Lantern Theatre
The Lantern Theatre, located on Kenwood Park Road, is Sheffield’s oldest surviving theatre and it is now an independent charity. It was built in 1893 and was renovated and reopened by Dilys Guite in 1957. Even today, the Lantern Theatre’s resident company is the Dilys Guite Players, who are one of the most accomplished community theatre groups in Sheffield.
With an 84-seater performance space, the Lantern Theatre offers an inclusive programme with regular events including plays and music. In addition, it offers opportunities for everyone to be an active participant in its theatre, with the Dilys Guite Players hosting open auditions for their productions throughout the year. The Lantern also hosts an annual New Writing Festival, which aims to showcase talented new writers and is open for submissions year-round.
Library Theatre
Located at the Sheffield Library, just around the corner from the Sheffield Theatres complex, the Library Theatre is a 264-seater venue that offers a wide variety of events. These include drama, wrestling, variety, burlesque, contemporary dance, world music, film screenings and much more. It also hosts events that are part of Sheffield’s Doc-fest and Tramlines.
When the Central Library was built in 1934, the Library Theatre was originally designed to be a lecture theatre. Despite this, it hosted its first drama performance (See Naples and Die by the Sheffield Playgoer’s Society) as early as November 1934. During the war, the Library Theatre was used as an air raid shelter, however I think that it’s biggest claim to fame is that it was the venue for the first even TV broadcast from Sheffield (a programme called Public Enquiry).
Merlin Theatre
The Merlin Theatre is found in the gardens of Tintagel House in Nether Edge. Although it is home to a small performance space, the Merlin Theatre mainly acts as an arts centre. This is run through the Ruskin Mill Trust and provides a unique place that works to celebrate the creative potential of young people with SEN.
The Montgomery Theatre and Arts Centre
Located on Surrey Street in Sheffield city centre, the Montgomery Theatre and Arts Centre offers a range of music, dance and theatre productions. These include amateur and community performances, as well as professional productions, and it also offers specific children’s productions so that there is something for everyone. The theatre has recently been acquired by the Sheffield Theatres group.
The Montgomery first opened in 1886 as a meeting hall for the Sheffield Sunday Schools Union and a memorial to James Montgomery, who was an avid and radical spokesperson for social reform. It is now a thriving arts centre and theatre that is home to many of Sheffield’s leading community theatre groups. The Montgomery also offers regular holiday groups for children and young people in order to give them opportunities to engage with the arts. This fits with their ethos of giving everyone the chance to access a creative education.
Drama Studio
Converted from an old Baptist church, Sheffield University’s Drama Studio hosts a variety of professional and student productions, including SUTCo’s plays, SUPAS’ musicals and the annual Modern Languages Drama Festival. What’s even better is that tickets are usually only a fraction of the price you’d pay at the Crucible or Lyceum, so going to see a production at the Drama Studio is a fun and affordable night out!
