Montevideo Players Society
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When a group of theatre enthusiasts founded The Montevideo Players Society on the 14th July 1949, they created the first Independent Theatrical Company in Uruguay ( the state-run Comedia Nacional had been created earlier that year) and also what was to become the longest-lived English-speaking amateur dramatic society in South America. After 57 years of existence, the Society has so far publicly presented a total of 100 different productions, ranging from Victorian melodrama to slap-stick comedy, and thrillers to romantic pieces. Plays by a wide assortment of authors have been presented, such as Samuel Beckett, Jean Anouilh, Tom Stoppard, Tennessee Williams, Noel Coward, Neil Simon, Alan Ayckbourn and Willy Russell, just to name a few. The group has grown from a small nomadic troupe, rehearsing in members' living rooms and presenting the productions in contracted theatres, till in 1958 they were able to rent premises for meetings, rehearsals and set-building. In 1986 they moved into their own premises - an old house at Acevedo Diaz 2324, Montevideo, Uruguay - which was purchased with funds received from the Neil Fairless legacy and a very successful Brick Campaign, and converted into a theatre, a workshop and a Pub (and a barbecue in the garden). While essentially a fascinating hobby, amateur theatre has always been taken very seriously by the Players, as we feel a responsibility to give our audiences the best possible entertainment. With this in mind, members have a lot of fun working hard, whether it be in productions or in the up-keep of the premises. There is currently a campaign to raise funds (Operation Facelift) to carry out repairs to the fabric of the building and to give it a much-needed coat of paint.
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