On Sat 23 June, from 10am – 5pm, the Citizens Theatre will throw its doors open to the people of Glasgow and offer them one last chance to discover what goes on behind the scenes, before the Gorbals venue undergoes a landmark £19.4 million redevelopment project.
The On the Move event comes ahead of the building’s closure this summer when work is scheduled to start in order to preserve the Victorian interior and upgrade the venue’s other spaces.
This will be the first time in 140 years that a working theatre has not been operating from 119 Gorbals Street.
The event will include a series of backstage tours, while also providing visitors with the chance to grab a memento in a sale of costumes and theatrical items, share their memories of the theatre and explore plans for the new building. They can also expect a few theatrical surprises along the way.
The day will kick-off at 10am sharp with a walk to Scotland Street School Museum organised by the Citizens Theatre Learning team. Open to members of the public, the walk will be staged by participants drawn from the theatre’s extensive range of community projects. Scotland Street School Museum will become the temporary home of the Citizens Theatre community and education projects during the two year decamp.
From September 2018 the Citizens Theatre will present its artistic programme at Tramway. The theatre recently announced details of its first two shows at the Albert Drive venue: a hotly anticipated co-production with National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh of Cyrano de Bergerac, and the return of five-star festive hit, A Christmas Carol.
Citizens Theatre Artistic Director Dominic Hill said: “We want people of all ages, from all parts of Glasgow and beyond, to come and share this special day with us and celebrate all that this beloved building means to them, as a home for world-class theatre and a space where community and creativity collide.”
“The move is absolutely essential if we’re going to ensure that this building exists as a resource for the people of Glasgow for generations to come. So I can’t think of a more appropriate way to mark this exciting new phase in our theatre’s journey, than to open our doors and give everyone the chance to spend a day exploring the theatre before it undergoes its biggest ever transformation over the coming years.”
Tickets are not required to attend the On the Move event. Places on backstage tours will be available to book on a first come first serve basis at Box Office on the day. For more information contact 0141 429 0022 or visit the Citizens Theatre website.