CADOS is a great place
to learn new skills and get involved with events in the
community.
Chorley Little Theatre may be nearly 100 years old but it
is fully equipped for the 21st Century; 236 upholstered
seats, state-of-the-art sound systems, hearing loop and
disabled access throughout.
A brief history of CADOS
CADOS was formed on Thursday 2nd March 1933 when Mr J.
Wightman convened an inaugural meeting at Shepherds Hall in
Chapel Steet, Mr Malkin proposed and Mr Sefton seconded
that a society be formed in the town to develop and further
the perfoming arts, the society was to be called Chorley
Amateur Dramatic and Operatic Society.
Mr Wightman was elected Chairman, Mr Pomfret was Treasurer
and Mr Holgate Secretary. The Committee were Mesdames,
Gough, Clarksom and Hewitt. Messrs Power and Heaton and
Messrs Halton, Swann, West, Haworth and Redmayne. Further
meetings were held at first weekly and later monthly at
various venues such as the Arcade Cafe, the Central Cafe
which was in Fazakerly Street. The first subscriptions were
set at 2/6d for members and One Guinea for patrons.
It was at a meeting, again at Shepherds Hall on the 28th
March 1933 that the first production was settled. The
Society intended to perform One Act Plays during the week
9th - 14th October. The trouble was that they had no
theatre, not even a room with a stage.
The owners of The Royal Theatre on Market Street, The
Pavilion in Salisbury Street and St Marys Hal were
approached to ascertain the cost of hiring for one week.
There is no further mention of The Royal but the cost of
the Pavillion would be One Hundred and Fifteen Pounds
whilst the cost of St Marys would be just Twenty One
Pounds. St Mary's was hired!
The first plays were to be 'The 13th Chair', 'The Farmers
Wife' and 'It Pays to Advertise'. Members wishing to take
part in the plays had to pay for their own scripts.
Admission prices were fixed at 2/6d, 2/-, 1/6d, 1/-, and
7d.
Whilst there is no record of the success or failure of this
venture, one assumes it went reasonably well because at a
meeting held in the Arcade Cafe on November 1933 it was
resolved to open an account with the Midland Bank.
Sadly Mr Wightman died shortly after the first productions.
Mr Charlton Dunkerley became the new Chairman on the 4th
December 1933.
Since being formed all CADOS members had been searching to
find a suitable home for the society. So in May 1934 when a
room underneath St Georges Street Congregational Church was
offered at a rent of 4 shillings per week on a twelve month
lease, the committee decided to take it. At the first
meeting in the new 'Headquarters' on Monday 2nd July 1934
various new names were suggested for the society including
Chorley Footlights, Chorley Players, Chorley Theatrical
Society, Chorley Art Club and Chorley Stage Society but at
another meeting on the 11th July it was decided that the
existing name of Chorley Amateur Dramatic and Operatic
Society should stand. During the following months the
headquarters was cleared out, a stage erected and curtains
were provided.
Saturday 29th September was the grand opening night when
one act plays were performed with the help of Manchester
Green Room Players. Some of the plays chosen were 'Flowers
of Remembrance', 'The Rehearsal', 'Change of Programme',
'The Threat' and 'Crowning Glory'. Chairs were borrowed
from the Reform Club and a gas cooker was purchased at a
price of 7/6d so refreshments could be provided. A Grand
Piano was donated to the Society anonymously.
During 1935 a musical play called 'Archie' was performed
making a profit of 23.12.9d and later in the year a farce
called 'When Knights were Bold' which made a profit of
1.1.3d after all the bills were paid.
In 1936 CADOS had the opportunity to purchase a set of
tip-up seats from the Theatre Royal, Darwen. Members and
friends were URGED to subscribe 2/6d to buy a seat with the
promise that a list of donors would be displayed in the
theatre.
In November 1936 the play 'Outward bound' was produced at
the Ambulance Hall and the Mayor of Chorley was invited for
the first time to honour the Society with his presence at
their first night performance. This produciton made a
profit of 19.15.11d which was very welcome because the rent
for the Headquarters has been raised from 4/- per week to
7/- per week which convinced the committee that they must
find more suitable premises as soon as possible.
The society moved to various locations around the town but
it wasn't until 1960, after purchasing what had been the
Empire Cinema, that CADOS moved into their current
permanent location at Dole Lane in Chorley.
