The Church Hill Theatre at 50

September 2015 saw the 50th anniversary of The Church Hill Theatre. However, the building dates from 1892 when it was built as Morningside High Church to a design by the architect, Hippolyte Blanc. In 1960 the congregation was united with Morningside Parish Church and the building vacated. Following the redevelopment of the Little Theatre at the Pleasance by Edinburgh University, several local and amateur groups were left looking for a main performance venue. A proposal was put forward to develop Morningside High Church into a theatre. In 1963 the Church was bought and the conversion undertaken by architect George L. Walls.

On 25th September 1965, The Church Hill Theatre opened with its inaugural show, 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. The Scotsman reported that the new venue had 'exciting and unique facilities'. Edinburgh People's Theatre staged the first pantomime at Church Hill Theatre later that year. The company have staged a pantomime at the theatre every year, bar one, since the venue's inception.

From the 1970s until the 1990s, The Church Hill Theatre was a mainstay for local and amateur performing arts groups across the city. It welcomed many talented performers, including well-known stars such as Eartha Kitt in 1994 and Rikki Fulton in Perth Theatre Company's 'A Wee Touch of Class' in 1985. In 1995, The American High School Theatre Festival began its association with the theatre, making it their central venue during the Edinburgh International Festival.

The sculptor, Kenny Munro was commissioned in 1996 to create, 'The Milestones', in collaboration with local schoolchildren. The two pillars that stand in the venue's driveway celebrate the heritage of Morningside and its neighbouring areas. The theatre is represented by Miss Prism's bag, a reference to its first production in 1965.

During 2005, the theatre closed for a major front of house refurbishment. Ten years later in 2015, The Church Hill Theatre celebrated its Golden Jubilee. Investment provided the means to refurbish the theatre's external stonework and improve the behind scenes facilities. A commemorative film and exhibition celebrating the theatre's unique place in the city's cultural landscape were commissioned to mark its 50th Anniversary.

During the Fringe 2015, Edinburgh Libraries were privileged to get behind the scenes access to rehearsal time with The American High School Theatre Festival. Many of the photographs in this exhibition are taken of students during their technical rehearsals for their Fringe shows. We were also allowed to record the final swashbuckling performance of 'Zorro - the Musical'. These photos show The Church Hill Theatre as a vibrant living theatre and hotbed of new talent.

You can see lovely pictures from The Church Hill Theatre's past on Edinburgh Collected, where they are inviting memories of this unique civic space.