Theatre Royal, Newcastle facts for kids
The front of the Theatre Royal building.
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| Address | Grey Street Newcastle upon Tyne |
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| Coordinates | 54°58′22″N 1°36′43″W / 54.97278°N 1.61194°W |
| Owner | Theatre Royal Trust |
| Designation | Grade I |
| Type | Major regional theatre |
| Capacity | 1,249 total seat capacity across four levels |
| Production | Visiting productions |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 20 February 1837 |
| Rebuilt | 1901 Frank Matcham |
| Architect | John and Benjamin Green |
| Website | |
| http://www.theatreroyal.co.uk | |
The Theatre Royal is a very old and important theatre. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it's a special historic place. You can find it on Grey Street in Newcastle upon Tyne.
Contents
The Theatre's Story
The Theatre Royal was designed by local architects John and Benjamin Green. It was part of a big plan by Richard Grainger to make Newcastle's city centre look grand. The theatre first opened its doors on 20 February 1837. The very first play performed there was The Merchant of Venice.
Over the years, different people managed the theatre. One of the longest-serving managers was Edward D. Davis, from 1845 to 1870. During his time, in 1867, the inside of the theatre was updated by architect Charles J. Phipps. Later, in 1888, Robert Arthur took over.
Fires and Rebuilding
A big fire sadly destroyed the inside of the theatre in 1899. This happened after a performance of William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. After the fire, Robert Arthur asked architect Frank Matcham to completely redesign the interior. The theatre reopened on 31 December 1901. Even though the inside changed, the outside of the building still looks just like it did when it was first built!
New Owners and Updates
From 1912, the Theatre Royal became an important part of the Howard & Wyndham group of theatres. In 1967, the Newcastle City Council took over ownership of the building.
The theatre had a big update and restoration in the late 1980s. It reopened on 11 January 1988 with a play called A Man For All Seasons, starring Charlton Heston.
In 2011, the Theatre Royal closed again for a major restoration. This project aimed to bring the theatre back to its original 1901 Frank Matcham Edwardian look. Almost everything inside was redone, but the original plasterwork was carefully saved. The stage arch and seating areas were decorated with gold leaf. New Edwardian-style seats were put in. An area called the amphitheatre, which had been removed before, was brought back. This gave the theatre five different seating areas. Wheelchair spaces were also added. The stage lift and orchestra pit were replaced to help with opera and musicals. A new air system was installed to make audiences more comfortable. This big project cost £4.75 million. The Theatre Royal reopened on 12 September 2011 with the play The Madness of George III.
What's On Today?
Today, the Theatre Royal hosts many different kinds of shows. You can see ballet, modern dance, plays, musicals, and opera. Most of the shows that come to the Theatre Royal are part of big tours around Britain. Each year, the theatre usually has about 30 to 35 different shows.
For musicals and opera, there's a large orchestra pit that can fit up to 60 musicians! The stage is also very big. It can hold 50 singers, dancers, actors, and musicians at once.
The First Theatre Royal
Newcastle actually had an earlier Theatre Royal. It opened on 21 January 1788 on Mosley Street. However, its location got in the way of plans to rebuild the city centre, especially for Grey Street. So, it was taken down to make room for the theatre we see today. The first theatre's last show was on 25 June 1836.
Theatre Details
The current theatre has a proscenium stage. This means the audience looks at the stage through a large arch. The theatre also has an orchestra pit that can move up and down using two lifts. This pit can make the seating area smaller when it's in use.
The audience sits on four different levels:
- Stalls (501 seats)
- Grand Circle (252 seats)
- Upper Circle (249 seats)
- Gallery (247 seats)
Project A: Actor Training
Project A is a special one-year training program for actors. It's led by an artistic director and supported by experts from the theatre world. The program takes place at the Theatre Royal over an academic year. Students get professional actor training. They finish the course by performing a play in the Studio Theatre, which then tours nationally.
The course began in September 2015. The first year was free for the actors who were chosen. This program is seen as a different path to becoming an actor, compared to going to a traditional drama school. It aims to help actors get started in the industry.
The Royal Shakespeare Company works closely with the Theatre Royal. They are very involved with the Project A program during the second term.
