CONGRESS PLAYERS, Oldham 

Congress Players was formed in 1979 to raise money for an amateur performer who was tragically injured and blinded in a car accident. Four good friends got together and wondered what they could do to help him, these friends were Tommy Parkinson, Jed Rudd, Melvyn Bates and Kay Lilly.

They decided to do what they did best……..they put together a show, and what a show, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. They each donated £10 to raise the £40 they needed to hire the theatre. They contacted Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice who personally granted them special permission to perform the show without a licence. The costumes were hired for the princely sum of £10, the production team, band and cast all worked free of charge and rehearsed in rehearsal rooms that were provided free of charge....…and so Congress Players were born!

Over the years Congress has donated over 150k to various charities in the North West including. Dr Kershaw's, Francis House, Guide Dogs for the Blind, KidsCan, Ruebens Retreat and many others and the productions staged have featured many of the best amateur performers in the North West.

Congress Players perform one show a year at the Oldham Coliseum purelyto raise money for charity!

Contact Details

President - Kay Lilley
Chairman - Paul Osbaldiston
Secretary - Nicola Mead / 07801 552014 / 01457 829926 / Email - nicola.mead@live.co.uk
Treasurer - Marjorie Holt
Committee - Jayne Collins, Lindsay Collins, Glenn Knight, Janet Hinchliffe, Lisa Kay, Tom Dunster, Lauren Woodward and Tracy Hardman

Avenue Q (see Forthcoming productions) - Raising money for a fantastic charity called Reuben's Retreat (2nd year running).

Our production of Grease last year raised £4k for Reubens Retreat - a retreat being built in Glossop.

Past Shows

• 2013 - Grease
• 2012 - Bad Girls / Oliver
• 2011 - The Producers
• 2010 - Singing in the Rain
• 2009 - The Full Monty
• 2007 - Buddy
• 2006 - Little Shop of Horrors
• 2005 - Summer Holiday
  
  

Past Productions