...SPECTACLE AND HISTORY, MIRACLES AND MYSTERY

About Chester Mystery Plays' friends and sponsors...

Friends of the Plays
Why not join the Friends of Chester Mystery Plays? A group which supports the event in many ways and always welcomes new members.
For a small annual fee (£10 or £15 for couple), you can enjoy a range of social events exclusive to Friends, have closer contact with the production, be involved in fundraising activities and be personally acknowledged in the official 2013 plays' programme. However active - or not - you wish to be, just becoming a Friend is a good start and helps support the production. Membership also makes the perfect gift for the arts lovers on your list - it lasts all year and offers an inside peek into one of Britain's greatest literary and theatrical treasures.

For more information, contact our Friends Coordinator.
Our Sponsors
The five-yearly production of Chester Mystery Plays would be impossible without the financial help and goodwill of the numerous organisations and individuals who so kindly support it...
Chester Festivals
Chester West & C
Arts Council Lottery Funded
Heritage Lottery Funded
Range Cookers
Ursula Keyes Trust
Urenco Logo
Westminster Foundation
Continue the Historic Links - Sponsor and Contribute!
If you are in the same business as one of the guilds which originally sponsored the plays, perhaps you might like to make a donation to the same play yourself? See list of guilds here

For more information about any degree of sponsorship or for an informal chat to discuss the way forward within the remaining time scale, please contact the chairman of Chester Mystery Plays.
The Chester Cycle of Mystery Plays
Twenty-three of the ancient company guilds survive in Chester today.

The scripts were assembled by monastic scholars at the Abbey of St Werburgh. The Antichrist plays and Balak & Balam are special to the Chester cycle. Our Lady's Assumption, a play by the Worshipful Wives of Chester (not guild members) was subsequently lost.
 
Records dated 1540 list 26 plays:
THE FALL OF LUCIFER - Barkers, Tanners
THE CREATION OF THE WORLD - Drapers, Hosiers
NOAH & HIS SHIP - Waterleaders, Drawers in the Dee
ABRAHAM & ISAAC - Barber Surgeons, Waxchandlers
BALAK & BALAM - Cappers, Wiredrawers, Pinners
THE NATIVITY - Wheelrights, Slaters, Tylers, Daubers, Thatchers
THE SHEPHERDS - Painters, Glaziers, Embroiderers
KING HEROD (ADORATION OF THE MAGI) - Vintners
THE THREE KINGS - Mercers, Spicers
SLAUGHTER OF THE INNOCENTS - Goldsmiths, Masons
PURIFICATION OF OUR LADY - Smiths, Forbers, Pewterers
THE TEMPTATION & WOMAN TAKEN INTO ADULTERY - Butchers
RAISING OF LAZARUS - Glovers, Parchment-makers
THE COMING OF CHRIST TO JERUSALEM - Corvisars
THE LAST SUPPER - Grocers, Bakers, Millers
THE SCOURGING OF CHRIST - Bowyers, Fletchers, Stringers, Coopers, Turners
THE COMING OF ANTICHRIST - Dyers
THE CRUCIFIXION - Ironmongers, Ropers
HARROWING OF HELL - Cooks, Tapsters, Ostlers, Innkeepers
THE RESURRECTION - Skinners, Plastercard-makers, Hatters, Painters, Girdlers
CASTLE OF EMMAUS & THE APOSTLES - Saddlers
THE ASCENSION - Tailors
WHITSUNDAY MAKING OF THE CREED - Fishmongers
PROPHETS BEFORE THE DAY OF DOOM - Shermen
ANTICHRIST - Hewsters, Bellfounders
THE LAST JUDGEMENT - Weavers, Walkers