There’s a new era for Chorley Little Theatre as the venue approaches it’s 120th Anniversary.

The home to Chorley Amateur Dramatic & Operatic Society (CADOS), it has been providing entertainment to the town since September 1910 and is about to expand it’s activities.

CADOS will continue to stage six full shows a year, with another two by Chorley Youth Theatre but they’ll soon be opening up a Studio space in the old Hyatt restaurant next door.

Work is ongoing to turn the restaurant into a multi-venue space that will enable CADOS to perform shows ‘in-the-round’ as well more experimental and challenging pieces that may not get full audiences on the main stage. 

CADOS Artistic Director Mark Jones hopes the new space will provide more stage time for aspiring actors and crew and help keep up the high standard of CADOS shows.

The Studio will be used for rehearsals, and will also open for music and comedy nights as well as providing extra toilet capacity on busy nights. 

Hoping to open in the New Year, CADOS are looking for community groups to hire the space during the day in order to cover costs. It will have state-of-the-art sound and lighting and be fully accessible.

As part of the changes the venue is to be renamed Chorley Theatre from January 2020, to reflect the fact they will have room for around 350 customers over 2 stages.

Operations Director Ian Robinson says “CADOS used to be in Chorley Little Theatre when it sat 50 people on St Georges Street so we feel it’s time we had a name that was a bit clearer about who we are and what we offer”

“The same ethos will be behind everything, and we’re still run by volunteers with any profits going back towards the upkeep of the building.

"CADOS shows are currently getting their highest audiences ever, and we offer much more with big-name comedy nights, music and events all year round so we felt it was time to be a bit bolder with the name.”

Chorley Empire Community Cinema, formerly Chorley Film Society, have been hiring the venue since 1990 and see this as a natural time too wind up. A special night looking back at their achievements will be held on Sunday 6th October, with drinks and nibbles included in the ticket price to see Kenneth Branagh film All Is True.

Films will carry on being shown at Chorley Theatre.

Ian Robinson added: “This is one of the longest-running cinemas in the UK and we’ll still have the biggest cinema auditorium in Chorley despite other developments in town, so we’ll continue to show films old and new, as well as special events like National Theatre Live and Andre Rieu.”

Ian added: “There will still be familiar faces running the nights but now all operations are under the wing of CADOS and Chorley Little Theatre and there will be a second screen showing specialist films and providing extras such as food and drink”

CADOS recently announced their 2020 season, which opens with The Formby Show in February and includes Blackadder and Legally Blonde - The Musical.

Tickets for those shows, along with comedy from the likes of Dom Joly and Arabella Weir, are on sale now.

The venue on Dole Lane is funded entirely by ticket and bar sales so if anyone would like to donate to help them with building work, please contact them via www.chorleytheatre.com.