IT IS the biggest annual event in Leatherhead, attracting thousands of people from across Mole Valley and further afield.
And organisers of the town's drama festival have vowed to make this year's event the biggest and best ever, to celebrate its tenth anniversary.
But they need your help.
Theatre fans, acting clubs and businesses are all being urged to play their part and ensure the amateur drama festival, the biggest of its kind in the country, continues to delight and entertain.
In previous years the festival has received a grant from Mole Valley District Council, but this is no longer the case and organisers are now calling on residents to help "fill the gap".
Festival committee member Colin Langley told the Advertiser the annual event costs about £25,000 to promote and then stage over two weeks at the Leatherhead Theatre.
He said: "This appeal is being made to make up the resultant shortfall in the necessary funds to organise and run the two weeks of amateur drama.
"The Leatherhead Drama Festival has grown to be the biggest amateur festival of its kind in the UK, and we want to ensure success for our tenth anniversary and retain top ranking in the country for Leatherhead. The festival committee is appealing to drama fans, local clubs, associations and businesses to donate £10, or more if they can, and in doing so play their part."
Organisers are hopeful the festival patron and Leatherhead resident Sir Michael Caine will once again be available to present the awards at the event's gala night, having last attended in 2010.
Surrey County Council's Mole Valley Local Committee has already approved £4,000 for the event through the allocations of councillors Tim Hall (Con, Leatherhead and Fetcham) and Chris Townsend (Independent, Ashtead).
However, the festival applied to the district council earlier this year for an arts grant, and then again through the Thomas Flack Fund, but both applications were rejected.
Mr Langley continued: "When this occurred last year, the overwhelming response to a public appeal demonstrated residents', community groups' and businesses' appreciation for the festival by filling the gap in required funding.
"The continuing success of the festival helps to keep the Leatherhead Theatre in high profile and to secure its future for Leatherhead and Mole Valley.
"It also stimulates amateur drama talent in writing, production and acting, as well as staging two weeks of high quality entertainment."
There will be four evenings of junior and six evenings of adult plays, culminating in the gala night where the Sir Michael Caine Awards are presented.
To donate to the festival, which runs from May 6 to 18, cheques should be made out to Leatherhead Drama Festival and sent or dropped in to the box office at Leatherhead Theatre, 7 Church Street, Leatherhead, KT22 8DN. All donations will be acknowledged in the festival's souvenir programme.
