THE FIRST professional theatre in Rugby is poised to open its curtains.
Macready Theatre, based in a prominent Victorian building on the corner of Lawrence Sheriff Street and Little Church Street, is re-launching next week to bring professional touring productions including drama, comedy and music to the town centre.
The Rugby School-owned theatre will give a third of all touring work tickets to local school groups for free, in response to the arts being taken off the state school curriculum.
And a school spokeswoman says the theatre will ‘guarantee, wherever possible’ cheaper tickets to the general public than other theatres for the same or equivalent show – a boost for the town centre’s night-time economy.
Macready Theatre artistic director Tim Coker said he was committed to keeping the arts alive at a time of its removal from education in UK schools.
He said: “Removing the arts from the curriculum will have such a damaging impact on our creative economy, social mobility and well-being.
“Our response is to offer whatever support we can to create opportunities for young people in our region and for the community as a whole.
“By making the Macready Theatre a public, professional venue with a programme of live theatre, dance, music, comedy and the spoken word, we are proud to be able to do our part to secure the future of our industry.”
The theatre’s patron, Dame Judi Dench, sent a message of support.
She said: “I am incredibly excited to hear about the re-launch of the Macready Theatre at Rugby. I wish I were free to be there and cheer!
“The theatre at my school was such an integral part of my education and entirely responsible for my future love of the arts.”
Macready Theatre is based in a prominent Victorian building on the corner of Lawrence Sheriff Street and Little Church Street.
The Macready Theatre building was constructed by Rugby School in 1885 as a space to accommodate classrooms for the growing pupil intake.
It became a theatre in 1975, named after the actor William Charles Macready, a former head boy at Rugby School.
Macready made his first appearance at Covent Garden in 1816. He played Richard III three years later to great acclaim before transferring to Drury Lane and touring the United States and Paris. On his retirement, the British poet Alfred Tennyson dedicated a poem to him.
Having recently installed a lift for people with disabilities, the 250-seat fully equipped theatre, complete with bar and foyer, will open its doors to the public for the first time on Wednesday (December 5) with performances by world-renowned dance company Motionhouse.
Visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/rugby-arts for tickets and more information.
