Due high public demand we added extra seats to Frankie Boyle Live and now the evening is completely sold out.

Interested in an evening of Comedy then tickets are still available for Fred MacAulay and Bruce Fummey in About the Jacobites.

Cumbernauld Theatre has been experiencing some technical difficulties with the computer system and we are currently updating our website. We would like to thank our customers for their patience as this situation is being resolved.

At Monday night's live final of the Cumbernauld Battle of the Bands competition, four talented young bands competed for the coveted title at Cumbernauld Theatre. This was the culmination of the contest, run by North Lanarkshire Council and Cumbernauld Theatre as part of the Cumbernauld 50 celebrations, open to Cumbernauld-based bands whose members were aged between 14 and 21.

After hearing a twenty minute set from each of the four bands selected to play in the final, judges Grant Thomson from L107 Radio, journalist Graeme McDonald of Music News Scotland and Geraldine Delaney from Cumbernauld Performers Forum announced City Life as the winners. The other bands to reach the final were Fools Paradise, Overcry and The Fallen Arches.

Lucky winners City Life won two days of recording time at North Lanarkshire Council's Petersburn Recording Studio and were also presented with £100.

A delighted Gary Gilmour of City Life said "I didn’t expect anything like this in Cumbernauld but it's good that it's started to develop, and hopefully the Cumbernauld music scene will develop into a vast network of underground bands in the near future. We hope to be playing in Cumbernauld Theatre again soon."

Are you in a band? Aged between 14 and 21? Based in Cumbernauld? Then you can enter our Battle of the Bands contest. It's free, and it's simple. Just pick up an entry form from the theatre, put together a demo tape or CD with three tracks and send it to us by 25 May 2007. A panel of judges will listen to all the demo's and then six bands will be selected to play at the Final gig held in the theatre on 25 June.

This is a great opportunity to get your band seen and heard.

Entry forms for the competition and a full copy of the rules are available from Cumbernauld Theatre Box Office (call 01236 732887).

Anyone and everyone of any and every age can enter our Digital Arts Competition (as long as you live or work in Cumbernauld that is).

Grab your digital camera or your mobile phone and try and capture the essential Cumbernauld in a photograph and then send it to us in a high quality digital format.

Selected entries will be displayed in the Foyer at Cumbernauld Theatre and on 28 June (the anniversary of the town's founding) three winners will be announced after being judged by a panel of local artists.

Simply email your entry anytime between now and 25 May 2007 to:

digital@cumbernauldtheatre.co.uk

or pop it in the post on CD, to Digital Arts Competition, Cumbernauld Theatre, Kildrum, Cumbernauld G67 2BN. And remember to include your full contact details.

Please note: by entering the competition you are agreeing to your work and name being displayed. Not all entries may be displayed. A copy of the full eligibility conditions and rules are available from the Theatre Box Office.

Cumbernauld Theatre is opening its doors to those interested in contemporary Hip-Hop Culture for the first in a series of day-long events designed to support the growth of urban artistic expression in Scottish communities.

Entitled SCRATCH Journeys through the Urban underground, the event takes place on March 3rd 2007 at Cumbernauld Theatre and comprises of a daytime workshop programme for 12 - 25 year olds and an evening Hip-Hop club event for over-16's.

SCRATCH-DAY Running between 12pm - 5pm on March 3rd 2007, our daytime programme of events for young people focuses on the Urban Arts of DJ-ing, Break-dancing, Hip-Hop Dance and Graffiti Art through a series of workshops, master-classes and demonstrations. Fans and enthusiasts of Hip-Hop will get a rare opportunity to learn from some of Scotland's leading urban artists including Glasgow B-Boy Crew The Flying Jalapenos, B-Girl & DJ Shelltoe Mel, DJ Krash Slaughta & graffiti artist EJEK of Easy Riderz.

