Lighthouse (Poole) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lighthouse

Type	Arts centre, Theatre and Cinema
Founded	Poole in 1978
Headquarters	Poole

Lighthouse is an arts centre in Poole, Dorset, England. According to Arts Council England it is the largest arts centre in the United Kingdom outside London.

It has a 669-seat theatre, a 1,500 seat concert hall, a 150-seat studio, a 105-seat cinema, an Image Lab/media suite, a large gallery for photography and digital art, a restaurant and three function rooms. The concert hall is home to the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra.

The Lighthouse is opposite Poole Bus Station and the Dolphin Shopping Centre.

Programming and types of shows

Lighthouse provides a wide-ranging programme, including:

Theatre

• Mid-scale musical tours (such as Fame and Blood Brothers)
• Opera (annually from English Touring Opera)
• Dance (both contemporary and classical)
• Ballet
• Plays (ranging from classics such as Romeo and Juliet, An Inspector Calls to more modern day 'kitchen sink dramas')
• Pantomime (Cinderella for 2006/7 starring Bobby Crush, Peter Duncan & Brian Cant)
• Comedy

Concert hall

• Weekly performances on Wednesday nights from the Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra
• Regular performances from the Wessex Youth Orchestra
• World music
• Bands and artists have included: KISS, The Fall, The Damned, David Essex, The Who, Ultravox, The Clash, Kate Bush, The Smiths, Oasis, Public Image Ltd, Tina Turner, Kings of Leon, U2, Bryan Ferry, The Wonder Stuff, Blondie, Paul Weller, The Teardrop Explodes, King Crimson, New Order, Siouxsie and the Banshees, Page & Plant, East 17, Wham!, The Cult, Rufus Wainwright, Kirsty MacColl, The Stranglers, Ozzy Osbourne, Doves, Ian Brown, The Style Council, Fun Loving Criminals, Lulu, G4, Tears For Fears, Madness, Boomtown Rats, Adam Faith, Squeeze, ELO The Jam The Jackson Five

Studio

• Small scale children's theatre
• Small scale adult theatre

Cinema

Eclectic mix of world cinema, and recent releases normally presented 4–8 weeks after general release.