Wyre Council has awarded the lease of Thornton Little Theatre to local organisation CRE8IV Group Ltd.
The commercial expertise that CRE8IV Group brings will ensure a more sustainable future for Thornton Little Theatre, whilst retaining its ethos as a much-loved, vibrant community hubCRE8IV’s founders, Chris and Claire Higgins are committed to continuing to operate the theatre as an affordable and accessible resource for local entertainment, cultural and community groups who currently use its facilities.
Chris and Claire are well known on the Fylde Coast and bring a wealth of experience to this venture. The couple have worked professionally for more than two decades with Chris specialising in singing and music tuition and Claire in choreography and dance tuition.
They made waves last year by taking two shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, providing invaluable opportunities for local talent. This year, with the success of their critically acclaimed rendition of Andrew Lloyd Webber's ‘School Of Rock’ at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre, the group is set to return to the Fringe with three captivating shows.
Chris said: "We are thrilled and honoured to have been chosen by Wyre Council to breathe new life into Thornton Little Theatre. Our passion for theatre, coupled with our professional experience, will be the driving force behind revitalising this cherished venue.
“We can assure the community that Thornton Little Theatre is in safe hands, and together, we will usher in a new era of creativity, entertainment, and community engagement."
Claire added: "We are very excited to start working with our community to bring more productions and events to this beautiful venue. We want to reassure any hirers that have already booked that we are taking on the current performance diary and hope to add to it!”
Councillor Lynne Bowen, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Health and Community Engagement said: “We are thrilled to have CRE8IV on board. The quality of their bid was very strong, with lots of creative ideas for utilising the theatre in innovative and better ways. What was especially clear is that they are as committed as we are at Wyre Council to work with local residents to shape our beloved theatre’s future and to welcome existing hirers and the wider community.“
CRE8IV will be holding a launch event for May 25.
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