PLEASE NOTE: ALL WORKSHOPS ARE 1HR IN DURATION AND COST £2 PER PERSON, DEMONSTRATIONS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO ALL. TO BOOK YOUR PLACE, CONTACT CUMBERNAULD THEATRE BOX OFFICE: 01236 732887

SCRATCHNIGHT: As day turns to night we open our doors and invite you to freak out with your floor work, get rawkus with your routines and get in a frankle with your freezes, all in the name of Hip-Hop! We've got the best Scottish DJs providing the ultimate soundtrack to your night including DJs Krash Slaughta, Shelltoe Mel and Colin Millar and we extend a warm welcome to our very special guests for the evening, BINARY LABYRINTH. Witness the fitness, Cumbernauld's first B-Boy Battle will kick off the jam. The 2-on-2 Battles will be hosted by Tony Mills (Random Aspekts) and will feature Glasgow's premier B-Boy Crew, The Flying Jalapenos, and a special guest performance by INDIE B JEWELS. If you want to keep it unreal on the dance floor, join us between 9pm - 2pm on March 3rd 2007 for what promises to be an unforgettable night!

PLEASE NOTE: TICKETS FOR THIS CLUB EVENT ARE LIMITED, SO BOOK EARLY TO AVOID DISAPPOINTMENT! TICKETS: £6 (£5) IN ADVANCE. OVER 16'S ONLY. I.D REQUIRED. FOR DETAILS ON HOW TO SECURE YOUR TICKETS FOR THIS EVENT, PHONE CUMBERNAULD THEATRE BOX OFFICE: 01236 732887

B-BOYS & B-GIRLS CAN REGISTER FOR THE BATTLE BY EMAILING SCRATCH@CUMBERNAULDTHEATRE.CO.UK

One of Cumbernauld Theatre's board members has won a prestigious arts award for his work at the theatre. Arts & Business Scotland has recently announced the winners in its 2006 Arts & Business Awards, and Graham Rowan took the Volunteer of the Year Award.

Graham is Distribution Operations Director with Prudential, leading major change programmes and providing commercial and risk management services for Prudential's sales forces and business partners. Based at Prudential's Craigforth site in Stirling, Graham Rowan has for the last two years also brought his skills and experience to the voluntary role of being a board member at nearby Cumbernauld Theatre.

Born and raised in Glasgow, Graham moved to Stirling in 1987, and lives there with his wife Lorraine and four children.

On winning the award, Graham Rowan commented, "I'm delighted that the partnership with Cumbernauld Theatre has been recognised by the Arts & Business 20th Anniversary Awards. Over the last 25 years the Theatre has become a vital part of cultural life in the local community and its influence extends nationally and internationally. This work has been all about looking at the next 25 years to establish how the Theatre can work with its partners to reach further into the community and provide greater access to creative experiences for all."

The winners of 20th Anniversary Arts & Business Scottish Awards were announced at an evening of celebration at the Edinburgh Festival Theatre on Wednesday 11 October. The volunteer category was looking for an inspirational business volunteer involved in the Arts & Business Professional Development Programmes, who has clearly benefited personally from the arts engagement, and given outstanding support to the arts partner.

Other categories included Arts and Communities, won by Clydesdale Bank and Dundee City Council, and Arts and Kids, won this year by Bank of Scotland and Imaginate.

Do you live in Cumbernauld and are you between 12 and 16 years old? If so, Cumbernauld Theatre and the Scottish Wildlife Trust would love you to join them for a fantastic art project taking place in Cumbernauld Glen this summer!

Cumbernauld Theatre, the Scottish Wildlife Trust and North Lanarkshire Council have formed a new and exciting partnership and they are looking for young people to work with on a 2-week project, running between 18 and 28 July, which creatively explores the natural environment of Cumbernauld Glen and its artistic neighbour, Cumbernauld Theatre.

Spread over two weeks, the project explores the natural environment through a series of free workshops which include Film-making, Shelter building, Photography, Drawing, Wildlife conservation & appreciation, Sculpture and much, much more!

If you would like to be involved in this project, please contact Janet Healy at Cumbernauld Theatre on 01236 737235 or Roslyn Houston, Community Learning & Development Worker at Muirfield Community Centre, on 01236 725448.

Please note that the closing date for registration is Friday 7 July 2006. Also bear in mind that places on this project are limited, so get in touch soon to avoid disappointment!

From the same team that created the award-winning Beauty and the Beast last year (Best Children's Show - Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland), Cumbernauld Theatre is presenting The Snow Queen as its 2005 Christmas Show.

