Dramatic Performance and More
Welcome to ESPA Productions, a proud collaboration of East Surrey Operatic Society and The Opera Club of Reigate and Redhill.
Due to the recent discovery of RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) in the Harlequin Theatre, we are currently unable to perform at our regular venue. However, we are working closely with the council and receiving regular updates, and very much hope to return to The Harelquin one day soon.
For 2025, we are excited to announce that all our musical productions will be held at the stunning Chequer Mead Theatre in East Grinstead. We're fortunate to have found such a wonderful space for our performances during this time of transition.
ESPA Productions is comprised of three dynamic groups:
ESPA (East Surrey Performing Arts) presents two major musical productions annually, bringing a mix of classic and contemporary shows to the stage with high-energey performances.
DESPA (Drama from East Surrey Performing Arts) produces at least one captivating play each year, delivering powerful storytelling and compelling performances that engage and entertain.
YESPA (Youth East Surrey Performing Arts) shines the spotlight on young performers aged 8 to 21 with an exciting summer production, offering a platform for emerging talent to shine on stage.
We invite you to explore the world of ESPA Productions and experience theatrical excellence through our unforgettable performances!
Upcoming Shows & Events
24 Hour Musical - Show Date - 5th October 2024
Imagine creating an entire musical from start to finish in just 24 hours! Our 24-hour musical is an exhilarating, fast-paced event where participants come together to produce, rehearse, and perform a full-scale show—all within a single day. Whether you're on stage or behind the scenes, you'll be part of an unforgettable experience that challenges your creativity, teamwork, and stamina. No matter your experience level, there's a place for you in this thrilling theatrical adventure. Join us for a day of intense fun, collaboration, and the magic of live theater like you've never seen before!
Click for more information.
Tickets SOLD OUT!
Sunday 13th October - YESPA Autumn skills workshop
This autumn YESPA are excited to offer you a chance to experience the fun of group music making with a twist - a jazz based vocal and instrumental session!
Our workshop will be something new for us: an improv group music making and vocal session led by 2 members of Blues and Roots Ensemble (BARE). BARE are a group of top international jazz musicians who specialise in sharing the music of Charles Mingus and other jazz musicians. They love introducing the concept of making music on the go to new and experienced musicians and vocalists alike, so the workshop is for anyone who just loves music, whatever your experience, knowledge or skill level.
Times: 10am (for 10:15am start) to 4pm
Location: Colman Redland Centre, Croydon Road, Reigate RH2 0NA
Cost: £30 for a 6-hour day
Open to: Ages between 8 and 21
FUNNY GIRL - Launch Night and Auditions - October / November 2024
Launch Night 14th October 2024
Pre Audition Rehearsals 21st October & 4th November 2024
Auditions Sunday 10th November 2024
Show Dates: 16th to 19th April 2025
Pre Audition Rehearsals 21st October & 4th November 2024
Auditions Sunday 10th November 2024
Show Dates: 16th to 19th April 2025
Get ready as ESPA brings the legendary story of Funny Girl to Chequer Mead for the very first time! Step back into the glamorous world of the early 20th century, where Fanny Brice, a young Jewish girl from New York, defies all expectations and becomes one of the biggest stars of her time. With her quick wit, incredible talent, and unstoppable spirit, Fanny rises from the chorus line to the bright lights of the Ziegfeld Follies, capturing hearts along the way.
But it’s not all smooth sailing - Fanny’s love life is as dramatic as her career. Her whirlwind romance with the dashing but troubled gambler Nick Arnstein is filled with passion, heartbreak, and unforgettable moments. As Fanny’s star continues to rise, will her love story survive the pressures of fame?
Featuring show-stopping numbers like People, Don’t Rain on My Parade, and I’m the Greatest Star, Funny Girl is packed with the songs that made musical theatre history. This is a dazzling, heartwarming story of dreams, love, and the price of fame that you won’t want to miss!
Directed By Julia Stevens
Click for more information.
Ticket link coming soon...
Agatha Crusty and the Medieval Murders - 23rd - 26th October 2024
A comedy in two acts by Derek Webb
A comedy in two acts by Derek Webb
Agatha’s back, joining a genealogy course to find out about her family tree. The course is held in one of the best-preserved medieval houses in the country, Bramwell Towers, built on the site of an old Franciscan Priory, but she has scarcely been there a few hours when one of the people running the course dies in suspicious circumstances. And then one by one others follow.
The police are called, but the arrival of DI Twigg doesn’t fill the worried course participants with optimism and, yet again, it falls on Miss Crusty to solve the case amid bodies piling up as fast as the laughs.
Directed By Jane Hogg
YESPA The Little Mermaid Launch and Auditions - November 2024 / January 2025
Launch Night 5th December 2024
Auditions Sunday 5th January 2025
Show Dates: 7th to 9th August 2025
Auditions Sunday 5th January 2025
Show Dates: 7th to 9th August 2025
YESPA presents a fishy tale of romance and adventure involving a mermaid, a prince, loyal friends and unscrupulous foes: the Disney classic, The Little Mermaid.
Under the sea in a magical kingdom The Little Mermaid Ariel, is fascinated by the human world. She's in love with the dashing Prince Eric after rescuing him from a shipwreck but her father, King Triton, has forbidden any contact with humans. Headstrong Ariel makes a deal with the devious sea witch, Ursula, trading her beautiful voice for legs. She has three days to try to win Eric's love but if she fails, Ariel will belong to Ursula.
Disney's The Little Mermaid is a story of love and peril with a sprited heroine determined to make her dreams come true and the myriad of colourful sea creatures who love and protect her. Will Ariel ever be part of Prince Eric's world or will the evil Ursula triumph?
Delight in the Oscar winning score and come and decide if it's better where it's wetter with Sebastian the crab, Scuttle the seagull and Flounder the fish or up where they stay all day in the sun with Prince Eric. This enchanting Disney production is based on the classic 1989 animated film and features much loved songs including Under the Sea, Kiss the Girl, and Part of Your World.
The witty lyrics and dialogue will engage and amuse whatever your age!
Directed by John Harris-Rees
Click for more information.
Ticket link coming soon...
ROCK OF AGES - Launch and Auditions Dates Coming Soon
Show Dates: 12th to 15th November 2025
Show Dates: 12th to 15th November 2025
Get ready as ESPA brings this electrifying show to Chequer Mead! It's the wild, crazy end of the 1980s in Hollywood, where the party never stops. Aqua Net, Lycra, lace, and liquor are in full swing at one of the Sunset Strip’s last legendary venues, where rock god Stacee Jaxx rules the stage and groupies live out their wildest dreams. In the midst of it all, aspiring rock star Drew—currently stuck as the resident toilet cleaner—dreams of hitting the big time and winning the heart of Sherri, a small-town girl who just arrived from Kansas.
But with developers threatening to turn the Strip into just another strip mall, the dream is on the line. Can Drew, Sherri, and their friends save the Strip—and their rock 'n' roll fantasy—before it’s too late? The epic sounds of Journey’s Don’t Stop Believin’, Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead or Alive, Whitesnake’s Here I Go Again, hold the key.
This is a rock 'n' roll showdown you won’t want to miss!
Directed By Jenny Tullet
Click for more information.
Ticket link coming soon...
Singin' in the Rain - Coming Soon
More information coming soon...