Children and young people's theatre

Ducklings afloat in Exchange Studio

The Herd Theatre float their show for youngsters Ducklings in Manchester Royal Exchange Studio.

Oldham Theatre Workshop has a Secret

Oldham Theatre Workshop is back with another family Christmas musical: The Secret of Christmas Eve.

Family holiday time at Z-arts

The holiday season at Z-arts in Manchester is aimed at the whole family.

Scamp wedded to Z Arts

Scamp Theatre’s The Scarecrows’ Wedding comes to Z-arts in Manchester.

Christmas dance for kids

balletLORENT presents a Christmas creative dance course for children in Newcastle.

Gramophones record funding for new aerial theatre show

Nottingham-based all-female theatre company the Gramophones has received almost £60,000 from Arts Council England and other sources to mount a new aerial theatre show for families.

Pick up a Penguin for Christmas

The Broadway and West End production of Mr Popper’s Penguins comes to Greater Manchester.

New commission announced for Midlands theatre makers

A Midlands creative development programme is to commission a new piece of work from mid-career theatre makers for 2020.

Two helpings from Kitchen Zoo this Christmas

This Christmas children’s theatre company Kitchen Zoo will be appearing at two different venues with two different shows.

Northampton reveals cast for Pippi Longstocking première

Northampton’s Royal and Derngate has announced the cast for the world première of Pippi Longstocking, one of its 2019 Christmas shows.

Derby Theatre casts Little Red Riding Hood

Derby Theatre and Hiccup Theatre have revealed the cast of their Christmas 2019 production Little Red Riding Hood.

Double helping of Horrible Histories

Horrible Histories Live On Stage heads to Storyhouse in Chester.

Scaredy Bairns at Halloween

Scaredy Bairns is a family friendly Halloween experience deep in the woods in County Durham.

Melva tours to schools in 2019 and 2020

Melva, a play about children’s anxieties and worries, tours to NE schools in 2019 and 2020.

Big Imaginations sought for child-centred shows

The Dukes and Lancaster Arts are set to host five family shows in October.

Snow Queen casting announced

Northern Stage has announced the cast for its Christmas show, The Snow Queen.

Wintry outlook for Lancaster

The Dukes theatre in The Round in Lancaster will be transformed into a wintry woodland for this year’s Cinderella.

Stitching together Patchwork Wonders

Innovative theatre-makers Stitch Brothers present Patchwork Wonders for children at The Dukes in Lancaster.

Young gateway to culture

Young people can now get free membership and exclusive discounts at The Dukes in Lancaster.

TakeOff 2019 shows announced

The shows for the October 2019 Takeoff Festival of children’s theatre in Co Durham have been announced.

The Snowman flies into Peacock for 22nd year

Birmingham REP’s production of Raymond Briggs's The Snowman is to visit London’s Peacock Theatre for the 22nd consecutive year.

Young dancers and musicians Assemble in Croydon

Bassist Shri Sriram and dancer and choreographer Jose Agudo will present Assemble, a new work written and performed by young dancers and musicians aged 14–19, at Fairfield Halls, Croydon.

First Encounters with Shakespeare in the North East

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s First Encounters programme is coming to the region in October.

Award-winning short film becomes play for children

The Deaffest UK award-winning Best Artistic Short Film is to become a play for children at Northern Stage.

Baby Fever under observation

Baby Fever is at Stun Studios at Z Arts, Manchester.

Night Garden Live in Manchester

In the Night Garden Live begins a first-ever tour of UK theatres with a brand-new show at the Palace Theatre Manchester.

Sunderland Empire launches a musical theatre school

The Sunderland Empire Academy of Performing Arts (SEA) launches this autumn.

BRB creates Dreams for ballet students on the road

After two events in Birmingham, Birmingham Royal Ballet is taking its Dreams project on the road, allowing ballet students of all ages to perform alongside some of BRB’s company dancers in a special public performance of a much-loved ballet.

The Place awarded Creative Europe grant

The Place has secured a €200,000 Creative Europe grant towards a €333,000 project with three EU partners, which will test a new model of developing dance performance for young audiences.

Lucy-Mae's sweet success in Mr Stink

Lucy-Mae Beacock was just nine when chosen to play Matilda in the RSC production of Matilda the Musical.

Polar bear on the loose

A polar bear’s loose in Lancaster’s Dukes Theatre this September in an adaptation of a Raymond Briggs book.

A hip-hopera at Sage Gateshead

Stitched, a hip-hopera from New Writing North, is coming to Sage Gateshead in September.