Based on the classic Hans Christian Andersen tale, this is a brand new show written and directed by Simon Sharkey. As artistic director of Cumbernauld Theatre, Simon has been responsible for creating the theatre's Christmas Shows for the last ten years. Last March he moved on from this post to become the Associate Director (Learning) at the prestigious new National Theatre of Scotland, but he is taking time out from his new job to carry on the tradition of high quality children's theatre at Cumbernauld.

Simon Sharkey's reworking of this well-loved tale creates a dramatic and spectacular family show, which will captivate audiences of all ages.

In a world of ice and snow the enchanting story is told of little Gerda selflessly embarking on a heroic journey to rescue her best friend Kay, who has been stolen away to a frozen palace. Travelling through magical landscapes, meeting mystical and mischievous creatures, she battles to stop the Snow Queen freezing away all that is good in the world.

Expect magic and music, laughs and adventure, and truly inventive theatre in the ultimate story of bravery, friendship and compassion.

What the press said about last year's Christmas Show, Beauty and the Beast:

"Quite simply, it's a true seasonal cracker - a vivid celebration of storytelling and make-believe, packed with uproarious comedy - but also strong on the transforming magic of love."

The Herald, Mary Brennan

"It is bubbly, with just a little edge of darkness and a sprinkling of magic. You couldn't ask for more."

The Stage, Jenny Tweedie

Set designer Finlay McLay and costume designer Maggie Miller are reunited once again on Cumbernauld's Christmas Show production team, creating a magical setting and spectacular costumes. And they are joined for a second year by Martin Low as musical director and composer. This year Gordon Barr also joins the team as Assistant Director.

Simon Sharkey directs a talented cast led by Anita Vettesse as the Snow Queen, ably supported by Robbie Jack, Angela Darcy, Harry Ward and Danielle Stewart, who as ever will portray a multitude of colourful characters.

A trip to The Snow Queen will be a family outing to remember, with laughter and tears, booing, hissing and cheering, and the extra special storytelling magic that Cumbernauld Theatre always brings to its Christmas Shows. It opens on Friday 25 November and plays until Saturday 24 December.

TICKET PRICES:

Adults £9, Children/Concessions £7 Family ticket £27

Group bookings - every eleventh ticket free

Schools tickets - November performances £4.50, December performances £5.50 (10am and weekday 1pm performances only)

BOX OFFICE:

01236 732887

Cumbernauld Theatre's 2004 Christmas Show has recently been announced as winner of a prestigious Scottish theatre award.

Beauty and the Beast played to packed houses last November and December, being seen by nearly twelve and a half thousand people, and was a hit with audiences and reviewers alike. The success of the production has now been formally acknowledged by the Critics Awards for Theatre in Scotland 2004-5, where Beauty and the Beast was voted Best Children's Show.

This brand new adaptation of the classic tale was written and directed by Cumbernauld Theatre's artistic director Simon Sharkey. After ten years at the theatre, Sharkey has recently moved on to take up the challenging role of Associate Director for Education at the newly formed National Theatre of Scotland. However, he will be taking time out from this new post to write and direct Cumbernauld Theatre's next Christmas Show.

For Christmas 2005 Simon has chosen to write a brand new version of The Snow Queen, the well-loved Hans Christian Andersen tale. This will be staged at Cumbernauld Theatre from 25 November to 24 December. Tickets are already on sale, priced £9 for adults, £7 for children/concessions, and £27 for a family ticket. For a full list of performance dates and times, check out the theatre's website, www.cumbernauldtheatre.co.uk or call the Box Office on 01236 732887.

Ends

For more information, contact Amanda Howson, Marketing Manager, at Cumbernauld Theatre, on 01236 737235, or by email:

amanda.howson@cumbernauldtheatre.co.uk

Cumbernauld Theatre now has its What's On guide available both in large print format and taped onto cassette. To request a copy, customers can call the theatre box office on 01236 732887, and can be added to the mailing list to receive it in this format for future editions.

Blind and partially-sighted theatre-goers will also be interested to know that Rapture Theatre's production of Blue/Orange, a medical thriller coming to Cumbernauld Theatre on Friday 27 May, will be audio-described, and there will also be a touch tour before the performance. These two facilities can enhance the theatre-going experience for visually-impaired customers by helping them appreciate the scenery, costumes and ongoing action of the play.

