Dave Stringer in Conversation with Richard Masters of Stoke Rep

Stoke Rep plays a vital role in the cultural scene across North Staffordshire and South Cheshire.

It’s over 100 years old, dating back to 1920 when a group of young people interested in amateur theatre came together to put on a play to raise money for charity. They hired The Empire Theatre in Longton and the production took place as a matinee performance in February 1921.

By 1923 they had begun to call themselves The Stoke-on-Trent Repertory Players. Over the next few years they put on productions in several different venues, included the Theatre Royal in Hanley and the King’s Hall in Stoke before moving to a permanent home at Berrisford Street. Sixty-five years later the Players moved to their purpose-built home at Leek Road.

Over one hundred years after these small beginnings, ‘The Rep’  history is still being written.

I managed to catch up with Richard Masters who is a director and operations manager of Stoke Rep and we talked about the role the theatre plays, it’s affordability and of course we chatted about the upcoming shows featuring the Rep Players. Have a listen below: