Come socialise with your theatre friends during the Criterion's Big Build! On the 7th September we'll be heading to Spencer Park to enjoy their "Bands in the Park" event. Bring a picnic and a friend and we'll have a lovely, informal catch-up.

The Customer Experiences team is organising three training sessions for around the time of the theatre's Grand Reopening. This is a training session open for all -- from experienced members to non-members interested in volunteering. All three training sessions will be the same, so please book yourself in on the one session you can do. BOOK YOUR PLACE WITH THIS ONLINE FORM [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHOomgWrm2__YUaCSyifRsh6NHM15R7Qxr78EmAsCTdFa_AA/viewform?usp=header]. We'll be doing some GENERAL TRAINING FOR EVERYONE WORKING IN THE NEW BUILDING, ESPECIALLY AROUND FIRE SAFETY, and then we'll be covering some specifics for: * Bar * Front of House * Box Office * etc. As well as being a useful refresher and update for experienced members, this will be a great opportunity for new volunteers to learn how things work and get stuck in.

The Customer Experiences team is organising three training sessions for around the time of the theatre's Grand Reopening. This is a training session open for all -- from experienced members to non-members interested in volunteering. All three training sessions will be the same, so please book yourself in on the one session you can do. BOOK YOUR PLACE WITH THIS ONLINE FORM [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHOomgWrm2__YUaCSyifRsh6NHM15R7Qxr78EmAsCTdFa_AA/viewform?usp=header]. We'll be doing some GENERAL TRAINING FOR EVERYONE WORKING IN THE NEW BUILDING, ESPECIALLY AROUND FIRE SAFETY, and then we'll be covering some specifics for: * Bar * Front of House * Box Office * etc. As well as being a useful refresher and update for experienced members, this will be a great opportunity for new volunteers to learn how things work and get stuck in.

The Customer Experiences team is organising three training sessions for around the time of the theatre's Grand Reopening. This is a training session open for all -- from experienced members to non-members interested in volunteering. All three training sessions will be the same, so please book yourself in on the one session you can do. BOOK YOUR PLACE WITH THIS ONLINE FORM [https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdHOomgWrm2__YUaCSyifRsh6NHM15R7Qxr78EmAsCTdFa_AA/viewform?usp=header]. We'll be doing some GENERAL TRAINING FOR EVERYONE WORKING IN THE NEW BUILDING, ESPECIALLY AROUND FIRE SAFETY, and then we'll be covering some specifics for: * Bar * Front of House * Box Office * etc. As well as being a useful refresher and update for experienced members, this will be a great opportunity for new volunteers to learn how things work and get stuck in.

IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR OF THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES I am writing this to update you all on a difficult board decision, taken a few days ago, to postpone our upcoming production of ‘Tommy’. The building development project has been moving at pace, and the change is going to be something special. The development schedule is monitored very closely, as those of you who read the development bulletin will know. However, in recent weeks we have hit some unforeseen delays, all of which were absorbed into the plan. We have an old building and expect to discover some problems due to the scope of the works we are trying to achieve, and we built in time for potential delays. The schedule was still on target, albeit a challenging one, until our structural engineer advised that our wardrobe floor and area above the bar required reinforcement to make safe and futureproof. We, of course, have instructed these works but the time impact on the end date means that works would not be finished in time for the opening of Tommy. This is obviously devastating to everyone involved in the project and production. We have considered every option we could think of to work around and discussed at length the possibilities open to us. We met with the creative team behind ‘Tommy’ and discussed the situation and the possibilities of continuing, opening on time and adapting around the building works to ensure audiences could access the auditorium. The consensus was that a work around to open in an unfinished building would be detrimental to the production, put too much pressure on everyone involved, many of whom are also involved in the development works, and ultimately have too large an impact on what promises to be an amazing show. Over the past few years, we have faced several large challenges around getting the shows on and we have always worked very hard to overcome them. I am always very proud of our resilience and record in overcoming seemingly unsurmountable odds. Our Artistic Director has always driven this attitude and continues to do so, but as a board we felt that we have no choice in this instance but to postpone. I wanted to share this with you, and the reasons behind the decision, before you heard it elsewhere.  THE NEW DATES FOR ‘TOMMY’ HAVE BEEN CONFIRMED AS 31ST JANUARY TO 7TH FEBRUARY 2026.  The show will go on, the development will be completed, a few weeks late admittedly. It has been quite a few days! I would like to thank the development team and the board for facing into a very difficult decision at the right time and also the creatives behind ‘Tommy’ for understanding, showing such desire to continue, and wanting to give the show the best possible start. We will of course update you on any further developments, but rest assured we are working very hard to ensure the project is completed to the right standard and is fit for the future. Hopefully, we will not find any more surprises! For further information on the project, look out for our development update bulletins or why not visit our just giving page which explains exactly what we are doing and the problems we have encountered, details on the website. You may feel the desire to contribute and become a part of our history! Please do contact me if you have any questions or comments. Jon Elves, Chair, Criterion Theatre

