Many theatres take a break after the Christmas show / panto season, with many not restarting until late January or even the beginning of February. Here’s a listing of when NE theatres are presenting their first professional drama or dance shows of the year. The list does not include stand-up, music or tribute acts.
Northumberland
Alnwick Playhouse: 8 February with A Doll‘s House (Elysium TC)
Phoenix, Blyth: 13 February with new musical The Cinder Path
Queen’s Hall, Hexham: 2 February with A Doll‘s House (Elysium TC)
Tyne and Wear
Theatre Royal, Newcastle: 11 January with the musical SIX
Northern Stage: 1 February with The Invisible Man (in-house production)
Live Theatre: 2 February with Door-to-Door Poetry Nationwide (Rowan McCabe)
Alphabetti: 25 January with Tree (co-production with The Worriers)
Tyne Theatre and Opera House: 15 January with Circus of Horrors
Gosforth Civic Theatre: 29 January with Mortal Fools
Dance City: 29 January with Trails (Dora Frankel Ensemble)
Sunderland Empire: 10 January with the musical Hairspray
The Fire Station, Sunderland: 17 February with A Doll‘s House (Elysium TC)
Arts Centre Washington: 10 February with Girls, Girls, Girls (aerial dance)
The Customs House: 6 February with new musical The Cinder Path
The Exchange, North Shields: 4 February with A Doll‘s House (Elysium TC)
Laurels, Whitley Bay: 11 February with How to Live a Jellicle Life
Playhouse Whitley Bay: 6 February with Animal Antics (puppet show)
Co Durham
Gala, Durham: 21 February with First Time
Consett Empire: 17 February with new musical The Cinder Path
The Witham, Barnard Castle: 5 February with The Ballad of Mulan (for age 10+)
Theatre Hullabaloo: 3 February with Monkey Tales (for ages 3–7)
Darlington Hippodrome: 6 January with The Nutcracker
Teesside
Billingham Forum: 15 January with The Snow Queen (Ballet Theatre UK)
ARC, Stockton: 16 February with You Heard Me (written and performed by Luca Rutherford)
Middlesbrough Theatre: 29 January with The Snow Queen (Ballet Theatre UK)
Borough Hall, Hartlepool: 12 February with The Monacle (Rendez-Vous Dance)
North Yorkshire
Saltburn Arts: 19 February with For Queen and Country (one-man show)
Harrogate Theatre: 28 January with Round the Horne
(We have no information for the Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond)
See also our NE listings pages.