Derby Playhouse facts for kids

Derby Playhouse was a famous theatre company in Derby, England. It also gave its name to the theatre building it used. The company ran the theatre from 1975 until 2008. After facing money problems, the company stopped operating. The theatre building reopened in 2009 as the Derby Theatre. Today, the University of Derby owns and runs it. The university uses it for its Theatre Arts degree.

While it was open, Derby Playhouse became well-known across the country. It was especially famous for its shows by Stephen Sondheim. The theatre also put on brand new plays. It also showed plays for the first time in the local area.

History of Derby Playhouse

The first Playhouse was called the Little Theatre. It opened in 1948 in a church hall on Becket Street. In 1952, the theatre company moved to a new place. This was another converted building on Sacheverel Street. It even survived a big fire in 1956.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, the British government helped the arts. They created a fund to build and fix theatres. The Derby Playhouse company wanted its own new theatre. So, they started the New Theatre Trust. This group helped raise money locally.

Roderick Ham was chosen to design the new theatre. He had designed the Thorndike Theatre before. The Derby City Council gave the land for the theatre. This land was part of the new Eagle Centre shopping area. The new Derby Playhouse could seat 535 people. The 11th Duke of Devonshire officially opened it on 20 September 1975.

Money Troubles and Closure

In 2002, the company faced big money problems. They had a debt of £400,000. This was the largest debt in their history. The theatre almost closed down. By 2004, things got better. The theatre was selling more tickets than ever before.

However, in 2007, the company had serious money issues again. This led to its closure. On 29 November 2007, the city council would not give them £40,000. Because of this, the theatre's leaders announced they would close. Performances were to stop right away.

But the cast and crew of Treasure Island still performed that night. After the show, the staff joined the actors on stage. They asked the audience to fight to keep the theatre open. The next day, the company officially went into a process called "administration." This means experts take over to try and solve the money problems.

The administrators allowed the Playhouse to reopen on 7 December 2007. This was so Treasure Island could finish its shows. Only a few key staff members worked, at first without pay. A fund was set up to collect donations. The theatre now relied only on ticket sales and donations.

Tickets for the Spring/Summer 2008 season went back on sale. The theatre also asked the Arts Council for help. But the Arts Council said no in January 2008. The theatre closed for good after Treasure Island's last show on 2 February 2008.

Reopening as Derby Theatre

On 30 July 2008, a rescue plan was accepted. The theatre reopened on 13 September 2008. It showed The Killing of Sister George. This play ran until 18 October. Sadly, this was the company's last show. The theatre building was then sold to the University of Derby. It reopened in October 2009 as the Derby Theatre.

Famous Productions

The new Derby Playhouse opened with the musical My Fair Lady. The first season also included Hamlet. Alan Bates starred in The Seagull. This production later moved to London. Mark Woolgar was the Resident Director for the first five years. He put on many different types of plays. These included works by Shakespeare, Shaw, and Ibsen.

Christopher Honer became the Artistic Director in 1980. For the next seven years, the Playhouse put on many major shows. These included All My Sons with Miranda Richardson. Piaf starred Caroline Quentin. There were also new plays like The Brewery Beano. Popular shows like Funny Peculiar and Blood Brothers were also performed. During this time, the Derby Playhouse Studio also put on shows. It also toured plays in the community.

New Styles and Challenges

In 1987, Annie Castledine took over as Artistic Director. For three years, the theatre showed a very different style of plays. They revived old plays like The Innocent Mistress. They also put new twists on classics like A Doll's House. Popular plays like Arsenic and Old Lace were also shown. New works were also part of the program. The theatre's shows became known for their strong visual look. The Playhouse was even nominated for an award.

In 1990, Derby Playhouse faced more money cuts. The local council cut their arts budget. This meant the Playhouse lost £130,000. However, the City Council gave the theatre extra money. This helped the Playhouse stay open, but on a smaller scale. Annie Castledine left the Playhouse that summer.

From 1990 to 1991, David Edwards managed the theatre's program. The Playhouse's show Hobson's Choice won an award. It was named Best Overall Production.

Later Years and Musicals

In spring 1991, Mark Clements became Artistic Director. His first season started with And A Nightingale Sang. Plays by John Godber were very popular. His play On The Piste was shown multiple times.

During Clements' time, the theatre showed many different plays. These included classics like Death of a Salesman. There were also modern plays like Our Boys. New plays were also created for the theatre. Musicals became a big part of the program. These included Grease, Little Shop of Horrors, and Cabaret. The Christmas pantomimes were very popular. Mark Clements helped write them.

In 2002, Mark Clements and David Edwards left. Karen Hebden became the chief executive. Stephen Edwards became the Creative Producer. Over the next few years, the Playhouse became famous for its musicals. It was especially known for shows by Stephen Sondheim. These included Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods.

Many of these shows featured Glenn Carter. He also starred in other plays at the Playhouse. One was a new musical drama called Moon Landing. In it, he played Buzz Aldrin. This show was nominated for an award. The company's very last show was The Killing of Sister George. It starred Jenny Eclair. The show ended on 18 October 2008. The rest of the 2008 season was cancelled. This included the Christmas show Peter Pan.