Theatre bosses have released the long-awaited star-studded programme for the brand new £28 million Theatre Severn which includes a host of famous names and shows.
The launch took place at 4pm today, Thursday, and readers can see the full season line-up below for 2009.
Highlights include a lavish performance of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast and best-selling singer James Morrison. Tickets for the Disney show will cost between £27.50 and £32. People will be able to see Tony Benn, The Barber of Seville, musical Romany Wood, comic Andy Parsons, Blood Brothers, The Halle, Rambert Dance Company and Cabaret.
Community groups and local performers will also take centre stage in the inaugural programme.
The official opening production will take place on Wednesday and Thursday March 25 and 26. It will be a large scale show of the children’s musical Romany Wood. Based on the book written by Beshlie, a Romany who lives in Shropshire, it will star Timothy West CBE as the narrator and Melanie Nakhla from All Angels. The evening will also see music performed by Shropshire Youth Orchestra joined by a 300 strong choir of local primary school children. Tickets for this show will be £10.
The first ever show will be on February 22 and will be talk on Darwin by Professor Lord May of Oxford as part of the Darwin bicentenary celebrations.
Music lovers will be excited at the prospect of James Morrison performing in Shrewsbury on March 28. He had one of the biggest-selling debut albums of 2006 and has sold more than two million copies worldwide. Tickets for the gig will cost £35.
Classical officianados can look forward to the Armonico Consort presenting The Barber of Seville on March 5 and 6, The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra will play a host of British Classics on April 4 and The Halle will perform Mendelssohn and Beethoven on May 21. Prices for the CBSO and Halle will cost £34.
8 out of 10 Cats star Jason Manford, Mock the Week regular Andy Parsons and the talented Dave Spikey will all make audiences laugh with their stand up comedy routines. Tickets for these shows range from £15 to £18.
Lord of the Flies, Calamity Jane, The Railway Children, Blood Brothers and Cabaret are just a few of the large scale theatre productions that will whet drama lovers appetites.
Children’s productions, poets and bands will all also feature at the entertainment venue.
Adam Burgan, programme and marketing manager, said: “We are so thrilled to be able to say ‘Welcome to Theatre Severn’. It really is time for Shrewsbury to take centre stage.
“We are so excited to have Disney’s Beauty and the Beast coming to Theatre Severn - it is the most wonderful family show and everything about the production is simply perfect from the stunning costumes to the beautiful scenery, the dazzling special effects to the incredible score.”
Tickets for all the performances in the programme go on sale tomorrow morning. For more information contact the box office on 01743 281281 or log on to www.theatresevern.co.uk
THEATRE SEVERN PROGRAMME IN FULL
FEBRUARY
Sunday 22, The Charles Darwin Memorial Lecture, 2.30pm.
Tuesday 24, An Evening with Pam Ayres, 7.30pm.
Thursday 26, An Evening with Tony Benn, 7.30pm.
Friday, Jason Manford, 8pm.
Saturday 28, St David’s Day Concert, 7.30pm.
MARCH
Thursday 5, Armonico Consort – The Barber of Seville, 7.30pm.
Friday 6, Armonico Consort – The Barber of Seville, 7.30pm.
Tuesday 10, Pilot Theatre, Lord of the Flies, 2pm and 7.30pm.
Wednesday 11, Pilot Theatre, Lord of the Flies, 2pm and 7.30pm.
Thursday 12. Pilot Theatre, Lord of the Flies, 2pm and 7.30pm.
Friday 13, Pilot Theatre, Lord of the Flies, 7.30pm
Saturday 14, Pilot Theatre, Lord of the Flies, 7.30pm
Thursday 19, The Darwin Song Project, 8pm.
Saturday 21, Last Night of the Proms, 7.30pm.
Thursday 26, Romany Wood, 7.30pm.
Saturday 28, James Morrison, 7.30pm.
APRIL
Wednesday 1, The Concerto Competition, 7.30pm.
