Preview: Darlington Civic Theatre announces Winter 2014/Spring 2015 Season

Darlington Civic Theatre announces Winter 2014/Spring 2015 Season

Darlington Civic Theatre lifts the curtain to unveil a spectacular Winter/Spring Season packed with more delights than a Christmas stocking.

Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without pantomime, and this year we’re off to see the wizard – or should that be the Chuckles of Oz! Join stars of children’s TV The Chuckle Brothers and follow the yellow brick road to a world of surprises between Sat 6 December and Sun 11 January. 

On Monday 5 January, we usher in the New Year in style with New Year in Vienna 2015 which will whisk you away to a fairy-tale world as the London Gala Orchestra alongside singers and conductor showcase the very best of popular Viennese music, from waltzes and polkas to uplifting marches.

Then there’s a whole jukebox of musical treats as we welcome Steve Steinman’s classic rock show Vampires Rock on Thu 15 January,  folk entertainers The Houghton Weavers on Fri 16 January, and stars of hit film Brassed Off, The Grimethorpe Colliery Band, on Sat 17 January.

From Mon 19 - Sat 24 January, the dark winter nights provide the perfect backdrop to chilling thriller The Woman in Black – an evening of unremitting drama which will transport the audience into a terrifying and ghostly world.

Just because it’s January it doesn’t mean it’s too late for a party! By popular demand, That'll Be The Day returns with a brand new show for 2015 for two nights only on Mon 26 & Tue 27 January. This hugely entertaining line-up of classic gold hits from the 50s, 60s and 70s provides both laughs and nostalgia.

We are delighted to welcome The Russian State Ballet & Orchestra of Siberia back to Darlington with three great ballet masterpieces: light-hearted Coppėlia (Thu 29 Jan), tragic Swan Lake (Fri 30 Jan) and family favourite The Nutcracker (Sat 31 Jan & Sun 1 Feb).

If you saw The Play That Goes Wrong last summer, you’ll love Peter Pan Goes Wrong (Tue 3 – Sun 8 Feb) – and if you missed it you’ll want to come and see what all the fuss was about! The Play That Goes Wrong has successfully transferred into the West End and Mischief Theatre returns with another riotous comedy.

Middle Ground Theatre Company is delighted to present Richard Harris’ acclaimed psychological thriller The Business of Murder, which comes to us Tue 10 - Sat 14 February and stars Robert Gwilym, known by millions for his role as Dr Max Gallagher in Casualty, alongside Paul Opacic (a regular in Bad Girls, Emmerdale and Hollyoaks) and Joanna Higson, who played Maxine Donnelly for two series of Shameless and is currently appearing as Vicky Hall in BBC TV's WPC5.

February brings a selection of shows which stop off in Darlington for one night only. On Tue 17 February The Russian State Ballet and Opera House presents classic opera Rigoletto, a tragic tale of misunderstanding, revenge and sacrifice. On Wed 18 February there’s a fantastic line-up of former members of the legendary band The Kinks as the Kast Off Kinks rock into town to re-live the good times with all their greatest hits. On Thu 19 February we’ve a date with Richard and Adam as they take us to the movies! Following their success on Britain’s Got Talent, Richard and Adam at the Movies brings you a night of silver screen classics performed with flawless technique.

On Sat 21 and Sun 22 February, we embark on an exciting new mission with Octonauts and the Deep Sea Volcano, while on Mon 23 February comedian Omid Djalili brings us Iranalamadingdong. We present a brilliant evening of stories and music with An Evening with Julian Lloyd Webber on Tue 24 Feb, and there are appearances from original members of Emerson Lake and Palmer, Wishbone Ash and The Strawbs with The Classic Legends of Rock and Folk ‘Super Tour’ 2015 on Wed 25 February.             

On Sat 28 February we’re pleased to be throwing our doors wide open for two days of fun, free family activities, with competitions, workshops, performances, guides tours and lots more in our Family Open Weekend.

The Daily Express dubs it ‘the best rock ‘n’ roll show in town’ – it’s the 25-year anniversary tour of Return to the Forbidden Planet, which blasts into Darlington Mon 2 - Sat 7 March.

Based on the award-winning novel by Sebastian Faulks, and coming to Darlington Tue 10 - Sat 14 March, Birdsong is a mesmerising story of love and courage set both before and during the First World War.

For those aged five and under and their families, Where Caterpillars Go is a playful adventure set in a wild and magical paper garden, where the audience will be seated onstage alongside the performers on Sun 15 March.

The Royal Geographical Society returns to the Dolphin Centre on Mon 16 March with Professor Iain Stewart presenting Planet Oil: The Story of a Modern Addiction.

Following recent productions of To Sir, With Love, Brassed Off and Regeneration, The Touring Consortium Theatre Company presents A View From The Bridge by Arthur Miller in celebration of the centenary of the playwright’s birth from Tue 17 – Sat 21 March.

March is a musical month as we welcome Puccini’s opera Madama Butterfly (Wed 25 March), and a host of top tribute acts: The Elvis Years (Thu 26 March), Rumours of Fleetwood Mac (Fri 27 March), Sinatra and Friends (Sat 28 March), and Steve Steinman’s The Meat Loaf Story (Mon 30 March). The month ends with a flourish of magic as the team of tricksters that is Champions of Magic bring their show to us on Tue 31 March. 

If you and your family can’t wait until next Christmas for another pantomime, we have the solution with our Easter pantomime, which this year on Wed 1 & Thu 2 April is Beauty and the Beast starring Bobby Davro. April also sees the return of The Essence of Ireland on Sat 4 April – a heart-breaking, heart-warming story brought to life with the music and dance of the Emerald Isle.

If it’s laughter you’re after, this will be supplied in ample measure by Tim Vine (Tue 7 April) and the Return of the Grumpy Old Women – Fifty Shades of Beige (Thu 9 April). For something a little more gentle, The Good Old Days of Variety will take you back in an afternoon filled with classic songs on Wed 8 April. For more golden oldies, come and see The Hollies on Fri 10 April.

Currently dancing up a storm in BBC1’s Strictly Come Dancing, Pasha Kovalev comes spinning into Darlington for one night only on 11 April. Pasha Kovalev’s Life Through Dance is an amazing new show, a non-stop action-packed journey through life and love, expressed through the language of dance.

From Tue 14 – Sat 18 April we host English Touring Theatre as they present the Royal Shakespeare Company’s production of Thomas Middleton’s Jacobean drama A Mad World My Masters. A hit with audiences and critics alike in Stratford Upon Avon, this riotous and rollicking comedy now explodes onto the stage at the Civic Theatre prior to a London season.

Local heroes Darlington OS return between Wed 22 April – Sat 2 May in what has long been a firm favourite in the calendar. This season they bring their production of Hairspray which is guaranteed to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step. 

Round up the girls (and the men, if they dare!) for The Naked Truth (Wed 6 – Sat 9 May), a poignant and uplifting comedy about sisterhood in which five very different women struggle to conquer pole dancing in aid of a breast cancer charity. With star casting to be announced, you’ll be splitting your sides and moved to tears. 

Tickets:

Tickets for the new Winter/Spring Season are on sale now, and brochures are available from the box office and in venues across the region. For further information and to book contact the box office on 01325 486 555, or visit www.darlingtoncivic.co.uk to choose your own seats online.