The Prestwood Players
The Prestwood Players are a local amateur theatre company which has been active in the village of Prestwood Buckinghamshire since 1969, with around seventy members (based on 2024 data). Based in the Village Hall in the centre of this small village and with such a comparatively long standing history it has become a central hub for creative expression not just in Prestwood, but also the surrounding villages of Princes Risbourough, Hughingdon, Kingshill and Hazlemere.
The group governed by a committee of eleven of its members, typically stages a variety of theatrical performances across the year ranging from Shakespeare to pantomime, and will have audiences of up to 120 each night of a show.
The Principle Cast and Directing Team for ‘Little Red Hiding Hood’
Prestwood itself has a population in the most recent census (3 years ago - 2021) of 7,600. The area is surrounded predominately by farmland and livery. Though the range of employment of members of Prestwood Players stretches further than the local area due to its commuter-belt location between: London, Oxford and Redding, as well as the local towns of High Wycombe and Aylesbury. Most members work in education, healthcare, retail. In a survey collected current members, a high proportion of the current members are part of the group for less than a year. This shows there is a fresh interest in the local area to be involved within the performing arts.
The Prestwood Players serves as a vital hub for community engagement, drawing residents together and forge lasting bonds. They often engage both seasoned actors and long time members with newcomers, providing a platform for individual of all ages to explore and foster a passion for the performing arts.
Their inclusive ideals ensures anyone no matter of background, age, disability, sexuality is welcome, and it is positive to see that this ethos is rarely shaken even in the moments of heightened emotion building up to a performance. In addition to their regular performances, they also get involved in community projects with schools, community centres and organisations to generate opportunities for youth involvement in theatre.