There’s a new Director in charge of Tewkesbury’s Roses Theatre.

Hannah Kester took over the reins last week and she’s got big plans for the future. Hannah, who has over 20 years of experience in the theatre industry, has pinpointed several initiatives she hopes to implement to help boost the theatre’s artistic output. “I’m absolutely delighted to be joining the Roses Theatre, a leading entertainment venue here in Gloucestershire,” Hannah said. “I’m going to be in charge of leading the creative output and increasing the profile of the theatre. I want to help turn the theatre into a thriving venue that supports local drama groups, musicians and performers,” she added.

Hannah is an experienced theatre manager, having recently been employed at Theatr Brycheiniog in south Wales. Before that she worked at the Bristol Hippodrome, so she brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She continued: “I’ve been a theatre manager for 13 years and been in the industry for 20 years in total. My career began in London, I was running a busy gallery which was a lot of fun. I was then appointed Deputy Manager of the Bristol Hippodrome before crossing the border to work for a great theatre in Brecon.

“I’ve always been a creative person. My love of theatre stemmed from joining a performance group when I was a teenager. Live theatre gives people confidence to express their views and be sociable, I’m definitely someone who enjoys being around people and being part of a team, so my new role suits my personality perfectly.”

One of Hannah’s main aims as Director of the theatre will be to offer performance opportunities to elder citizens of Gloucestershire. She explained: “We are living longer, and life expectancy is growing year upon year. I want to involve the older generation and offer them opportunities to get on stage and perform. It would be wonderful to develop a performance group especially for the elderly.

“I want to involve all ages as well and we’ve some ambitious plans to run events for the younger generation. Theatres are very much public spaces that flourish with the support of the local community. I want to build relationships with all the great performance groups in and around the Tewkesbury area.

“Government cuts have had a big impact on our industry, funding levels have decreased but that doesn’t mean we still can’t continue to produce fantastic theatre. My main hope for the future is to help the theatre not just survive but also thrive.”