To find out more, just call Cumbernauld Theatre on 01236 732887 or 737235.

Visually impaired theatre-goers are in for a Christmas treat following a partnership between Cumbernauld Theatre and the town's Tesco Extra store.

For the first time ever the theatre will be able to offer audio described performances at its popular Christmas show Beauty and the Beast.

Audio description is a running commentary of the action of a show, including descriptions of all visual elements such as the scenery and the costumes, delivered through a headset, to enhance the enjoyment of a performance by the visually impaired audience member. The support of Tesco Extra has enabled the theatre to provide this facility for a number of performances this Christmas, and is an example of the company's commitment to the local community.

Cumbernauld Theatre's Marketing Manager, Amanda Howson said, "We've wanted to provide audio description services at the theatre for some time and now thanks to help from Tesco Extra and the Audio Description Association Scotland we're at last going to be able to do this Christmas.

"We hope to build on this achievement by planning more audio-described performances in the future."

Tesco Extra Store manager Andy Punton said: "We are delighted to be able to help. This is a real community initiative which we hope will be ongoing".

This year's Christmas Show at Cumbernauld, Beauty and the Beast, is sponsored by ScottishPower, another company committed to the local communities they operate in and to making the arts accessible to as wide an audience as possible. Written and directed by Cumbernauld Theatre's artistic director Simon Sharkey, it is based on the traditional Beauty and the Beast fairy tale. It is suitable for all ages from nursery school upwards, and will be enjoyed by the whole family, with music and magic, action and adventure, laughter and tears, and plenty of audience participation.

Thanks to Tesco Extra, there will be three audio described performances:

Wednesday 15 December at 10am

Wednesday 15 December at 1pm

Friday 17 December at 7pm

The 1pm performance on Wednesday 15 December is already fully subscribed, but there are spaces available at the 10am performance that day and the Friday performance. Places are limited due to the number of headsets available, so prompt booking is advisable. When booking, please specify that you require the audio description service.

Tickets cost £8.50 full price and £6.50 for children and other concessions. There is also a family ticket available for £25 which covers two adults and two children or one adult and three children. For more information, or to book tickets, call Cumbernauld Theatre Box Office on 01236 732887.

Building on the ongoing partnership between Cumbernauld Theatre and ScottishPower Learning, the theatre's Christmas Show this year is being sponsored by ScottishPower.

The show will be a brand new adaptation of Beauty and the Beast, and ScottishPower's support of this production will help Cumbernauld Theatre to continue to provide family entertainment of the highest quality to the local community, and to schools across central Scotland. A pantomime or Christmas Show is often a child's first introduction to theatre, and so has a vital role to play in encouraging young people to engage with creative arts.

Cumbernauld Theatre's artistic director Simon Sharkey says, "ScottishPower's sponsorship will for the first time allow us to give free tickets to young people and families who might not normally get to see a panto. Cumbernauld Theatre aims to create access to the best theatrical experiences for as many people as we can. This generous contribution towards that aim is greatly appreciated and positively welcomed as it allows us to reach more people at a special time of year. We are looking forward to working with them in making Beauty and the Beast a special event to be enjoyed by thousands."

Heather McDonald, Head of UK Sponsorships at ScottishPower says, "Our approach to community investment enables us to support community programmes through long-term partnerships involving long-term investment plans rather than one-off donations. This approach not only delivers greater benefit to our company, but to the communities and organisations, allowing them to plan sustainably for the future. Our sponsorship of the Christmas Show supports ScottishPower's aims to increase accessibility to the arts, particularly for young people, and underlines our commitment to the local communities in which we operate".

Cumbernauld Theatre has been working with ScottishPower Learning for the last five years. Together they developed the award-winning ArtsWork programme which uses creative techniques including video, graffiti art, dance and live music to build confidence and skills among young people.

Beauty and the Beast can be seen at Cumbernauld Theatre from 26 November to 24 December. Call the Box Office on 01236 732887 for more details.

Many famous faces who have performed at Cumbernauld Theatre will be re-united there on Saturday 2 October at a special Silver Jubilee Show.

The show will be hosted by Elaine C Smith, ably assisted by the theatre's artistic director Simon Sharkey. Elaine has appeared many times at Cumbernauld Theatre with renowned companies such as 7:84, Wildcat and Borderline not to mention her own shows, and has a special affection for Cumbernauld audiences. She'll be sharing some of her reminiscences and giving us a few songs, as well as introducing the rest of the guest performers, as they gather round the grand piano.

