Towards the end of 1968 with the building of the Methodist Churches “Wesley House Community Hall” nearing completion, it was decided to perform a musical for the opening of the amenities. The Methodist Church had a long history of performing revues and concerts and this carried on the history. On Saturday 15th March 1969 “South Pacific” was performed to a packed house….. and so Wesley House Players, or Wesley Players, as we are commonly known, came into being.
Original members of Wesley House Players and the people who would go on to become the backbone of many future Wesley House Players productions included Tom, Mop and Betty Stroud, Wilf Brook, Mervyn and Freda Gibb, Stewart Johnston, Helen Humphries, Howard Lees, Maisie Coomber and Eddie Whyfoon to name but a few. In fact Wesley House Players now see in their ranks the grandchildren of the original members which is a credit to the original “family” affair and “good clean fun” that has become synonymous with the Wesley name.
On the 13th January 1996 Wesley House was practically burnt to the ground by an intruder, with many valuable sets, costumes and all backdrops destroyed. “The Pajama Game” (staged at The Dubbo Civic Centre due to the fire) was to be the first of only two shows not done in the venue of Wesley House in its 40 year history. It was over 12 months before Wesley Players would have a home to return to. The Uniting Church at that time graciously asked a number of Wesley Players members to contribute to ideas about the rebuilding of the hall and it was with much appreciation that a number of features were modernised allowing for more offstage room, additional dressing rooms and a lighting/sound booth. In Feb. 1998 the first in house production of “Fire Up The Band” was performed in the newly rebuilt, revitalised hall.
With Theatre in Dubbo going from strength to strength we hope you are inspired to become a member of your (if not our) local amateur theatre company. Whether you wish to tread the boards, direct, help with backstage, set construction, costumes or front of house, new members are most welcome. If “theatre life” is not for you, just remember, if you are on-stage, its nice to see an audience.
We hope you have enjoyed this very brief history of Wesley House Players and hope to see you at our next performance.