Sheffield Theatres have announced a sensational new season on the stage, as well as the launch of a brand new annual theatre festival.
Elizabeth Newman, Artistic Director, opened by saying that she had “a deep feeling that audiences deserve the best plays ever written”, and underscored her enthusiasm for the coming months.
Starting off with two Shakespeare plays from a company of actors, King Lear and Twelfth Night will hit the Crucible stage.
King Lear will be produced in partnership with former Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, Michael Grandage, featuring Olivier and Tony award-winning actor Ian McDiarmid as the title role.
Following King Lear, Twelfth Night will feature the same company actors, as well as the decorated Matthew Horne (best known as Gavin from Gavin and Stacey) as Malvolio.
The wide repertoire of productions headed into Sheffield also includes Dirty Dancing at the Lyceum, Stick Man at the Montgomery, and the world premiere of Sheffield playwright Lettie Precious’ 12 Letters To My Name at the Playhouse.
A favourite of Elizabeth’s, Jonathan Butterell (of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) will be directing Anna Hope’s The Ballroom in Autumn 2027.
Elizabeth said: “I’ve never been in such an exciting development of a play! It’s just magic.”
Sheffield Theatres will also be running its first ever two-week-long festival, named Open Works, in the autumn, with a view to making it an annual instalment.
Open Works will feature masterclasses, scratch nights, industry panels, and world premieres, with a view to inspiring stronger collaboration within the theatre community.
Elizabeth explained her rationale behind the new event: “When you say ‘festival’, people know they’re going to have a good time. It’s a bit like a two-week party.”
Artists hoping to present their work can now apply through Sheffield Theatres Website.
Current Opportunities | Sheffield Theatres
Having held the position of Artistic Director for just over a year now, Elizabeth shared her hopes for the upcoming season: “I feel a real sense of responsibility to be reaching as many people as possible.
“It feels vitally important that we offer something for everyone.”
View the full programme online: New Season of Shows Announced | Sheffield Theatres
