Hawth at Crawley continues its 30th birthday celebrations

The Hawth first opened its doors to the public in April 1988 and ever since has offered a diverse programme of top quality arts and entertainment.
The Mayor and Mayoress with General Manager Dave Watmore at the celebrationThe Mayor and Mayoress with General Manager Dave Watmore at the celebration
The Mayor and Mayoress with General Manager Dave Watmore at the celebration

On Friday (May 11) the Crawley theatre hosted a celebration with some of those who have been involved in the venue from the beginning.

The Mayor and Mayoress of Crawley, Councillor Brian Quinn and Mrs Sue Quinn attended the celebration and in his speech the Mayor praised The Hawth for its continued excellence and importance in the local community.

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Some of the many famous faces to have appeared on The Hawth stage include Richard Wilson, Alexandra Burke, Nigel Havers, Pandit Ravi Shankar, Eddie Izzard, Jimmy Carr, Nigel Kennedy, Marti Pellow, Russell Brand, Miranda Hart, Stephen Mulhern and Derren Brown.

Hit West End musicals have included West Side Story, Grease, Saturday Night Fever, Evita, Blood Brothers, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Cats, Chicago and The Bodyguard.

Visiting companies have included the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal National Theatre, D’Oyly Carte, English National Opera and English National Ballet as well as renowned international companies and performers from all corners of the world.

The Studio has also featured many shows, performers and companies that have gone on to great success. Where else could you sit in an intimate 146-seat theatre and enjoy the talents of such little-known stars (at the time) as Jamie Cullum, Jack Dee, Julian Clary, Love Actually and Miranda star Sally Phillips, Neil Pearson (Drop The Dead Donkey, Bridget Jones), Mark Williams (The Fast Show and Harry Potter) and Rag and Bone Man.

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It has always been part of The Hawth’s philosophy to encourage participation in the arts and this continues to this day with opportunities to get involved in everything from dance, theatre, music, art and creative writing amongst many other activities in the Sway Dance Studio and The Loft.

The 30th anniversay celebrations continue throughout the year, please check into hawth.co.uk for more updates.

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