Take a bow St George’s Theatre director Debbie Thompson. Her tireless energy, enthusiasm, commitment and creativity have been recognised with a lifetime achievement accolade in the Norfolk Arts Awards.
Debbie, whose career spans nearly 40 years, was chosen for the honour through a public vote.
She has been at Sheringham Little Theatre for 22 years and alongside this has served as theatre director at St George’s in Great Yarmouth since 2016, transforming the theatre’s fortunes.
Debbie said: “I am delighted and extremely honoured to win this award, up against some very worthy nominees. And it is all the more pleasing because it is a public vote, which I think also recognises the work of both theatres, which have been through some challenging times in recent years .”
After 10 years as a professional actor, her career also included work doing theatre PR, stage management and teaching.
“My current job requires energy, diplomacy, communication skills and resilience for long anti-social hours. The busy times are traditionally when everyone else is on holiday but the most important thing is that if you have passion for what you do and really love it doesn’t seem like work.”
Well done, Debbie, from everyone at St. George’s Theatre.
Debbie up for top arts award – and she needs your votes
We are delighted to announce that St George’s Theatre director Debbie Thompson has been nominated for a lifetime achievement accolade at the annual Norfolk Arts Awards.
And your vote could help her secure this much-deserved recognition – for transforming the fortunes of St George’s and for her energetic work in the county’s theatre scene.
Her love of acting started at primary school, led to her performing in a farce at the Edinburgh Fringe, to Loughborough University for a drama degree, to the Drama Studio in London and then ten years as an actor in the West End. She and her husband Simon, an actor and director, subsequently trained as teachers and moved to Norfolk to raise a family.
Debbie, who is also director at Sheringham Little Theatre, is widely admired by colleagues at art venues throughout the county for her collaborative and supportive spirit. She has been at the heart of St George’s Theatre’s revival as a community theatre since 2016 and has established a synergy between Sheringham and St George’s, sharing ideas and productions. She is passionate about involving as wide a range of people as possible into the theatre. In Great Yarmouth this includes encouraging young people to take part in our popular pantomime, and supporting youth and adult theatre groups, the community choir and the social clubs and charities that use the café.
Debbie and her small team of staff and volunteers have brought the heart and soul back to St George’s, staging everything from concerts and comedy to tribute bands and drama, drawing new audiences to the all-year-round theatre and, in the process, improving its once precarious financial position.
You can vote for Debbie before the 5pm deadline on Friday May 31 by visiting https://norfolkartsawards.org/vote/
Finalists will be announced in July and the winners awarded their prizes in the autumn.
Mods and rockers back in town
The mods and rockers are heading back to Great Yarmouth. But instead of bringing parkas and punch-ups to the seafront they’ll be offering romance and sixties sounds at St George’s Theatre.
Juke Box Thrive is a new musical with a Romeo and Juliet theme set against the tensions of the restless youth groups of the day – the scooter-riding mods and the leather-clad rockers.
Developed by a small group of theatre volunteers, the show has a 13-strong cast of actors depicting a troubled time, with a tender love story at its heart and a backdrop of classic songs. Juke Box Thrive is directed by Ben Nash, with assistant director Anya Robinson.
“It’s been terrific creating this production from scratch with four people who have never done anything like this before,” said Ben, who has worked at St George’s Theatre for about a year. “They’re all young, so they weren’t around in the 1960s. They had to research a lot of the background to the frustration and tension rising among young people in a fast-changing Britain.
“The result is a musical play that brings to life a period that many local people will remember. It’s an engaging and heart-warming story, with music that takes you straight back to the age of the mini skirt and bob cut.”
The story centres on the relationship between rocker Jenny, played by Isabelle Driver, and Kieran Blount’s mod Alex, who somehow find love amidst the intense rivalry of their different factions.
Debbie Thompson, theatre director, said: “This remarkable production sprang from an idea that a group of enthusiastic young people came up with while they were volunteering at St George’s. They were actually here to learn about what goes on behind the scenes but had this desire to create something for the stage that was relevant to their community. Juke Box Thrive is the result and we’re extremely proud of it.” The play was developed by volunteers Catt Whittingham, Leia Waller, Aisha Bleasdale and Malcolm Hannant, who were based at St George’s thanks to a grant from Love Norfolk.
Juke Box Thrive is at St George’s Theatre on Sunday May 26th and Monday May 27th, starting at 7.30pm. Booking at stgeorgestheatre.com.
