A Friendly Guide to Community Theatre in the UK

Community theatre refers to theatre that is created by members of the local community, for the local community. “In the simplest terms, community theatre refers to nonprofessional theatre,” says Nick Insley, of Tower Theatre Company.

Community theatre relies on local, amateur participants who stage plays on a not-for-profit, voluntary basis. Productions are typically open to anyone, regardless of age, experience, or abilities. They often take place in unconventional performance spaces too: Professional theatres are designed to house actors, directors, designers, and backstage crew, while community theatre productions may have to make do with a community centre or school hall.

Because community theatres typically operate on tight budgets, many of them charge either an annual membership fee to take part, or a fee per production. This fee from participants is “one of the main sources of revenue community theatres have to run on, along with box-office income, bar takings, and any hire fees,” explains Insley. 

Larger, more central theatres like Tower Theatre in London have slightly higher fees (£60 per annum) to cover their operating costs, while smaller, more regional theatres like Hebden Bridge Little Theatre (£15 per annum) can afford to keep fees lower to encourage greater community participation. It’s worth noting that not all community theatre membership fees are compulsory. The Sewell Barn Theatre in Norfolk, for example, says, “We don’t insist that you become a member…to take part in our activities, but it shows your commitment and gives you a voice in how the theatre is run.”

A small committee, voted in by other members, oversees the theatre’s operations and programming, with one paid member of staff (or a few, depending on the size of the theatre or company) being responsible for its day-to-day running and the bookkeeping.

• Search online: Type “community theatre in” and add your location. 
• Check national membership organisations: There are over 100 community theatres listed by the Little Theatre Guild, a national organisation that represents amateur theatres across the UK. The website allows you to search by region, or to see the locations of their member theatres on a map. NODA (National Operatic and Dramatic Association) is another organisation that represents amateur theatre groups, which you can search by postcode. 
• Casting sites: Open calls for local theatre productions are often listed on casting sites. 
• Professional and regional theatres: Some professional theatres, such as Hampstead Theatre, have their own Community Acting Company. Others, like Bristol Old Vic, have lots of ways for locals to take part – from weekly community acting classes open to all adults, to programmes for local young people. If there’s a professional theatre in your neighbourhood, check out what it’s offering. 
• Word of mouth: Community theatre groups often rely on word of mouth to attract new participants and audience members. If you know anyone involved in the local arts scene, ask them for recommendations. 
• Notice boards: If you live in a small town or village, chances are people still use community notice boards – at the library, town hall, or supermarket, for example – to display posters advertising local events and performances. See what you can find in the way of local theatre shows, then get in touch to get involved.

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Local community theatre auditions are generally open to everyone, and most post their casting calls on their websites, so check them regularly. Sign up for the mailing list for your community theatre or company so you hear about auditions. Follow them on social media too, as news will likely be posted there. If you really can’t find information online, then Insley recommends you email the company and express your interest.

At some well-established community theatres, the process is slightly different, with no open auditions. Tower Theatre, for example, asks participants to audition to become an “acting member” before you get involved with productions. This typically involves performing a monologue of your choosing.

When it comes to auditioning for a production, actors are usually asked to prepare a monologue and/or scene(s) chosen by the director, from the production they are auditioning for. “Those auditions can be individual or group auditions,” Insley says. “Once the director has decided on a shortlist for the roles, there may be recalls, for example, to see different combinations of people acting together.” 

You should prepare for it like any audition: Know your lines, wear something casual (but not overly informal) that you can move in, arrive on time and warmed up, and listen to any direction you’re given. Though it’s not the glitz and glam of the West End, you should still be prepared and enthusiastic.

In most cases, community theatres do not pay their actors, though some may offer expenses for travel. Although acting in community theatre productions isn’t going to pay your rent, rehearsals tend to be in the evenings or on weekends – so it is possible to have a weekday job whilst rehearsing and performing.

Whilst members of Equity, the actors’ union, aren’t prohibited from taking part in any type of theatre work, Equity is very clear in its “Professionally Made Professionally Paid” campaign that members are skilled workers and deserve to be paid as such. When it comes to community theatre, Equity says, “If it is made clear that the work is voluntary, nonprofessional, and open to the public (e.g. not restricted to trained actors), and crucially ‘not for profit’ then it may be legitimate.”

However, if a contract exists that says the person “is expected to do the work personally” and “the employer has considerable control over them,” then that is considered an employment relationship and would require certain important rights, like minimum wage and holiday pay to be met.

Equity advises members considering unpaid, “voluntary” work to get in touch if they think they might be getting denied their worker rights.

Community theatre is ideal for those starting out, as it allows you to test the waters and see if acting is something you’d like to do professionally. Beyond this, it’s a chance to: 

• Hone your acting skills: Practice makes perfect, and the more stage time you can get, especially when starting out as an actor in the UK, the more likely you are to improve – particularly when that stage time comes without the pressure of West End audiences and reviewers. 
• Gain confidence and experience: You’ll gain the experience of auditioning and rehearsing for a play in a low-stakes setting, and being an active member of your community theatre means taking on off-stage roles too. So, it’s a great way to try out new things and get a better understanding of all the roles involved in staging a show. “Acting is only a small part of what we do,” Insley insists. “There’s directing and all of the backstage roles like set design, costume design, lighting and sound design, and stage management.” 
• Enhance your CV: If you don’t have many credits on your acting CV, a few community theatre roles are an excellent way to flesh it out and prove that you are castable, which could lead to paid opportunities.
• Build your network: You’re likely to meet and befriend plenty of other creatives, from actors to directors to backstage crew, when you’re part of a community theatre group. Establishing a strong network within the local arts scene could lead to professional opportunities.
• Enrich your community: Being part of a community theatre group is also a chance to give back to the community through working collaboratively on a project that often has personal meaning not only to the people involved in staging the show but also to the audiences watching.
• Have fun: If you’re stuck in a rut with your professional acting career, community acting can serve as a brilliant reminder of what you love about theatre and performing. You could use it as a low-pressure opportunity to let your inner critic take a back seat, or as a chance to play a different type of role. Whatever you do, allow the experience to re-energise you and your love of the performing arts.

Joining your local community theatre is a rewarding and fun way to engage with the arts, meet new people, and gain valuable experience. From small, volunteer-run theatres to larger venues offering outreach and educational programmes, there are countless opportunities to get involved. Whether you're an aspiring actor or simply want to remind yourself of the joys of the creative process, why not take the leap and audition for that local play? You never know what it might lead to.