Atholl Players as we know them today are a comparatively new club having been formed only in September 1995 when Gallery Players and Pitlochry Amateur Dramatic Society (PADS)came together to form a combined club. Both of these clubs had distinguished histories with a high level of success in SCDA Festivals but it was becoming obvious that having two clubs in such a small community did not make sense.
Pitlochry Amateur Dramatic Society (PADS) were the senior club having been formed in the 1950s . They enjoyed a high level of success bringing home the Hunter Trophy from Perthshire Festivals on 8 occasions and the Sandy Miller Cup on 4 occasions between 1961 and 1975.
In the late 1960s Frank Martin left the club to set up the East Church Drama Group. They in turn became a major force in Perthshire District winning the Hunter Trophy 7 times and the Sandy Miller Cup 5 times between 1969 and their reformation in 1991. A highlight came in 1985 when Girl of the Golden City reached Scottish Finals.During the late 1980s they ran a series of ambitious and highly successful musicals including My Fair Lady, Oliver and Kiss Me Kate as well as classic full length plays including The Importance of Being Earnest and more modern pieces such as Men Must Weep, Harvey and .Arsenic and Old Lace. .Every summer Frank organised a three week mini festival of the Arts under the title of Gallery, so when he retired from the ministry and the old East Church Hall was about to be demolished a change of format was required and the East Church Group became Gallery Players. They continued along the same lines as the Church Club with major productions such as The Sunshine Boys and Noises Off (probably the most adventurous amateur production ever staged in Pitlochry).

Festival success continued winning the Hunter Trophy twice in their 4 years of existence. In their most recent format, as Atholl Players, the club has had great competitive success winning the Hunter Trophy 6 times and the Sandy Miller Cup 4 times. In 1999 our production of Effie’s Burning won the Divisional Festival and went on to come second at Scottish Finals. We also reached the final round in 2003 with Roots of Spain and 2005 with Dead Dad Dog.
In recent years members of the club have had the opportunity to participate as extras in professional productions at Pitlochry Festival Theatre which is good experience but has limited the chance to put on summer productions. Christmas productions have included The Wizard of Oz and A Christmas Carol (both in conjunction with BIPS) and Waiting On One. Christmas 2007 marked a new highlight with ‘Allo ’Allo on the stage of Pitlochry Festival Theatre. This was a huge success and the club were invited back to PFT in 2008 to perform Dick Barton, Special Agent. We hope that this facility will be extended to us in future years and plans are already taking shape for November 2009.

EARLIER PRODUCTIONS

The Scientific Singers by Robert Kemp1963

Standing: Dan Caven, Fred Armstrong, Bill Barbe, Ford Carruthers.

Seated: Anne Lawrie, Ann Martin, Barbara Beedie.

Count Albany 1971

Ian McLulloch, Frank Martin, Bill McIntosh, Ann Martin, ??, Ashley Thomson.

A Shilling For the Beadle by James Scotland 1971

Standing: Ashley Thomson, Ann Martin, Kate Martin, Jane Twiggs, Bill McIntosh

Seated: Frank Martin, Barbara Beedie, ??, Jack Allardice

Getting and Spending by Derek Campton 1973

Frank Martin, Ann Martin, Evelyn Hay, Bill McIntosh

Grand Finale by James Scotland 1984

Bill McIntosh, Ann Martin, Belinda Findlay, Alastair Dickson, Frank Martin, Betty Stark, Iain McEwan

Seated Douglas Anderson