Acting Up in Rye has recently acquired The Old Scout Hut for a costume and scenery store. We originally housed our costumes and scenery at The School, but since ARRCC have taken over the lease, our rent was to be increased from £70 a month to £440 per month from April 1. This is a massive increase for a small amateur dramatic company who do not make a profit. We were therefore forced to look for a cheaper alternative.
The lease for The Old Scout Hut was available and from April 1 we took over the premises. With the aid of a grant from the Wind Farm we have renovated the property, installing a new kitchen, costume and scenery racks. This has involved a lot of hard work from the committee and some of our members, who have been building and painting in their free time. We plan to paint the outside of the building and renew the guttering during the summer. We also plan to make use of the space as a rehearsal venue, as we have managed to mark out the dimensions (acting space after scenery is built) of the Community Centre stage, on the floor.
We are holding a Grand Opening on Saturday May 30, 10:30am-12:30pm. Chris Emson, one of our members, will perform the ceremony for us. This is especially significant as she was Akela in Rye and very involved with the Cubs and Scouts for many years. We would be delighted if you would join us and celebrate what we feel is a major step forward for our acting group.
* Editor’s note : The Old Scout Hut is the first hut on the left opposite the Leisure Centre / swimming pool, which is on the left off The Grove, just by the level crossing.