One of Scotland’s most recognisable actors says he wouldn’t have had a career without Perth Theatre.
Colin McCredie is best known for his roles as DC Stuart Fraser in Taggart and Nick Morrison in River City, but he says it was his local theatre that inspired him to pursue a career on the stage:
He was speaking as part of the 125th anniversary of the theatre.
He told STV News: “My sister worked as an usher at the theatre, and she was able to get us tickets to go see shows like A Midsummer Night’s Dream when I was around seven or eight.
“The great thing about that time was there were lots of local actors that worked there. You’d see people like Andy Grey, Martin James, and Joan Knight who ran the theatre and lived locally as well, and it felt as if this was a career you could do.
“I went on, and I had parts in plays as a kid, then I worked in the box office, I worked backstage, I went to the new theatre, and I gave out posters. I pretty much did everything as a teenager right up until I went to drama school.
“Without Perth Theatre, I wouldn’t be an actor.”
STV NewsPerth Theatre is home to Scotland’s longest-running Youth Theatre programme, which was launched in 1966.
Vanessa Rawlings-Jackson was the theatre’s first general manager in 1976 and is currently the Chair of the Board of Trustees.
She says it was an important place for young aspiring actors to get experience: “In the years I was involved people like Jason Connery, Sean Connery’s son, got his equity card here.
“He was working with Andy Grey, and he and Andy played the policemen in Aladdin, and I think they got up to a lot of nonsense behind the scenes.
“Ewan McGregor started with the Youth Theatre here as did Colin McCredie.”
In the 1980s the theatre underwent a physical transformation, ensuring it could meet the needs of a modern audience.
STV NewsDirector of Perth Theatre Christopher Glasgow says they’ve continued to find new ways to draw in crowds: “We provide so many services beyond what people see on stage or what they think are the supposed traditional activities of a theatre and concert hall.
“That can be really simple things like having a cafe right in the city centre that people can use to hot desk at , and that’s their entry point and then it’s our job to guide them through all these different areas of arts and culture.”
This year marks 125 years since Perth Theatre first started entertaining crowds and 20 years since Perth Concert Hall opened.
To mark the occasion, they have a series of events and special performances planned.
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