£30m theatre taking shape

A season of celebrations will mark the opening of Shrewsbury’s new theatre, which will become a “landmark building” for the county, managers said today.The £30 million theatre has risen over the buildings of Frankwell, making a bold statement for the future of the arts in Shrewsbury, and is on target to open next February.

Adam Burgan, programme and marketing manager at the Music Hall, who will be carrying his role forward to the new venue, said the official opening ceremony was planned for the end of March.

He exclusively revealed that during the opening celebrations, the County Youth Orchestra and 300 primary school children from across Shropshire would be performing the musical Romany Wood, which was written by a local Romany gipsy and turned into a musical by Shropshire duo David Gaukroger and David Carr.

He said: “For us to have 400 local children involved in the celebrations is really special. It has a local link but has never been performed in Shropshire.”

Mr Burgan said that during the opening ceremony there would be a celebratory narrator and a celebratory soloist, but he could not divulge any names, and there would also be a big concert on the opening weekend.

“The theatre means so many different things to different people, so we did not want to have one opening,” he added.

There is a bold mixture of old and new as the venue becomes a contemporary 21st century complex but architects have also managed to incorporate Shrewsbury’s heritage.The old chapel makes a beautiful statement in the middle of the theatre and will soon become the bar area while the remains of the medieval St George’s Bridge are safely nestled in the bottom of the theatre surrounded by concrete.

Grant Wilson, technical manager for the Music Hall, said you could feel the excitement growing among theatre workers as they realised how much more could be achieved in the new building.

He said: “We have been working on the plans for three to four years and it’s really exciting to see it coming together and becoming a reality.”

He added that staff at the Music Hall had had some input into the designs.

Adam Burgan, the Music Hall’s programme and marketing manager, said everyone was very excited about the fly tower at the new theatre, meaning performances such as Peter Pan would be able to take place.

He said: “It’s such a huge difference having these facilities here and the companies it opens up. They can finally come to Shrewsbury.

“Many have wanted to come for years and years and not been able to but now they can.”

Lezley Picton, cultural services manager at Shrewsbury Music Hall, said despite the large auditorium, it was really a very “intimate space”.

She said: “The furthest seat away is the back seat in the upper circle but it’s still a third less than the Music Hall so people have a far better view. It’s almost like going back to The Globe where everyone will feel a part of the show.”