The Dukes, Lancaster facts for kids
The Dukes in 2007
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 The Dukes
Location in Lancaster city centre
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| Former names | The Dukes Playhouse |
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| Location | Lancaster, Lancashire, England |
| Coordinates | 54°02′57″N 2°47′47″W / 54.0491°N 2.7964°W |
| Type | Theatre |
| Capacity | 313 (The Rake) 240 (The Round) 112 (Centre for Creative Learning) |
| Opened | 18 November 1971 (as a theatre) |
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Listed Building – Grade II
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| Official name: Dukes Theatre | |
| Designated: | 22 December 1953 |
| Reference #: | 1211613 |
The Dukes is a theatre in Lancaster, England. It is the only theatre in the county that creates its own shows. The Dukes is also supported by Arts Council England.
Besides making two of its own plays each year, it also hosts many other shows. These include touring plays, comedy acts, live music, and dance. The Dukes is also known for showing cool independent movies. In 2017, it won an award for being the best cinema in the North of England!
Contents
About The Dukes
Its History
The Dukes theatre first opened its doors on 18 November 1971. It was originally called the Duke's Playhouse. The building used to be an old church called St Anne's Church.
It took about a year to change the church into a theatre. This project cost around £180,000. The Queen, who is also known as the "Duke of Lancaster", gave her permission for the theatre to use the name "Dukes". A special government minister named Viscount Eccles officially opened the theatre.
The Theatre Spaces
The Dukes has three different theatre spaces. These are spread across two separate buildings.
The Main Stages
In the main building, there are two stages. "The Rake" is the biggest space. It can hold about 313 people. "The Round" is a smaller studio space. It can seat around 240 people.
Creative Learning Centre
The Dukes also has a special place for learning. It is called the Dukes Centre for Creative Learning. This centre is a short walk from the main theatre. It has its own space for projects and shows involving young people and the community.
Shows Made Here
The Dukes now creates only two of its own shows each year. These are called "homegrown productions." They include a summer "Park" show and a Christmas production. These shows are mostly created by the theatre's own team. Over the years, they have included both new stories and older, well-known plays.
Summer Park Shows
In 1987, The Dukes started putting on outdoor plays every summer. These shows happen in Williamson Park. The audience walks around the park as the story unfolds. The very first outdoor show was A Midsummer Night's Dream. It opened on 24 June. The idea came from the theatre's director, Johnathan Petherbridge, and manager, John Stalker.
Andy Serkis, a famous actor, was in that first "Play in the Park." He is now a special supporter of the theatre. More than 500,000 people have seen a Dukes Park Show since it began. In 2016, their show The Hobbit won an award for Best Show for Children and Young People. The Play in the Park is thought to be the biggest outdoor show in the UK where the audience walks around.
Christmas Shows
The Dukes' Christmas show usually takes place in "The Round" theatre space. In the past, it has also used "The Rake" stage. The Christmas production is often different from a usual pantomime. However, it still includes some fun parts where the audience can join in. Recently, the show has also added new music by a group called The Baghdaddies.
Other Special Shows
Besides the Park and Christmas shows, The Dukes also creates at least one other show each year. Recently, the theatre has chosen to make shows that connect strongly with local people. For example, in 2017, they created Blackout. This show told the story of how Storm Desmond affected the areas of Lancaster and Morecambe.
Learning and Community
The Dukes is not just a theatre and cinema for everyone. It also has a special Centre for Creative Learning. This centre is located near the main theatre on Moor Lane. The Creative Learning team at The Dukes organizes many projects. These projects are for children, young people, and adults. They aim to help more people get involved in the arts.
The Young Company
The Dukes' Young Company is a group of young performers. They put on their own show every year. They also appear in some of the theatre's other productions. This includes the Play in the Park. A famous former member of The Dukes' Young Company is Coronation Street actress Cherylee Houston. She is now a special supporter of the theatre.
Art for Well-being
In recent years, The Dukes has been exploring how art can help people. They focus on improving the lives and well-being of people with memory problems. This was part of their three-year 'A Life More Ordinary' program. They created many activities, like movie showings designed for people with memory problems. These showings included a break and live music. They also developed special workshops where people could join in. These ideas were shared with other cinemas and theatres. The program ended with a big meeting called 'Creative Adventures in Dementia' in May 2018.