Thursday 2, Calamity Jane, 7.30pm.
Saturday 4, The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, 7.30pm.
Sunday 5, Andy Parsons, 8pm.
Monday 6, Basil Brush – Basil’s High Skool Mania!, 1pm and 4pm.
Tuesday 7, Patsy Cline: The Concert, 7.30pm.
Thursday 9, Fascinating Aida, 7.30pm.
Wednesday 15, An Audience with Benjamin Zephaniah, 7.30pm.
Thursday 16, Show of Hands, 7.30pm.
Friday 17, Elvis on Tour, The Legend Continues…, 8pm.
Saturday 18, The Shrewsbury Police Choir 25th Anniversary Concert, 7.30pm.
Sunday 19, Adam Hart-Davis – Are Earthworms Deaf?, 3pm.
Wednesday 22, Richard Alston Dance Company, 7.30pm.
Thursday 23, Richard Alston Dance Company, 7.30pm.
Friday 24, Jake & Elwood – The Best Blues Brothers Show! 8pm.
Saturday 25, Shrewsbury Choral Society – The Messiah, 7.30pm.
Wednesday 29, We’ll meet Again, 2.30pm.
MAY
Saturday 9, Baroque Brilliance, 7.30pm.
Monday 11, Foursight Theatre – Can Any Mother Help Me?, 7.30pm.
Tuesday 12, Foursight Theatre – Can Any Mother Help Me?, 7.30pm.
Friday 15, The Motown Show, 7.30pm
Saturday 16, The Tales of Peter Rabbit, 1pm and 3.30pm.
Sunday 17, The Comedy Club – Simon Evans and Mike Wilmot, 8pm.
Wednesday 20, Ballet Central, 7.30pm.
Thursday 21, The Halle, 7.30;m.
Friday 22, Seth Lakeman, 7.30pm.
Saturday 23, Jane McDonald, 7.30pm.
Sunday 24, Ga Ga, 7.30pm.
Tuesday 26, The Manfreds, 7.30pm.
Thursday 28, The Viv Kelly Youth Theatre Group – Guys and Dolls, 7.30pm.
Friday 29, The Viv Kelly Youth Theatre Group – Guys and Dolls, 7.30pm.
Saturday 30, The Viv Kelly Youth Theatre Group – Guys and Dolls, 7.30pm.
JUNE
Monday 1, Blood Brothers, 7.30pm.
Tuesday 2, Blood Brothers, 7.30pm.
Wednesday 3, Blood Brothers, 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Thursday 4, Blood Brothers, 7.30pm.
Friday 5, Blood Brothers, 7.30pm.
Saturday 6, Blood Brothers, 2.30pm and 7.30pm
Friday 12, Stage 2 – Kaleidoscope 2009, 7.30pm.
Saturday 13, Stage 2 – Kaleidoscope 2009, 7.30pm.
Sunday 14, Stage 2 – Kaleidoscope 2009, 7.30pm.
Wednesday 17, The Blues Band, 7.30pm.
Thursday 18, The Jazz Dance Company, 7.30pm.
JULY
Tuesday 14, Le Grand Cirque, 7.30pm.
Wednesday 15, Le Grand Cirque, 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Thursday 16, Le Grand Cirque, 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Tuesday 21, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 7.30pm.
Wednesday 22, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 7.30pm.
Thursday 23, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Friday 24, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 7.30pm.
Saturday 25, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Monday 27, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 7.30pm.
Tuesday 28, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 7.30pm.
Wednesday 29, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Thursday 30, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
Friday 31, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 7.30pm.
AUGUST
Saturday 1, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, 2.30pm and 7.30pm.
What do you think of the new programme? Email our editor John Butterworth at jbutterworth@shrewsburychronicle.co.uk with your views or write to: The Editor, Shrewsbury Chronicle, Chronicle House, Castle Foregate, Shrewsbury SY1 2DN