Maureen Beattie to Become Patron of The Gaiety

The Gaiety has announced Maureen Beattie OBE as their newest patron. An official announcement of the news was made at a ceremony on Sunday 22nd October, 3.00pm, held at The Stage Door café in The Gaiety.

The formal opening of Beattie Close, the new Ayrshire Housing Association property on Carrick Street, took place before the annoucement at 2.30pm. The new flat complex stands directly across from The Gaiety, and was named by public vote last year to honour Maureen's father, the late Johnny Beattie, and the legacy he left as one of Ayrshire's most beloved entertainers.

Maureen and family members were in attendance at both events.

Maureen Beattie

Maureen Beattie is an Irish-born, Scottish actress – born in County Donegal, and raised in Glasgow. She is the daughter of Scottish actor and comedian Johnny Beattie.

She trained at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama in Glasgow, before earning numerous accolades for her acting work on both stage and screen. Her work in television includes Outlander, Doctor Who, Lewis, Midsomer Murders, Taggart, Bramwell and Casualty, and her work in film includes Spores, The List and The Decoy Bride. She has appeared in theatre with various companies including the National Theatre of Scotland, National Theatre, and the RSC, as well as touring internationally. She will also be appearing at A Play, A Pie and Pint's Autumn 2023 season in Disfunction, playing the Oran Mor in Glasgow from the 16th – 21st October.

In 2020, she was awarded the OBE for her services to the entertainment industry.

Maureen also served as President of the actor's union, Equity, for 2 terms from 2018-2022, becoming only the second woman ever to be elected to the position.

Maureen has continued her father's legacy with several appearances on The Gaiety stage, most recently in Meet Jan Black – an ambitious 2020 lockdown project by celebrated writer Johnny McKnight, which combined a live on-stage performance from Maureen with a pre-recorded ensemble of local amateur players, projected as a video chorus.

Beattie Close

Ayrshire Housing Association's latest block of flats on Carrick Street will be completed in October 2023. The complex contains 31 lifetime homes in the heart of Ayr town centre, directly overlooking The Gaiety.

Last year, Ayrshire Housing Association staged a public vote in association with The Gaiety to decide on a name for the new building. The Ayr community were invited to submit their ideas for a suitably theatrical name for the building. Over 100 entries were ultimately narrowed down to just 5 final options, with the public ultimately voting for Beattie Close – in honour of the late, great, Johnny Beattie.

Actor and comedian Johnny Beattie MBE was a beloved figure on the Scottish entertainment scene, whose work in television and theatre spanned over 6 decades. He had a particular strong connection to Ayrshire and The Gaiety in particular, performing on many occasions in the theatre – most notably for 6 back-to-back summer seasons as host of The Gaiety Whirl when Maureen was a child. The Beattie family has a lifelong connection to Ayrshire, which will be suitably honoured at both events.

THE GAIETY THEATRE

The Gaiety has been an iconic part of Ayr Town centre since it opened in 1902. A category B listed performing arts venue, it's survived fires, world wars, threatened demolitions, and most recently, a global pandemic. It's been far from an easy road, and the timeline of The Gaiety could be said to be defined as much by a series of disasters as by its successes.

After a forced closure in 2009, the theatre re-opened in 2012 under Ayr Gaiety Partnership's management with the vision to re-energise the performing arts in South Ayrshire. The Gaiety's £2.4 million refurbishment was completed in September 2016.

The Gaiety has overcome the odds time and time again to bring a vibrant theatre programme to Ayrshire. The venue has played host to the best in comedy, drama, variety, music and dance. The Gaiety is so much more than just a theatre however. We're committed to ensuring that everyone in Ayrshire has access to the performing arts. Our creative engagement programme offers real opportunities to engage in theatre to those who might otherwise never get the chance. Our Gaiety On Tour programme, meanwhile, brings live theatre to local venues across rural Ayrshire. We use both our touring, and our main stage and studio, to platform local and emerging performers alongside established names. Our community is at the heart of everything we do.

Over the last decade Ayr Gaiety Partnership has created well over 50 jobs directly, supported up to 10,000 people to engage in constructive creative activity, and made an economic impact of around £20 million to Ayr town centre. We've seen over 500,000 satisfied audience members, including 100,000 children experiencing theatre for the first time. The Gaiety is run with a small staff team and supported by a significant volunteer effort, valued at between £250,000 to £300,000 per year.

 

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