Liverpool’s Empire Theatre will reopen on Thursday August 5 with a full season of shows.
The theatre will welcome audiences back after more than 16 months of closure due to the Covid pandemic.
The reopening season includes Disney’s Beauty and the Beast in September; hit musicals Heathers and Hairspray next month; comedy in Magic Goes Wrong in September, and rock and roll favourite Rock of Ages, also in September. Further ahead, Christmas will feature major musical Dreamgirls for the first time.
Empire theatre director Diane Belding said: “We’re over the moon to announce our plans! We have seen how much live theatre has been missed in the region and can't wait to give Merseyside some much needed entertainment – in the safest way possible.”
The Empire’s Creative Learning team has been hard at work during the pandemic with investment from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund providing opportunities for 6,000 primary school children to have theatre experiences online. The theatre also commissioned a new dance film, which provided work for local dancers, and relaunched a weekly programme for adults and children. A Youth Theatre production of Chess The Musical, a result of the programme, will be part of the venue’s reopening season (August 13-14).
The theatre will follow all official guidance on admitting audiences safely
Find a full shows calendar here