Theatr Clwyd facts for kids
Theatr Clwyd is a special place for arts and performances in North East Wales. It's located about one mile from Mold, Flintshire. This theatre is a "producing theatre," which means it creates its own shows. It also hosts many other exciting events.
The theatre first opened its doors in 1976. For a while, between 1998 and 2015, it was called Clwyd Theatr Cymru. But then it went back to its original name, Theatr Clwyd.
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The History of Theatr Clwyd
Theatr Clwyd opened in 1976. It was built as part of the County Civic Centre in Mold. This centre is right next to the County Hall. The County Hall used to be the main office for the old Clwyd county. Now, it's where the Flintshire County Council offices are.
How the Theatre Got Its Name
The theatre was first planned by the old Flintshire County Council. This council was changed in 1974. A new council, Clwyd County Council, took its place. That's why the theatre was named Theatr Clwyd.
In 1998, the local government changed again. The Clwyd county was removed. Flintshire county came back, but with different borders. So, the theatre's name was changed to Clwyd Theatr Cymru. In 2015, it changed back to Theatr Clwyd.
Famous People at Theatr Clwyd
Queen Elizabeth II officially opened the theatre. George Roman was the first artistic director. An artistic director helps decide what shows the theatre will put on.
Toby Robertson became the artistic director in 1985. He brought many famous actors to the theatre. These included Vanessa Redgrave, Sir Michael Hordern, and Timothy Dalton. After Toby Robertson, Helena Kaut-Howson took over.
A New Era of Productions
Terry Hands became the artistic director in 1997. He made the theatre much more famous. His plays, especially those by Shakespeare, were highly praised. He worked closely with Tim Baker. Tim Baker was in charge of shows for young people.
In 2014, Terry Hands directed a play called "Under Milk Wood." It was to celebrate 100 years since Dylan Thomas was born. The play was very popular. About 44,000 people saw it across Wales and England.
Recent Leadership and Changes
Tamara Harvey took over as artistic director in 2015. She led many successful shows. One famous play was "Home, I'm Darling." This play won an Olivier award. It even moved to London's West End and toured the UK.
Tamara Harvey and Liam Evans-Ford worked together. They helped plan a big update for the theatre building. While the main building was being fixed in 2023 and 2024, a temporary theatre was built. It was called "The Mix." This allowed shows to continue.
In 2022, Theatr Clwyd also started running the William Aston Hall. This is a venue in Wrexham. It helped keep the hall open for the community.
In 2023, Kate Wasserberg became the new artistic director. She is the sixth person to hold this important role.
Performance Spaces
Theatr Clwyd has five different spaces for shows and movies.
- The Anthony Hopkins Theatre: This is the largest space. It has 570 seats.
- The Emlyn Williams Theatre: This is a flexible studio space. It can hold up to 250 people.
- Studio 2: Another flexible studio space. It can seat up to 120 people.
- The Clwyd Room: This is a multi-purpose area. It can fit up to 300 people.
- Cinema: A dedicated movie theatre with 120 seats.
Artistic Directors of Theatr Clwyd
Here is a list of the people who have been artistic directors at Theatr Clwyd:
- George Roman (1976 – 1985)
- Toby Robertson (1985 – 1992)
- Helena Kaut-Howson (1992 – 1995)
- Terry Hands (1997 – 2015)
- Tamara Harvey (2015 – 2023)
- Kate Wasserberg (2023 – present)
External links
- Reviews of Theatr Clwyd productions since 2001 at http://www.theatre-wales.co.uk/reviews/reviews_details.asp?reviewID=5126
See also
In Spanish: Clwyd Theatr Cymru para niños
