At the request of Egglescliffe Community Centre, Centre Stage was formed in 1990 by primary school teacher Maureen Tait. It was created not only to produce shows for the benefit of the community but also to help build the confidence of its members and highlight the extraordinary talent of the residents in the area.
The first production that took place on the community centre’s stage was the pantomime ‘Sinbad the Sailor’, which still has set from the show displayed proudly on the centre’s wall to this day. This was then followed in the summer with the musical ‘The Boyfriend’ by Sandy Wilson.
As the years rolled on more and more pantomimes and musicals were staged each year and often performed to frequently sold-out crowds. Along with these shows there have also been a few extra shows put on to help with local charities as well.
Centre Stage has established a wonderful reputation over the years with appreciative audiences for every show, which has all been made possible by the commitment, humour and teamwork of everyone involved. There has always been an abundance of talent in the group with some members even going on to perform on the West End!
Unfortunately, Maureen Tait retired from Centre Stage after the summer production of ‘The Sound of Music’ in June 2014, however this did not stop Centre Stage from continuing the legacy she created. The role of producer has changed many times since then, but one thing always remains the same ‘The Show Must Go On’.
List Of Centre Stage Producers
Maureen Tait– 1990 – 2014
Michelle Dawson- 2014 – 2017
Lauren Smith- 2017 – 2019
Kieron Layton- 2019 – Present (Summer Musicals)
Jim Underwood- 2022 – Present (Pantomimes)