Highlights
Seconds Out Powers On
Seconds Out - our major project for the 2012 Cultural Olympiad marrying boxing with the performing arts, is progressing apace, and on the 16 July ‘10 our first ever dance commission Embracing Shadows was presented to a sell-out audience at Dance City. Two major projects were successfully completed – Fighting Shakespeare, which engaged marginalised and disadvantaged youth through stage fighting, and Write All About It, which converted three student scripts into radio plays.
Another Record Breaking Pantomime
Our 2010 / 2011 pantomime, Robin Hood – The Pantomime Adventure, once again broke all previous pantomime sales records. Not only did it open its seven-week run on Tuesday 30 November with sales in excess of £1million, but over 52,000 tickets had been sold a month ahead of the first night – a new all-time record, and a ten per cent increase on Cinderella at the same point in the previous year. We maintained our title as the fastest selling pantomime in the entire of the UK, and the show then went on to attract our biggest audience ever of 79, 055.
Heritage Lottery Grant
On the 20 January we were successful in securing a grant of £300,000 from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to help with the restoration. This represents the biggest single donation to the project to date.
Auction
On 6 March, with the kind assistance of auctioneers Anderson & Garland, we staged a grand auction in the Theatre to sell off auditorium seats and non-authentic furnishings before stripping out for the restoration. The day was a huge success, with over 200 attendees from across the region and further afield. In total 445 seats, 11 ‘celebrity seats’, several sets of curtains, light fittings, old signs and even coal scuttles were sold to the highest bidders, raising approx £6k to be re-invested in the restoration project.
Restoration Work
The preparatory and survey work necessary ahead of our birthday restoration has progressed according to plan, and on the 15 March 2011 the building work proper began. After much consultation, we chose North East company SURGO Construction to manage the project thanks to their excellent track record, articulate submission and enthusiasm.
Sales Success
The biggest Box Office hit of the year was Matthew Bourne’s Cinderella, which in its single one-week run attracted an audience of 8,554, a full house every night and matinee. Other ‘big hits’ included Bill Kenwright’s Whistle down the Wind starring Jonathan Ansell, Monty Python’s Spamalot and the hit 80s musical Footloose, which collectively attracted 30,390 visitors.
Chess
Another of our most successful shows this year was the hit musical Chess, choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood and produced by our panto mastermind Michael Harrison, who brought us the show as the first date on a major UK tour. It was a huge success, and garnered us not only national press attention but also an audience of 15, 519, significantly exceeding box office targets.
Free Ticket Initiative Target Reached
In January, we achieved our target of supplying 4,000 free theatre tickets to under 26s in the region, under Arts Council’s Free Ticket Initiative ‘A Night Less Ordinary’. The initiative, delivered in partnership with Live Theatre and Northern Stage, sought to reach new audiences and develop a new generation of theatregoers.
Local Partnerships
• Cleveland College of Art & Design – Our relationship goes from strength to strength, with particular highlights being Pantomania Workshops and exhibitions.
• Bridging the Gap – The professional partnership between ourselves, the Maltings in Berwick and the Arc in Stockton continues to offer a unique opportunity for the region’s emerging companies.
Vote for Shakespeare
In September ‘10 we launched a major new campaign to find the most popular Shakespeare character and play in the region, the first time that a UK region has ever been asked to cast votes on the subject. It was hugely successful, attracting 1920 votes, securing a large amount of press coverage and engaging the wider community, especially younger audiences and disengaged youth.
Fundraising Excels
This year we exceeded our fundraising targets - the 175 Campaign has so far attracted 384 donations and 104 Patrons, and is currently at £80k. We are especially grateful for the major gifts received from the Barbour Foundation, Catherine Cookson Charitable Trust, Garfield Weston Foundation and The Monument Trust, one of the Sainsbury Family charitable trusts.