Theatre by the Lake facts for kids
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| Address | Lakeside Keswick, Cumbria England |
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| Owner | Cumbria Theatre Trust |
| Capacity | Main House 400; Studio 100 (can vary between performances) |
| Opened | 1999 |
| Website | |
| http://www.theatrebythelake.co.uk/ | |
Theatre by the Lake is a fantastic theatre located right on the edge of Derwentwater lake in Keswick, Cumbria, England. This area is part of the stunning Lake District. It first opened its doors in 1999, replacing an older, mobile theatre. The money to build this special place came from a grant from the Arts Council Lottery Fund.
From May to November each year, a group of up to 14 actors performs a "Summer Season" of six different plays. They do this in a special way called repertory, which means they perform different plays on different nights. The theatre also puts on a fun Christmas show and two Spring shows. Besides their own productions, Theatre by the Lake hosts many exciting events. These include the Words by the Water literature festival, the Jennings Keswick Jazz Festival, the Keswick Film Festival, and events for the Keswick Mountain Festival. You can also see visiting drama, music, dance, talks, comedy, and films here.
How the Theatre Started
Before the current building, a mobile theatre called the Century Theatre used to visit Keswick. It was like a theatre on wheels! It first arrived in 1961 and then stayed permanently in the Lakeside car park from 1975.
People in Keswick wanted a permanent theatre building. So, in 1991, they got permission to build one on the site. In 1996, the old mobile Century Theatre was moved to make way for the new building. Work on the Theatre by the Lake began in 1998. The famous actress Dame Judi Dench even helped start the building work! A large part of the £6.5 million cost came from the National Lottery. The public helped choose the name "Theatre by the Lake." The very first show in the new building was on August 19, 1999.
The theatre has two main performance areas, called auditoria:
- The Main House has 400 seats.
- The Studio has 100 seats.
What You Can See There
Theatre by the Lake puts on many different kinds of plays and shows throughout the year. They have their own group of actors who perform a variety of plays during the summer. These often include classic stories and new plays. They also have special shows for Christmas and in the spring.
Over the years, the theatre has shown many famous plays by well-known writers. These include plays by William Shakespeare like Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream. They've also performed works by Charles Dickens, such as A Christmas Carol, and popular stories like The Wizard of Oz and Peter Pan.
The theatre also hosts many other events and festivals. This means there's always something new and exciting to see, from music and dance to comedy and film. It's a busy and important place for arts and culture in the Lake District!
