treated with fungicide and all then had to be reinstated. This took an additional year and a great deal of funding.

The only play produced in 1989 was "Round and Round the garden" which coincidentally, was the 89th play to be presented by the Society.

During the 1990's we improved the theatre. Extra stage lighting was installed, an extra window in the lighting control room for the sound technician, an improved sound system, an illuminated outside sign, communication headset systems, protective grills on the windows, loft lighting and a wipe scenery track were all added.

These days we are always maintaining things. Everything has to be maintained, serviced and generally looked after. Our Maintenance Team are always fully occupied keeping everything in order.

To fully appreciate the work carried out we invite you to visit the theatre on a Saturday morning and have a look around.

In 2003 a metal platform gantry was constructed 3m above the stage left wing area. It houses our stage lighting dimmers and lighting patching system.

In 2005 an extra ladies toilet was built upstairs and a wheelchair accessible toilet built downstairs. Gates were added to prevent access to the rear of the building and a metal perimeter fence erected. Large extractor fans were installed above the stage to keep temperatures down in the summer.

Spring 2006 was marked by the installation of a new stage lighting control system with digital memory control and digital dimmers. The lighting control room was redesigned to incorporate the new lighting control system and the sound system which was upgraded to computer control in 2007.

In December 2007 High Green Amateur Operatic Society arranged for 3 swipe scenery tracks to be fitted above the stage to allow fast scenic backdrop changes.

Work to refurbish the theatre kitchen started in May 2008 and completed by the beginning of June. New worktops, cupboards, sinks and tiles updated the facilities. November 2008 saw the replacement carpets fitted to the lounge platform, the stairs and the foyer. A new stage carpet with a removable central section for dancing was fitted.

Shelves for storing wood and scenic pieces were fitted round the stage walls in 2008. An extra entrance hatch was constructed to the understage store area. By May 2009 the storage space was increased again with shelves in the window recesses on stage.