Four-day writing workshop in Coventry for young people

Coventry’s Theatre Absolute is looking for new members aged between 14 and 18 to form its first group dedicated to nurturing the voices of young people in the city.

Schools and theatres to get first encounter with Merchant of Venice

The Royal Shakespeare Company is to tour The Merchant of Venice to schools and theatres in autumn 2019 as part of its First Encounters programme.

Young Everyman programme open for applications

Applications for Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse’s Young Everyman Playhouse programme are open for 2019.

Children's summer school with balletLORENT

Newcastle’s balletLORENT is to hold a dance summer school for 7- to 11-year-olds.

Belgrade calls for youngsters for Crongton Knights

Coventry’s Belgrade Theatre is looking for a group of people to play teenagers in Emteaz Hussain’s adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s novel for young adults Crongton Knights.

Rare Gilbert and Sullivan songs to be aired in Buxton Fringe show

Youth theatre company PB Theatricals is taking on three new challenges with shows for those aged 10 to 18, one of which will be performed at Buxton Fringe.

New take on nursery rhyme at Buxton Fringe

Goblin Theatre is to visit Buxton Fringe with its show Hey Diddle Diddle, aimed at ages two to seven, as part of a UK tour of more than 40 venues.

Leicester and Kingston theatres to stage Giraffes Can’t Dance

Leicester’s Curve and Rose Theatre Kingston are to stage a new production of Giraffes Can’t Dance at Christmas 2019.

Making something brilliant on Tyneside

City of Dreams offers 45,000 chances for children and young people to #MakeSomethingBrilliant in NewcastleGateshead this summer

Yvonne Arnaud Youth Theatre performs in community

Members of the Yvonne Arnaud Youth Theatre's production group performed at the Pilgrim Wood Residential and Dementia Care Home.

Getting creative about the Future

HOME in Manchester has launched Future 20, its second year-long artist residency and training programme for emerging artists aged 18–25.

Teenage take on Cinderella

PROM! The Musical is at Oldham Coliseum, July 24–27.

Taking the Spirit of the Sea to Tees Valley

Theatre Hullabaloo is to tour Tees Valley with an immersive show about children’s mental health for 7- to 11-year-olds.

Consortium picks Crongton Knights as second co-production

Pilot Theatre is to stage in 2021 the world première of Emteaz Hussain’s adaptation of Alex Wheatle’s Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize winner, Crongton Knights.

Christmas in the North West

A look at the pantos, musicals, family shows and other theatre productions that will be playing in the North West over the festive period.

Shooting Fish: shooting a bullseye for young people's creative needs

A visit to see Shooting Fish's latest production of The Murdereress prompted an inquiry into their creative process. The result is the revelation of an inspiring method of engaging with and drawing out the best in young people.

Santa’s Sooty Christmas

Roma Tomelty

The Snow Queen

Hans Christian Andersen, adapted by Laura Lindow

Peter Pan

J M Barrie, adapted by Deborah McAndrew

The Snow Queen

Conor Mitchell after Hans Christian Andersen

Snow White

Original Brothers Grimm fairy tale developed by Mike Tweddle and Rina Vergano

Wolf!

Written and devised by Brad McCormick, Hannah Goudie-Hunter and Bob Nicholson...

The Prince and the Pauper

Mark Twain, adapted by Chinonyerem Odimba

The Canterville Ghost

Oscar Wilde, adapted by Anthony Weigh

The Boy in the Dress

Mark Ravenhill, based on the David Walliams novel

I Wish I Was A Mountain

Toby Thompson

The Boy Who Cried Wolf

Mike Kenny

Maggot Moon

Based on the novel by Sally Gardner adapted for the stage by Jemma Kennedy

Anansi the Spider

Justin Audibert

The Sea Queen

Daniel Winder with lyrics by Matthew Bugg & Rae Mcken and music by Matthew Bugg

Gilgamesh & Me

Richard Fredman

Moonbird

Joyce Dunbar & Jane Ray

Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear the Musical!

Book and Lyrics by Andy Stanton, Music by Jim Fortune

The Borrowers

Bryony Lavery based on the books of Mary Norton

Feel the Love

Chickenshed Young Company

Noye's Fludde

Benjamin Britten

Aesop's Fables (ages 8–12)

Chris Thorpe, Naomi Iizuka, Kaite O’Reilly, Somalia Seaton (with help from Av...

Yellow is the Colour of Sunshine

Brendan Murray

The Chronic Identity Crisis of Pamplemousse

Greg Caffrey

Aesop's Fables (ages 4–7)

E V Crowe, Kaite O’Reilly, Annie Siddons and Frances Ya-Chu Cowhig