Happy Thoughts Drama Company

01/11/2026

Mariah Carey might have defrosted - but we haven’t… not just yet! 👻

We are continuing our hiatus from our Christmas show prep to bring you an additional Halloween special by celebrating our annual tradition: Happy Thougts Halloween! 🎃

- or should we say Haunted Terrors Drama company? 👀

Look at how spooky our cast are! We have some jedis from space,and a coven of horryfing witches and some of them came straight from Far Far Away! 🕷️

What are you being for Halloween? Perhaps a Nutcracker … or even the Mouse King? 🐭

But don’t threat! - our Halloween treat for this year (no tricks here I’m afraid) is the announcement that tickets are on sale now!! So don’t be scared! Buy them… if you dare 🧟

HAPPY BELATED HALLOWEEN FROM ALL OF US HERE AT HTDC ☠️…

But now that that’s over (and according to Mariah Carey)… ITS TIMEEE 🎄

25/10/2026

PLEASE SHARE‼️

Now that the clocks have officially gone back, we can officially declare it the Christmas season! ❄️

So - are you looking for something to do? Because if you are then don’t be shy! Come watch our production of “The Nutcracker and the Mouse King” this December 🎄

Follow our protagonist, Clara, as she ventures to fulfill a mission - saving a kingdom from discord! Saving the land from his rodent royalty: The Mouse King 🐭

Competing with the expectations of her family and the weight on her shoulders, working with her trusted Nutcracker soldier: Nikolaus and her fairy friends - see if she can fulfil her destiny! 💂

DATE: 12 & 13TH DECEMBER
↪️The Nutcracker & the Mouse King
↪️THEATRE ROYAL WEBSITE

19/10/2026

“What would your character be for Halloween?” 🎃

I know what you’re thinking… A: isn’t “The Nutcracker” a Christmas show? And B:- isn’t Halloween a few weeks away? 👻

And yes! You are right! But we don’t have a session next week - so we decided to begin the first half of our Halloween specials TODAY! 🍁

Do you think Halloween would exist in the Kingdom of Sweets? Surely Trick or treating would be a DREAM come true! 🍬

So although the show purely is some festive fun… doesn’t mean we can’t spooky-fy it a little! ✨

And keep an eye out for our exclusive behind the scenes video: we spoke on behalf of a member who wasn’t here 🐭

11/10/2026

We have an important announcement to make!!… 🧚

To celebrate our fifteenth year, our director Millie has written none other than a MEMOIR! 📖

Discover the birth of a theatre group, a journey which began from a school project to what it is today! ✨

From travelling to Neverland to now the land of sweets - you can relive the steps that 85+ young actors have experienced! 🎭

And don’t worry, we aren’t just focussing on the past - the book also includes what is still… yet to come (gosh that reminds me of our a Christmas carol days - which you can read about - in the memoir!) 💕

You can buy it through our director - or on Amazon! 🛍️

04/10/2026

Another rehearsal; another run of act one! ✨

Did you really think that we would be all party-ed out after our birthday last night? Oh well you are wrong! 🎄

Although some of our young actors decided to declare today a “PJ day” and wore their pyjamas to rehearsal! I personally think they’re quite stylish, and we maybe should do this again one time🥁

You also might have noticed that we did don’t have our Clara today, well that was because she was busy (with her birthday! Happy birthday Herina! ⭐️) so our production assistant, Siena, stepped in on her behalf! 🐭

And you also may notice that some of today’s photos are actually selfies! To try and add some personal magic to the posts ☃️

And guess what! Our birthday present to you is the announcement that our tickets are on sale… NOW! So don’t miss out! 💂

03/10/2026

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAPPY THOUGHTS ⭐️

On this very day in 2011, our finder decided to create a theatre group from scratch - doing this all whilst she was seventeen years old, and here we are fifteen years later! 🫶

So what do we do…. We celebrate! 🥳

Some of our young actors gathered together; actors from the first act of HTDC to its second all to celebrate the legacy that this singular theatre group holds 💛

It’s been through various eras, various shows, ventured into different lands but yet we all did it together! 🎉

Awards were given, speeches were said (especially from Zara, three whole speeches! Bravo 👏) and the whole night was so much fun!

