Aberdare Based COLSTARS Celebrate 75 Years of Treading the Boards.

THROUGHOUT the years, the name Colstars has become synonymous with presenting first class musical theatre at the Coliseum Theatre Aberdare. Along with the Welsh Nation Opera Company, 2021 sees Colstars celebrating seventy five years of entertaining the people of South Wales. Covid restrictions have prevented a full scale gala celebration at the Coliseum Theatre, which is closed for live performances until 2022, but Colstars have been welcomed to the Cwmaman Arts Centre where they will be staging a two night Anniversary Celebration Concert on November 19th and 20th. Also, the event has been marked by the publication of a book, “75 Years of Treading the Boards”, which documents the history of Colstars from its’ establishment in 1946 up to the current Pandemic lockdown of 2021.

The home of Colstars, the Coliseum Theatre Aberdare was officially opened on Saturday September 17TH 1938. Many of the other Miner’s Welfare Halls in the district had resident amateur drama or operatic societies that performed at their venues, so at a meeting of the Management Committee on Tuesday January 10th 1939 it was proposed and minuted that:

“Public notices be posted around the area of the Trecynon District to enquire as to the interest of the local people in the formation of an Amateur Operatic Society at the New Welfare Hall”.

The response was outstanding. Adverts were placed in the Aberdare Leader and The Western Mail and South Wales News for production officials and on

Friday April 14th 1939 the inaugural meeting of the newly formed TRECYNON WELFARE AMATEUR OPERATIC SOCIETY was held. All plans were scuppered with the growing tension in a country that was on the brink of war. With the uncertainty of what lay ahead and with the threat of imminent hostilities, it was decided in July that the project be shelved and rehearsals came to an end.

Following the end of the war in 1945 people were eager to get the Society back together. So under the baton of W.J. Davies with Mr. Frank Burrows as Producer and Miss Ida Jones as Choreographer, on Saturday November 11th 1946 the Trecynon Welfare Amateur Operatic Society took to the Coliseum stage for the first time with its’ production of “The Vagabond King”.

1948 saw the Society change its name once again finally becoming the Coliseum Amateur Operatic Society and in 1991, following the sale of the Coliseum Theatre to The Cynon Valley Council, the name COLSTARS was adopted.

The Covid Pandemic has put a halt to all the Colstars stage work. The Society have already cancelled three productions and await their fate regarding planned events for 2022. This is a significant loss to the cultural and economic life of the Cynon Valley. The Pandemic has seen the Company making use of technology to keep in touch and have been putting together videos to entertain audiences via social media channels.

The Coliseum Amateur Operatic Society and Colstars have come a long way in the past seventy five years.

Much pleasure has been given to thousands of people over that time and lifelong friendships have been made through being a part of the company. The book, “75 Years of Treading the Boards” merely covers the surface in mentioning the hundreds of people who have over the years contributed their time and effort to the success of the Society. Tribute must be paid to all the Accompanists, the Ticket Secretaries, the Wardrobe Mistresses, the Tea Ladies, the Stage Crews, The Stage Managers, the Technicians, the Make Up Artists, the Front of House staff, the Programme Sellers and the Committee Members, who collectively throughout the years have played such important roles in contributing to the achievements of the Society. The Company have endured many good and bad times along the way and have somehow come out of them more determined and resolute to ensure that the Society survives for another seventy five years.

The 75th Anniversary Concert is full of musical theatre songs old and new which celebrate the diversity of the company. The company also welcome two guest artists, soprano Rebecca Southmore and baritone Richard Lee Thomas and the whole concert will be accompanied by a seven piece live band under the direction of the company’s Musical Director, Nathan Jones.

Colstars looks forward to your support and cordially welcome everyone to join them for this prestigious celebration of musical theatre in the valley.