Middlesbrough Theatre announces 70th anniversary celebration show

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 23 Oct, 12:32 · Archive

Middlesbrough Theatre will celebrate its 70th anniversary next year with a special show featuring local theatre groups.

Middlesbrough Theatre has unveiled plans for a special show celebrating its 70th anniversary next year. The show, titled Curtain Up at 70, will mark seven decades of performances, people and community involvement in the town.

The theatre opened in October 1957 as Middlesbrough Little Theatre, formally opened by actor Sir John Gielgud. Its first production was George Bernard Shaw's Caesar and Cleopatra. The theatre's opening was significant not only for Middlesbrough but for the country, as it was among the first new theatres built in England following the Second World War. It became known as Middlesbrough Theatre in the 1990s.

The venue's origins trace back to the 1920s, when representatives of more than 40 dramatic societies joined forces to keep live theatre in the town after Middlesbrough's Opera House closed. They formed Middlesbrough Little Theatre society in 1930, launched a building fund in 1944, and purchased Toft House and its grounds for £5,250 in 1950 to create a permanent home.

The anniversary show will feature guest appearances and performances by local theatre and arts groups, alongside highlights from the theatre's history.

How it is being reported

• North East theatre reveals plans to celebrate landmark 70th anniversaryMiddlesbrough Theatre has revealed plans for a special show celebrating its 70th anniversary and seven decades of performances, people and community.The Northern Echo · 23 Oct, 12:00
• North East theatre reveals plans to celebrate landmark 70th anniversaryMiddlesbrough Theatre has revealed plans for a special show celebrating its 70th anniversary and seven decades of performances, people and community.Darlington & Stockton Times · 23 Oct, 12:00

In this story: Middlesbrough Theatre · Sir John Gielgud · Middlesbrough · George Bernard Shaw

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