We’re off to see the wizard...
... and have conjured up £10m from theTay Cities Deal
Bosses at Pitlochry Festival Theatre have welcomed a £10 million pledge from the Scottish Government as part of the Tay Cities Deal signed last week.
In a superb week for Pitlochry’s theatre, the registered Perthshire charity was promised an investment slice from the Tay Cities Deal and picked up an excellence in tourism and leisure award from Perthshire’s Chamber of Commerce.
It also opened ‘The Wizard Of Oz’, its festive musical extravaganza.
Kris Bryce, PFT’s executive director and joint chief executive, told the PA: “This announcement that we are to benefit from Tay Cities Deal investment is wonderful.
“It is a moment that has been two years in the making. We have been patiently waiting and clinching the £10m from the Scottish Government signals the value placed on our Vision 2021 project.”
Mr Bryce referred to the plan over the next three years to develop Pitlochry Festival Theatre into a centre of theatrical excellence, producing theatre in improved and enlarged facilities, connected to other theatres and arts venues, providing high quality production services, training and skills development at a national level.
Early estimates pegged this project costing in the region of £25m.
Mr Bryce added: “The Tay Cities Deal investment of £10m makes it easier to approach other sources of funding. There is still quite a lot of money to find but this is a significant result.
“We are in early consultation with our stakeholders about the project to upgrade the main house and establish a second performance space.
“Our ambition hasn’t changed since we announced Vision 2021 in 2014. Now we need to develop exactly what it will look like and the Scottish Government needs to see that. We have to explain our vision brick by brick.
“Those behind the Tay City Deal don’t simply hand the money over, they will be looking to us to do more than describe our objective, we are expected to explain how exactly we intend to develop Pitlochry theatre.
“We employ a hugely diverse staff, from carpenters to catering staff. We deliver £1320m to the local economy every year.
“A business has to be resilient, it cannot be stationary and we’ve recently taken on Elizabeth Newman, our new artistic director. She’s come from 10 years at the Bolton Octagon Theatre.
“Her engagement led to conversations about our creative ambition, that has been a psychological step forward for the organisation creatively.”
‘The Wizard of Oz’ burst onto the Pitlochry stage last Friday night and advance ticket sales indicate it is set to become the bestselling Christmas show of all time at Pitlochry.
PFT’s executive director Kris Bryce and artistic director Elizabeth Newman