Following the success of the new writing dramas in this year’s festival, we are seeking expressions of interest in a process to develop new dramatic works (including adaptations of out of copyright works) by Coventry and Warwickshire based playwrights. Six short plays will be chosen to be performed three times each at the Springboard Festival 2026 (dates late spring TBC). The six successful writers will be offered a fee of £50. The plays, (which can be extracts of larger works) will be of between 10 and 30 minutes long, and feature a cast of two or more. Writers would not usually appear in their own work. To express interest please submit to ANDREW@CKAM.CO.UK : * Name, contact details, and brief details of your writing experience. * A precis of your idea, the characters and brief outline of the plot or scenario. PLEASE DO NOT SEND A FULL PLAY. THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY NOT A PLAYWRITING COMPETITION. * Are you willing to attend free peer-led workshops fortnightly at the theatre? * What genre best describes your play? DEADLINE FOR EXPRESSIONS OF INTEREST: 14TH SEPT 2025 THE LATEST, EARLIER IF WE ARE OVERSUBSCRIBED. Deadline for drafts to be advised, but by December 2025. Selection of plays to be performed will start in December by a panel of directors, who will go on to arrange a table read of the plays. The final selection will then be made by the Artistic Director of the Criterion Theatre.

STATUS AND PROGRESS BULLETIN #10 TIMING AND PROGRESS: BEHIND STATUS AGAINST PLAN 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒                 WORKS COMPLETED IN WEEK 10 (25JUL25)   Building works on extension struture complete: * * Re-roofing to area above accessible toilet bar store and cold room completed * Walls boarded and vapour membrane installed * New roof covering membrane installed * Old front door temporarily relocated to new front door opening and new window openings boarded up for security * Screen closing off new foyer from bar area removed * Preparatory work for installation of reinforcement beam above bar * New plan agreed with contractor for completion of all activities     WORKS PLANNED FOR WEEK 11  (28JUL25) * Sagging beam reinforcement installation * Start toilet rebuild (walls) * Start electrical 1st fix (cable installation) * Widening of toilet lobby doorway   This weeks images show big changes inside! The screening between the extension and the bar has been removed revealing the new opening. It has had a real transformation effect on the interior space!

Since 1960, the Criterion has entertained audiences from its base on Berkeley Road South, Earlsdon. In that time, the fabric of the building has not changed to any great extent, with the majority of any renovations typically carried out by volunteers within the theatre. However, it has long been recognised that our wonderful building needs modernising to prepare it for the next generations of users; not only improve the theatrical experience for audiences and volunteers, but also to become more energy efficient building fit for a greener future. The biggest barrier to such development has always been how to fund it. The theatre has always been run to serve its community, not one to maximise its profits, which meant large scale redevelopment has, to up to now, remained out of reach. However, thanks to an incredible gift left by one of our founding members - Chris Murly - the generosity of donations over many years, and the prudency of our finance team, we have been able to look at a number of key changes to the theatre. The redevelopment will begin immediately after the close of the “Springboard Festival 25” on 18th May and be finished in plenty of time for the grand reopening when “The Who’s Tommy” hits the stage in November. WHAT'S CHANGING?  The most obvious change will be the front of the building, with a new modern frontage featuring large format stone texture cladding panels, an illuminated sign and accessible entrance. This will also create more space in the building, and slightly reduce capacity in the car park. There will be also major changes to the front of house/bar/toilet areas with a number of new features: - New open entrance extension - Opening up bar and entrance - Complete refit and refurbishment - New fixed banquette seating - New furniture throughout - Sympathetic bar refurbishment - Full toilet refurbishment - New wall and floor finishes - Theatrical entrance to auditorium - Inclusive, flexible design HEATING AND COOLING Managing the temperature within the theatre has always been a challenge. Installing an economical air conditioning system will not only ensure that the building’s temperature is more easily managed, but also help to reduce the carbon footprint. FUTURE PLANS The next planned stage of development will see the installation of solar panels on the roof to make our energy use even greener, and also to replace the stage lighting with more efficient LED lamps. We will then be looking to the backstage area to provide a more accessible, fit for purpose space for the cast and crew who put on our wonderful productions. In order to achieve our ambitious plans, we will have to continue to fundraise in a major way. If you would like to contribute at all to our wonderful plans, we would be eternally grateful for any donations (big or small) from individuals, community groups or businesses.  We have a JustGiving page which you can donate to by visiting the website at https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/criterionbigbuild or contact Barbara at fundraising@criteriontheatre.co.uk if you want to discuss other ways of donating to the theatre.   If you are able to help in any other capacity (DIY, professional trades) or just want to be involved please drop an email to volunteer@criteriontheatre.co.uk and make yourself known. There are some wonderful small, manageable projects in the pipeline, a real chance to play a part in shaping the future.