So whether or not you attended tonight, or you are looking at the photos here - thank you so much for supporting us, and remember - Once a Happy Thoughts-er; Always a Happy Thoughts-er! ✨

And here’s to a new era for HTDC! 🧚

02/10/2026

✨🌙 HAPPY 15TH BIRTHDAY, HAPPY THOUGHTS! 🌙✨

Today, 3rd October 2026, Happy Thoughts Drama Company is officially 15 years old. 🥹💛

Fifteen years ago today, a slightly over-ambitious 17-year-old had an idea for an A-Level project. I don’t think she could ever have imagined what that little idea would become.

Since 2011, we’ve told stories, built worlds, made ridiculous props, forgotten lines, laughed until we’ve cried, occasionally just cried, and watched generations of young people grow up both on and off our stage.

We’ve been to Neverland, Narnia, the jungle, Camelot, under the sea, Victorian London, Baker Street and more magical places than I could possibly fit into one post.

But the greatest thing Happy Thoughts has created isn’t a show.

It’s a family. 💙

To every young person who has ever stepped through our doors, every parent who has trusted us with them, every volunteer who has painted, built, sewn, lifted, driven, prompted or simply turned up when we needed them, and every audience member who has sat in front of one of our slightly bonkers productions…

Thank you.

Whether you were with us in Act One, joined us for Act Two, or have only just found us, you are part of our story.

Today, we celebrate all of you. 🌟

Here’s to 15 years of stories, friendships, laughter, chaos and dreams — and to all the adventures still waiting for us.

✨ Happy 15th Birthday, Happy Thoughts. ✨

Where Dreams Are Born — since 2011. 🌙💫

29/09/2026

⭐ **15 YEARS OF DREAMS — THE STORY OF HAPPY THOUGHTS** ⭐

On **3rd October 2011**, Happy Thoughts Drama Company began.

I was seventeen years old. I was doing an A-Level project. I wanted a good grade. I had absolutely no idea what I had started.

So, to celebrate our **15th birthday on Saturday 3rd October 2026**, I'm releasing something incredibly special to me: **the Happy Thoughts Story - a memoir.** 📖✨

I've spent the last few months going right back to the beginning — through old programmes, photographs, scripts, memories and fifteen years' worth of stories — to record how a little production of *The Second Star to the Right* became the company we have today.

It's the story of Act One and Act Two. Of *The Second Star to the Right*, *Labyrinth*, *Beauty and the Beast*, *Treasure Island*, *The Little Mermaid*, *Tarzan*, *King Arthur*, *Big Bad Wolf*, *Sherlock Holmes* and everything in between.

But more importantly, it's the story of the **85+ young people** who have been part of Happy Thoughts over those fifteen years.

It's about growing up alongside a youth theatre company. About the people who built it with me, the families who supported it, the mistakes we made, the ridiculous things that happened backstage, the shows that worked, the ones that didn't, and the moments that reminded me why I kept coming back.

There are also plenty of stories that probably should have remained safely backstage... AND a sneak preview of what's to come in the future.

Happy Thoughts started at a time in my life when I desperately needed somewhere I felt capable, confident and worthwhile. Fifteen years later, one of the greatest privileges of my life has been creating that same kind of place for other young people.

So this book is for everyone who has ever been part of our strange little theatre family — whether you performed in one show or ten, helped backstage, sat in the audience, drove someone to rehearsal, made a costume, built a set, learned 550 lines, died dramatically onstage several times, or simply believed in what we were trying to do.

Fifteen years. More than 85 young people. Countless characters. Hundreds of costumes. Far too many props. And one company that was only ever supposed to do one show.

The Happy Thoughts Story : Where Dreams Are Born will be released on our **15th birthday — Saturday 3rd October 2026.** ⭐

Because practice doesn't make perfect: **Practice makes progress.**

And after fifteen years, we're still dreaming.

✨ **Where Dreams Are Born — Since 2011** ✨

Orders will open on Saturday 3rd!

28/09/2026

28/09/2026

Want to know a bit about our show? Here is it told by our cast members!!.. emoji style 🐭

Some of our young actors had a look through some emojis and each decided which ones they personally believed they should link to the show! 🎄

If I could list three emojis to explain how excited I am for show day - I would say… 🥳🎉🤩

And you’ll never guess what else… 🎫 are on sale now!! So don’t miss out!