About Us
THE MILLER THEATRE COMPANY
Nine productions are staged each season, each running for ten performances. Rehearsals normally run for six weeks (three weeks in the Studio and three weeks in the theatre) and are usually held on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings at 8pm with one or two Sunday afternoons. Auditions are open to non-members although membership is required for participation in a production.
Anyone not wishing to tread the boards will find ample opportunity for involvement in a live theatre environment as all aspects of the productions are undertaken by members whether it be stage management, lighting, sound, wardrobe, set design and construction or scenery painting. Lack of experience is no barrier – our aim is for enjoyment coupled with a sense of achievement and the satisfaction of earning a good reputation with our audience.
A regular newsletter, On Stage, keeps members informed and new members are always welcome.
A more detailed history of the Theatre Company can be found here.
For more information about membership, click here.
The Miller Centre Theatre Company, trading as ‘The Miller Theatre’ is a registered charity (No 1044236) and is managed by a board of Trustees, elected annually:
Chairman: Martin Swain
Secretary: Pamela Cuthill
Treasurer: Peter Brown
Artistic Director: Helen Dunford-Hearn
Wardrobe: Berry Butler
Design & Publicity: Robin Clark
Technical Director: Vernon Culver
Penny Parker
Please email if you would like to contact a member of the Trustees.
THE MILLER CLUB
During the day, the Miller Club is a friendly meeting place for members who want to enrol on a wide range of low cost leisure activities to maintain physical and mental fitness and to channel creative skills. Click here.
Members can also assist in the running of the theatre by becoming volunteers. Volunteers work in clerical, administrative, technical, managerial and creative areas, depending upon their skills and availability. They give anything from a few hours of their time every month or so, through to a couple of days a week; some roles require volunteers during the daytime, others at weekends or evenings.
Our Volunteer Coordinator is Helena Shore and she’s please to phone or meet potential new volunteers to find out about their skills and availability, and to assign them to a team. Helena can be contacted by email: or phone the Box Office on 01883 349850 and leave her a message (Box Office open Mon to Sat, 10am to 1pm).
Club members can purchase theatre tickets before they go on sale to the public, receive a 10% bar discount, enrol in daytime leisure activities, join coach outings to places of interest, receive periodic newsletters and vote at AGMs. After a qualifying period, volunteers become eligible for some discounted tickets, receive a bigger bar discount and can take part in daytime leisure activities free of charge.
It costs just £20 per year to be a Miller Club member. For more information or to join, click here to join online, or visit the Box Office to collect a paper application form. You can pay by card, BACS or cheque.
For more information, please come to an Open Coffee Morning, held every Friday between 10.30am and midday.
The Miller Club Committee, elected annually by the members, manages the Club:
Chairman: Steve Bishop
Treasurer: Nigel Swift
Secretary: Sue Woods
Bar Manager: Dan Birkett
Print Room Manager: David Jex
Box Office & Front of House Manager: Chris Millsted
Volunteer Coordinator: Helena Shore
Membership Secretary: Brenda Skilbeck
Social & Outings Coordinator: Sue Weeks-Wheeldon
Activities Coordinator: Jennifer Davis
Please email if you would like to contact the Club.
The rules of the Miller Club can be viewed here.
THE MILLER CENTRE TRUST
The Miller Centre was opened in October 1977. Its aim is to provide a friendly atmosphere and a workplace where people can enjoy the companionship of others and find a sense of purpose by helping to run a community theatre.
Originally a church and then a school, the premises were converted to a day centre and theatre by The Miller Centre Trust (formerly The Park Hill Trust), a registered charity (no. 1185583), the objective of which is to improve the quality of life for older people. The Trust owns the buildings and is responsible for their maintenance and upkeep, employing a full time Caretaker. As a practical expression of its aim to encourage older people to play a positive role in the community, the Trust licenses use of the buildings to the Theatre Company and the Club. The current Chair of the Trust is Peter Shore.
Following a substantial refurbishment in 2018 to provide more comfort and legroom for patrons, the theatre has 186 seats (96 raked) and can be adapted for both proscenium arch and in the round productions. It is also used as a cinema once a month to show modern blockbusters and classic films.
The stage has a variable speed revolve and the theatre contains excellent technical equipment to enhance productions.
Other facilities include meeting rooms, a studio, a well-equipped workshop and a wardrobe department.
The centre was named after Dorothy Miller, founder of the Caterham Players in 1945.