It is one thing to go to the Theatre and see professional actors doing what they get paid to do within a Production Company, it is something else to go and see performers who do it only for the love and the buzz of walking the footlights as part of an amateur group.
Drama Groups, Dramatic Societies, Operatic Societies, Community Players - whatever their name and whatever their type, these groups exist across the length and breadth of the British Isles and continue to play a part in entertaining their local communities.
But just how successful are they? Can their success be measured by the amount of money they make, or is it by how well known they are within their neighbourhood? Each group will use their own set of metrics to answer this.
Being classed as successful within the amateur dramatic arena may simply be how often people in the street are heard talking about their previous production.
Some very successful amateur theatre groups are able to make use of professional theatre venues.
Noted examples are the Settle Operatic Society in Yorkshire, who use the Victoria Hall Theatre; the Ilkley Players who use the Wharfeside Theatre - a venue dedicated to amateur performance - and the Lincoln Amateur Operatic & Dramatic Society at the City's Theatre Royal.
Traditionally, however, dramatic societies within a community will usually perform regularly inside their local village hall, church or school.
Whatever the venue, there is, as with any venture, a need to entice and excite an audience.
Relatives and friends of the members may turn up in support, but with many groups not the wider community as a whole.
Is this due to a lack of community spirit, or simply a case of lack of awareness? Publicity is everything in promoting the group's activities.
For example, if no one knows about the forthcoming production, then there is a high chance that no one will turn out to see it performed.
While some communities might scoff at the efforts of their local drama group as being 'amateur stuff', and prefer, instead, to only see professional theatre, it serves as a reminder that many amateurs have gone on to successful professional stage and TV careers; actors that might not have been noticed, or been able to polish their skills without the help, teamwork, support and dedication of a drama group who produce and perform on stage purely for the love of the art.
Over the years some theatre groups have gained such a reputation for quality productions and work ethics that they often appear in industry-based contact books, as a reference to playwrights to approach when pitching new material.
Another type of 'amateur' event is the 'Community Play'.
While local businesses or Lottery Funding usually support these productions they are, for the most part, nearly entirely amateur.
An example of this type of play is that run by the Lincoln Community Play Association that helps develop amateur actors (and back-stage craft skills) through the use of creative workshops.
So maybe amateur productions aren't so bad.
If you like local theatre, then find out if you have a local drama group and go and see what they have to offer.
You may be pleasantly surprised and you will be contributing to helping to bring your community together.