During the 1930s and 1940s Pearl Beach gradually became home to a few families who were able to make a living from the small farm blocks opened behind the village streets, some ex-servicemen who found its quiet remoteness preferable to city life. By the late 1940s the Progress Association had begun building a community hall, dedicated in 1950 as a war memorial to the sons of several local families who had died during World War 2 and in Korea.

To raise funds for the village hall a number of Pearl Beach residents formed a “Glee Club” and put on a number of “Grand Concerts”. Many of the community had no previous theatrical experience however at their first concert in June 1950 they presented an exciting night of musical entertainment which include skits, comedy items, and musical renditions and concluded with a number of popular melodies for the audience to join in. To continue the tradition last year Pearl Beach celebrated the 60th anniversary with the re-formation of the Glee Club.

On Saturday 13th August at 3pm the Pearl Beach Memorial hall will once again be the venue for another “Grand Concert” of old Village Glee Club-type songs, dramatic sketches and instrumental items. As in the original 1950 program local talent will be featured including a mini-pantomime “Red Hot Cinders” and will feature the local youth theatre group in a performance of the mini-melodrama “Count Rottenness”.

Everyone is welcome to come along and join in the hissing and booing and sing-a-long with us in the choruses of old time Community Songs. Re-live an era before the advent of television, video and CD’s, a time when entertainment was often impromptu and always spontaneous!