PRODUCERS at Brent-wood Theatre are hoping 2011 is as successful and exciting as the previous 12 months.

The recent production at the theatre of the Plotters of Cabbage Patch Corner has gone down well and more volunteers than ever before are coming forward to help out behind the scenes at the Shenfield Road venue.

Upcoming plays and musicals are also starting to sell well with more than half the tickets for the upcoming shows for the Wedding Singer, based on the movie starring Adam Sandler, already sold.

Staff at the theatre also had high praise for local people who provided much-needed support during productions, including giving actors a room to stay in and cooking hot meals for them.

Mark Reed, from the theatre, said everyone at the venue hopes the support shown by people from Brentwood continues.

Mr Reed said: “Over the next year, which will be tough, such friends are going to be ever more vital to us here and to those of you who regularly perform here.

“But we know that people love coming here, and we all need to keep saying just how excellent all the shows we see here are.”

He also said he is pleased to see a healthy number of drama groups have snapped up dates for performances at the theatre already.

Mr Reed said: “The end of the year is always the busiest time for us, but looking into 2011 we haven’t got a date without a booking until September.

“Obviously it is up to each group what they perform so I do not know what the slots will be filled with, but it is better to have a group booked up rather than no one at all.”

Other productions include three Shakespeare plays, two traditional and one modern version of Romeo and Juliet, and a fundraising evening for community radio station Phoenix FM.