As it begins its 30th anniversary year, Chris Price found out the success of the Trinity Theatre has rested in the hands of a small group of dedicated people.

Not much has changed since the Trinity Theatre held its first production in 1983. Many of the staff who began the small community theatre nearly three decades ago are still volunteers and workers at the venue.

Although none of them could remember what that first show was about – they can remember it was called Stevie – the Trinity’s traditions of putting on innovative new drama, comedy and music has kept its place in the heart of those who visit it.

“Time does run away quickly and it is nice to have people involved in the venue who were there when it began,” said marketing and media manager Darren Smallman.

“There are always a lot of people who want to get involved in what we do. Like many community venues, we have a handful of staff and more than 150 volunteers. We definitely have a strong relationship with our customers and volunteers.”

Located in what was the Holy Trinity church of Tunbridge Wells, designed by Decimus Burton, the venue was transformed into a theatre in the early 1980s. The Tunbridge Wells Drama Club, founded in 1946, saw the potential of the site as a home for their future productions and it was they who performed the first week-long show at the venue, Cowardly Custard. Now called the Trinity Theatre Company, the group holds four productions there a year.

“People want to help a place like this continue to contribute to the town around it,” said Darren. The theatre begins its 30th year on Thursday, June 28, the anniversary of Stevie, but kicks off its celebrations on Saturday, June 23, with a screening of a live concert by Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway Musical Company.

Lead by Neil Patrick Harris, best known as Barney Stinson in How I Met Your Mother, the cast perform with the New York Philharmonic. It is a chance for the Trinity to show off its digital sound system and projector. Until this year it had still been showing movies on 35mm film.

Although many plans for this year’s celebrations are yet to be finalised, one thing certain to happen will be the Trinity’s timeline exhibition in the gallery. Set to launch in December, it will document the Tunbridge Wells venue’s life using archive material and visitor’s personal recollections from over the years. Theatre-goers can still add their memories and stories by getting in touch with the venue.Visitors can also download the 3 Bells 5 Minutes audio tour online, detailing this history of Tunbridge Wells’ theatre’s including the Assembly Hall Theatre and the Opera House.

A small allocation of public tickets are due to become available for the Stephen Sondheim screening on Saturday, June 23. For details call the box office on 01892 530613. Download the 3 Bells 5 Minutes audio tour at www.threebellsfiveminutes.co.uk.