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Built in 1921 by a well-known theatrical
producer and comedian Harry Russell and privately owned
and run, 'The New Arcadia' became the 'Arcadia Picture House'
in the early 1930s still run by Mr Russell. In the late
1940s the Council purchased the building and converted it
to a theatre and cinema as 'Doncaster Arts Centre' - one
of the first such municipal facilities in the country.
Following major refurbishment in the 1970s the Doncaster
Civic Theatre was born. Since then this 495 seat, single
story proscenium auditorium has been the mainstay of arts
activity in Doncaster, attracting over 70,000 visits a year
to a varied and lively entertainments programme.
Currently funded and operated by Doncaster Council Directorate
of Neighbourhoods, Communities & Childrens' Services,
its programme is a mix of professional entertainment and
artistic product alongside a thriving local amateur scene
and an extremely successful annual Pantomime production.
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Doncaster
Council is part funding a new venue in Doncaster, to
replace the Civic Theatre.
The New Performance Venue, as it's currently known, will be
a multi-space 'tool-box' with a main auditorium, a second
flexible theatre-space, dance and drama studios, rehearsal
/ teaching spaces, a live music bar, cafe/bar and foyer.
Its programming will be extremely diverse from workshops,
lectures and training programmes to theatre, music, dance
and digital multi-media.
The new £13.5 million venue is a partnership between
Doncaster Council, Doncaster College and newSTAGEs - a consortium
of Doncaster voluntary arts organisations, and has been allocated
£2m through the Arts Council, England's National Lottery
Fund, and is planned to open in 2008.
Click to enlarge
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