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Derby Playhouse was a theatre production company based in Derby, England and the former name of the theatre which it owned and operated from its opening in 1975 until 2008, when the company ceased operating after a period in administration. The theatre was subsequently reopened in 2009 as the Derby Theatre and is now owned and operated by the University of Derby. During its tenure at the theatre, the Derby Playhouse company gained a national reputation for its productions, particularly the works of Stephen Sondheim. It also premiered new theatrical works as well as giving the regional premieres of several others. ==History== The original Playhouse had opened as the Little Theatre in a converted church hall on Becket Street in 1948.〔''Derby Telegraph'' (1 April 2013).("Heckling from the amateurs in early days of forerunner to Playhouse" ) Retrieved 4 April 2013.〕 In 1952, the company moved to another converted venue in Sacheveral Street and survived a major fire in 1956.〔''Derby Telegraph'' (5 November 2009). ("107 years young, Reg still on song thanks to faith, laughter and gin!" ). Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 In the 1960s and early 1970s the British government invested in the Arts Council of Great Britain's "Housing the Arts" fund. The fund enabled cities to renovate existing theatres and commission new ones. In response, the company formed the New Theatre Trust to raise the local funding necessary for its own purpose-built theatre. Roderick Ham, who had previously designed the Thorndike Theatre in Leatherhead, was commissioned to design the new theatre. The Derby City Council offered the land (part of the new Eagle Centre shopping development).〔Picturethepast.org.uk and ''Derby Telegraph''. ("Derby Playhouse entrance" ). Retrieved 14 January 2013.〕 The new Derby Playhouse, with a seating capacity of 535, was officially opened on 20 September 1975 by the 11th Duke of Devonshire.〔BBC News. (20 September 2005). ("Replacement for Playhouse urged" ). Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 The company experienced financial difficulties in 2002, running a trading deficit of £400,000, the biggest in its history, and nearly closed. By 2004 it had recovered and was breaking box-office records.〔Orme, Steve (2004). ("Karen Hebden – Rescuing Derby" ). ''British Theatre Guide''. Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 Geoff Sweeney, the company's Development Director at the time, suggested that it might seek new larger premises on the River Trent.〔 However, the company again ran into serious financial problems in 2007 which ultimately spelled its demise. On 29 November 2007, following the refusal of Derby City Council to advance £40,000 from their 2008 grant, the Board of Trustees of the theatre announced that it was going into voluntary liquidation and that performances would cease immediately.〔Martin, Francesca (5 December 2007). ("Derby Playhouse closes its doors after council refuses pleas for emergency funds" ). ''The Guardian''. Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 Nevertheless, the cast and crew of ''Treasure Island'' went ahead and put on that evening's performance.〔Atkins, Tom (30 November 2007). ("Board Shuts Derby Playhouse, Cancels Xmas Show" ). ''Whatsonstage''. Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 After the curtain call, the cast were joined on stage by the rest of the staff, with Karen Hebden (the theatre's chief executive and director of the show), Michael Hall, and Jonathan Powers (two former chairmen of the Playhouse board) who then addressed the audience and press, asking them to fight for the city's theatre and get the Playhouse open again.〔Ashworth, Pat (3 December 2007). ("Dark times for Derby Playhouse as board closes theatre" ). ''The Stage''. Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 The following day, the Board of Trustees announced that the company had been put into administration.〔''Derby Telegraph'' (13 September 2008). ("Abridged Version Of Playhouse Drama" ). Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 The administrators allowed the Playhouse to reopen on 7 December 2007 to finish its run of ''Treasure Island''.〔Orme, Steve (December 2007). ("Review: ''Treasure Island'', Robert Louis Stevenson, adapted by Karen Louise Hebden, Derby Playhouse ). ''British Theatre Guide''. Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 The theatre was being operated by a skeleton of essential staff, initially working unpaid to get it up and running again. A fund was set up to accept donations to keep the Playhouse going, as it was now operating as a charitable trust relying on ticket sales and donations alone. Tickets for a modified Spring/Summer 2008 season, which had already been on sale for some weeks before the closure, were put back on sale during December and January while an appeal was made to the Arts Council. However, the Arts Council refused the appeal in January 2008, and the theatre closed after the last performance of ''Treasure Island'' on 2 February 2008.〔 At a meeting on 30 July 2008 the creditors voted to accept a rescue package put together by the company's new board of trustees.〔''Derby Telegraph'' (30 July 2008). (Playhouse-board-given-ahead-reopen-theatre "Playhouse board given go-ahead to reopen theatre" ). Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 The theatre reopened on 13 September 2008 with ''The Killing of Sister George'' which ran until 18 October.〔''Derby Telegraph'' (15 September 2008). ("Playhouse reopening proves it can thrive with fans' support" ). Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 However, it proved to be the company's last production. The theatre was subsequently sold to the University of Derby and reopened in October 2009 as the Derby Theatre.〔''Derby Telegraph'' (8 October 2009). ("Theatre stages a remarkable comeback" ). Retrieved 10 January 2013.〕 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Derby Playhouse」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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