Dave Anderson will also be tinkling the ivories and treating us to a few numbers from shows he has performed here over the years. The ever popular R3 Tenors will be performing a short selection of favourite opera classics, and the RSNO's Karen MacIver will take over on the piano to play some Gershwin tunes. Karen will also accompany the theatre's very own Simon Sharkey as he relives his role in Being Frank with a couple of Sinatra songs. Karen also plays with the Swingcats (performing at Cumbernauld Theatre on 25 September) and has been musical director for many of the theatre's Christmas Shows.

Several cast members of River City will also be appearing at the Jubilee Show. Gilbert Martin and Carmen Pieraccini, who play father and daughter Paddy and Kelly-Marie in the TV soap, have both been regulars in Cumbernauld Theatre Company productions.

The 21st Century Band will be playing material from their new album, and there will also be a short set from John Kielty's band, The Martians. John came through Cumbernauld's youth theatre system and has been starring on the Scottish stage for several years now. He wrote many of the songs on David Sneddon's solo album, and plays in his band The Sham, but here at Cumbernauld Theatre you'll get the chance to hear some of this talented singer-songwriter's songs before they become hits.

All the guest performers at this fun-packed evening will be giving up their time free of charge to help celebrate Cumbernauld Theatre's twenty five years of success, and help raise funds for the future. All tickets for the evening are ten pounds. To join in the celebrations, ring the Box Office on 01236 732887 and reserve your seats.

As Cumbernauld Theatre embarks this autumn on its twenty-fifth year as an independent professionally run theatre, celebrations have already begun.

Members of local community groups got the season off to a great start with a Jubilee Cabaret night on 4 September, featuring the Youth Theatre, Cumbernauld Performers Forum, Cumbernauld Theatre Writers, Kilsyth Music Society and several local bands. The world premiere of Jekyll & Hyde this week provides another high spot for the season.

The theatre is enjoying great support from the stars who have performed here over the years and have come to love Cumbernauld's intimate auditorium and friendly audiences.

As well as the messages of goodwill that are flooding in from those who cannot join in the celebrations in person, many people are giving up their time to appear at the Cumbernauld Theatre Silver Jubilee Show on Saturday 2 October. Hosted by Elaine C Smith, the show will also include appearances by Dave Anderson, R3 Tenors, The 21st Century Band and some of the cast of River City.

Businesses, members of the local community and prominent figures from the entertainment world are taking the opportunity to support the theatre's jubilee fundraising in a number of ways, including sponsoring candles on the theatre's birthday cake.

Singing Kettle performers, Artie and Cilla Trezise, dropped by the other day to show their support for the scheme by lighting a couple of candles outside the theatre. Other candle sponsors include comedy actress Fiona Knowles, of MsFits Theatre Company, and A G Barr, the soft drink manufacturers.

Growing on from the roots of the Cottage Theatre, set up in a row of old cottages while the new town of Cumbernauld was being built, Cumbernauld Theatre has developed as the cultural heart of the community, supporting a wide variety of groups participating in drama, music and creative writing. Its Community, Education and Outreach team is recognized at the highest levels for developing cutting edge education programmes, and its professional company produces high quality Christmas Shows and touring productions.

As a touring venue it hosts a lively programme of drama, music, comedy, dance and family entertainment, being a firm favourite on the circuit for big names like Aly Bain and Phil Cunningham, The Singing Kettle, and theatre companies such as 7:84, Borderline and Mull Theatre.

Says artistic director Simon Sharkey, "I am extremely privileged to be director of Cumbernauld Theatre as we celebrate 25 years as an independent trust. I know full well the debt we owe to those pioneers from the Cottage Theatre days and all the previous directors, staff and board members who contributed to making the theatre one of the most successful producing and touring venues in Scotland. And none of this would have been possible without the people of the town, who are and will always be part of the Cumbernauld Theatre family."

Due to unforseen circumstances No Mean Company will no longer be performing the play ' All My Sons'. They will still be performing 16 - 17 May and when we find out the title of their next play - you'll be the first to know!

We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused.