Blackpool's Whittaker Dance and Drama Centre celebrates its 70th anniversary

The Whittaker Dance and Drama Centre was founded in February 1952 by Beryl Johnson Whittaker and 16 years on from Beryl's death, its's still in the same family, with husband Jack still involved, their daughter Sheila the principal.

Sheila is deeply proud of the Centre's longevity, the enduring family connection and hopes that daughter Sinead, 20, will follow in her footsteps to take it into a third generation.

Beryl was trained at Blackpool Theatre Arts and later performed at the Tower Circus where she was a leading dancer, and many Northern Theatres as well as appearing in the Royal Command Performance of 1948 at the London Palladium with Danny Kaye and Julie Andrews.

"The first dance lessons were taken in an upstairs room at the Methodist Schoolrooms on Coronation Street and classes were also held in Poulton, Staining, Hambleton, Bispham, Grange Park in the early years," said Sheila.

"From the upstairs room on Coronation Street came the cellar of the same building and then next door above the gift shop on the first and second floors.

"Mum specialised in dance and after she met my dad, who was a drama teacher, the brief extended to drama.

"In 1972, the Whittaker day school opened taking full time pupils for their school education and dance/drama/music education but that closed in 1978.

"Whittaker’s moved to 135 Hornby Road – the old Terra Nova School – in 1986 and that's where we are situated now with studio and reception extensions added over the years."

Hundreds if not thousands of pupils have passed through the Whittaker's ranks over the years, among them Richard Darbourne who is now the Centre's is honorary patron.

Richard is a freelance theatre producer and he is planning to visit the Centre for a belated anniversary catch-up early next month while he is producing the musical 9 to 5 at Manchester's Palace Theatre .

In 1981 Whittaker’s was the first amateur company to perform at the then recently-saved Grand Theatre Blackpool, staging My Fair Lady with Sheila as Eliza Doolittle - and 41 years, the Whittaker's pupils will be performing our their show World At Your Feet at the Grand from March 3 to 6 as a celebration of the Centre's platinum anniversary.

"We are delighted to have reached such a landmark," said Sheila. "We are proud of all the pupils we have welcomed and look forward to welcoming many more."

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