North East England– Regional Theatre Guide

The north east of England has a wealth of historical theatre venues in areas such as Whitley Bay, Darlington, Gateshead, Durham & Blyth. Whilst London is the epicentre of live performances & large venues, the North East of England is a bustle of regeneration & intimate venues such as the Laurels Theatre in Whitley Bay.

A short history of North East Theatres

There are so many stunning theatres in the North East that look like they belong in a museum, or better yet, they are themselves museums. The Darlington Hippodrome which was formerly known as the Darlington Civic theatre was re-opened in 2017 after huge £13.7m restoration project.
Another beautiful North East theatre that opened in 1837 is the Theatre Royal in Newcastle Upon Tyne. It is a Grade 1 listed building that is located on Grey Street and opened with a first performance of ‘The Merchant of Venice’. The first manager of this historical theatre in fact hired his wife as the main actress.
Many other modern venues in the North East include The Sage in Gateshead, The Playhouse in Whitley Bay & the Phoenix Theatre in Blyth. All of which show a range of Music, Dance & Comedy performances to cater for all types of theatre buffs.

What is the best way to travel to North East Theatres?

Trains direct from London run Northbound to these destinations however the journey time can vary in length. The easiest way to approach these North East Theatres is by car, starting your journey down the M1. If you decide to travel by public transport you should always check the train timetables before you set off in case of any delays.

How do I buy tickets to theatre showings in the North East of England?

The best way to purchase tickets at any North East theatres is online. You can find a current list of the best shows to see on our regional theatre pages.

ARC Stockton Arts Centre https://arconline.co.uk/

Alnwick Playhouse https://www.alnwickplayhouse.co.uk/

Laurels Theatre – Whitley Bay https://www.laurelswhitley.co.uk/

Playhouse Whitley Bay https://www.playhousewhitleybay.co.uk/

Stockton Globe https://www.stocktonglobe.co.uk/

The Phoenix Theatre – Blyth https://www.thephoenixtheatre.org.uk/

The Forum Theatre Billingham https://forumtheatrebillingham.co.uk/

Middlesbrough Theatre https://www.middlesbroughtheatre.co.uk/

Middlesbrough Town Hall https://www.middlesbroughtownhall.co.uk/

The Princess Alexandra Auditorium and Friarage Theatre – Yarm School https://www.thepaaonline.org/

Tyne Theatre & Opera House – Newcastle https://www.tynetheatreandoperahouse.uk/

Utilita Arena – Newcastle https://www.utilitaarena.co.uk/

O2 Academy Newcastle https://www.academymusicgroup.com/o2cityhallnewcastle/

O2 City Hall Newcastle https://www.academymusicgroup.com/o2cityhallnewcastle/

Northern stage Newcastle upon Tyne https://northernstage.co.uk/

Theatre Royal Newcastle https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/

The Cluny – Newcastle https://thecluny.com/

Utilita Arena, Newcastle https://www.utilitaarena.co.uk/

Grimsby Auditorium https://grimsbyauditorium.org.uk/

Gosforth Civic Theatre https://www.gosforthcivictheatre.co.uk/

Sunderland Empire https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire/

The Fire Station Sunderland https://sunderlandculture.org.uk/our-venues/the-fire-station/

Sage Gateshead https://sagegateshead.com/

Darlington Hippodrome https://www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk/

Durham Gala Theatre https://galadurham.co.uk/

Hull New Theatre and Hull City Hall https://www.hulltheatres.co.uk/

Hull Truck Theatre https://www.hulltruck.co.uk/

Trinity Arts Centre, Gainsborough https://trinityarts.co.uk/