Forthcoming Events
- IF THESE BRICKS COULD TALK
- CENTENARY THANKSGIVING SONGS OF PRAISE
- REBECCA JOY - Monday Club
- JOANNE GREGORY - CLAIRVOYANT
- FACE VALUE with Genesis and Phil Collins Tributes
Hot Tickets
Latest News
- Oh! What a Night!
- REHEARSAL latest info 12th AUGUST
- Update on Building Work
- If These Bricks Could Talk - School productions
- ADDITIONAL REHEARSAL
- The Volunteers Book hot off the presses!
- Extended Panto Run to meet School Demand
- New Heritage walks aim to get Blackburn Fitter for Walking
- Coronation Street Stars Raise Funds for Maddi
- If These Bricks Could Talk PLAY READING 27th APRIL
- Golden Oldies keeeeeeeeeeeeep dancing!
- Show Web Site On Show
- Knickers to You!
- Mitchell & Kenyon Screening Success
- Indian Dancers join the team
- Community Performance
- Read All About It !
- Centenary Plans Revealed
- Rovers v Chelsea tickets up for grabs!
- BIG BIG BIG VARIETY SHOW
- If These Bricks Could Talk
- History Book Launch
- Fund Raising Birthday Bash Success
- FREE TICKETS FOR SCHOOLS!
- Gala Dinner is a Sell Out!
- Fresh Face at Thwaites Empire Theatre!
- Last remaining tickets for the Sale of the Century
- 'Dancing on Ice' star gets her skates on for theatre
- DR WHO'D WANT THIS!
- EMPIRE100 Raise the Roof appeal Online Auction
- Harriet heads up Happy Birthday Year for the Empire
- "Shearer or Me!" NODA Award
- HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELVIS
- Daisy is as pretty as her picture
- Youth Theatre's 'bin' successful
- DOWNLOAD THE AUCTION CATALOGUE
- New Opportunity for Lancaster University Post-Graduate
- New Century New Team
- Eeeee-Pie Gum - Theatre auctions Hollands Pies on Ebay
- GO's on Tour - TV Stardom!
- Showbiz Gossip - The word on 'The Street'
- Rock Shock Horror it's builder boy 'Joseph'
- THEATRE G.O.'S GO ON TOUR!
- THE SUPREME DIVAS SURPRISE THIS WEEKEND
- TONY LIVESEY -The voice of GIANT BLUNDERBORE
- HALLOWE'EN CULT MUSICAL THEATRE TREAT
- WANTED! Memories of Cinema-Going in Blackburn
- Leaking Roof!
- Urgent Appeal for Volunt-'ears'
- WRIGLEY RETURNS!
- Get Ready Coz Here They Come - Again!
- 'Our Brian' from Corrie in star pantomime line-up
- HELP WITH FUNDRAISING FROM YOUR ARMCHAIR!
- Cinema meets Theatre at Thwaites Empire Theatre
- TV's Talent Star brings fairy magic to Panto
- Herd of cows arrives at BBC Radio Lancashire
- DANCE GROUP RE-LAUNCH!
- EMPIRE ARCHIVISTS LATEST FIND
- History Detective's brilliant discovery
- Volunteers Trip Out - fancy joining us?
- History Detectives reveal little known link with Thwaites
- DESIGN DAISY THE COW WINNER ANNOUNCED!
- Award Winning Ghost Tours Coming To Blackburn!
- Silver Stars strike Gold!
- SLICE LATEST NEWS!
- 'BIG HAIRDO' APPEAL
- Jim Bowen celebrates his Golden Wedding Anniversary
- WHAT WERE YOU WEARING IN THE 60's?
- Freemasons Partnership
- Happy Birthday Eric!
- Celebrate Blackburn Community Festival
- Melanie leads the history detectives!
- Rhythm and Brews
- Fruits of Married Bliss!
- AN UDDER GREAT PANTOMIME COMPETITION
- Freemason's Pantomime Sponsorship Gift
- BE PART OF THIS PRODUCTION!
- WE NEED YOUR MEMORIES!
- Joan Simpson - Wardrobe Mistress and Octogenarian
- THE COMEDIANS!
- High Hopes for Sarah!
- TWO FANTASTIC TRIBUTE SHOWS
- JOIN THE TEAM!
- Centenary Gala Dinner
- You've been framed!
- CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NOMINATIONS
- Go Mo and O!
- Rt Hon Jack Straw MP
- The EMPIRE Strikes Back!
- FANCY A SLICE?
- 2010 Launch date. We have liftoff!
- Heritage Lottery Gift to mark the Empire's 100th Birthday
- Eric's a good Egg!
- Empire Debut for Herman's Hermits
- Life through a lens
- Lean Dean is a healthy Meatloaf!
- Miles of Smiles!
- The Bat Strikes Back!
- Happy Memories at The Empire
- Grand Master's Grand Entrance
- Feline Wonderful!
- Silver Stars Debut
- Ladies at Lunch - HERE COME THE GIRLS!
- Lights 'Switch On'
- 'The Trench'
- Peppermint the Cat
- Newsletter November - December 2008
- Derian House Children's Hospice
- Good Luck Harriet!
- Leading Ladies Laughter Spot!
- A WIZARD evening
- MISSING CAT MYSTERY
- Shirley Valentine
- Hallowe'en Spooktacular Variety Show
- Get ready cos HERE THEY COME!
- Dick Whittington
- HEAR ALL ABOUT IT!
- Newsletter Sept/Oct '08
- 2010 Project
- Resident Musical Director
- Terry Clouting
- Happy Birthday Harriet
- Debut for Ugly Duckling
- A surprise performance!
- Newsletter July-August 2008
- On the Fiddle for Derian House
- Monday Club Membership News
- Press Release - Is there anyone there?
- Press Release - Take a Bow!
- School visits the theatre
- Monday Club at The Blues Bar
- Press Release - Freemasonry in the Community donation
- Surprise Donation -"Out of the Blue"
- Monday Club update
- Newsletter May - June 2008
- Monday Club 100
- Raise the Roof - a rip roaring success
- Press Release - Ladies @ Lunch
- Choirs raise their voices for charity
- Fiddler on the Roof Project
- Press release - Shearer or Me!
- April 2008 Newsletter
- Press Release - Silver Stars
- March 2008 newsletter
- Press Release - K & O RULE OK!
- Raise the Roof
- February 2008 newsletter
- January 2008 newsletter
- Fiddler Fundraiser!
- That's all Folks!
- And then there were Lights
- Peace of Mind on Car Park
- Curtain up on Cinderella Cast
- BBC Bus stops at Ewood
Eric's a good Egg!
A local dolls house maker and theatre props designer, Eric Parkington is often asked to come up with unusual creations for productions at the Thwaites Empire Theatre. A member of the Blackburn Gilbert & Sullivan Society he has made everything from thumb-screws to halberds and an arquebus, steps, balustrades and a cottage!
For a forthcoming production of 'The Pirates of Penzance' he was tasked to create a larger than life egg timer.
This was an easy challenge for Eric who's home is full of theatrical creations he has designed, made and stored. Two small empty pop bottles and a bit of wooden dowel and hey presto!
Eric's next challenge has been set by the theatre Chief Executive Harriet Roberts who has a need for a scale model of the auditorium and stage area as part of the design process for a production to celebrate the centenary of the theatre in 2010.
Pirates of Penzance
The Thwaites Empire Theatre
23 - 28 February, Tickets £8-£12
Release date: Friday 30 January 2009