TANYA MOISEIWITSCH PLAYHOUSE
- Anna Hibiscus’ Song: Produced by resident company Utopia Theatre and Sheffield Theatres and staged in the intimate and flexible Playhouse. Thisnew play is adapted from the book by Atinuke and is directed and adapted by Utopia Theatre Founder, CEO and Artistic Director Mojisola Kareem-Elufowoju. Suitable for children aged 3+ and their families, this theatrical adaptation of the much-loved children’s book is told through music, dance, puppetry and traditional African storytelling.
Friday 7 – Saturday 15 July 2023.
- We Could All Be Perfect: Commissioned, developed and produced by Sheffield Theatres, this debut play by Doncaster writer Hannah Morley is directed by Ruby Clarke. This new play is a furious and funny exploration of whether teenage girls will save the world and asks if they should have to.
Saturday 23 September – Saturday 14 October 2023 (Press performance: Wednesday 27 September 2023 at 7pm).
CRUCIBLE THEATRE
- The Hypochondriac: Produced by Sheffield Theatres and staged in the Crucible by director Sarah Tipple. Roger McGough’s celebrated adaptation of Molière’s witty satire proves that laughter really is the best form of medicine.
Saturday 30 September – Saturday 21 October 2023 (Press performance: Thursday 5 October 2023 at 7pm).
- Irving Berlin’s White Christmas: A new production by Sheffield Theatres, staged on the iconic Crucible stage and directed by Paul Foster (Talent, Kiss Me Kate, Annie Get Your Gun). This classic feel-good musical for all the family features the songs Blue Skies, Sisters and the festive favourite White Christmas.
Saturday 9 December 2023 – Saturday 13 January 2024 (Press performance: Thursday 14 December 2023 at 7pm).
Robert Hastie, Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, said:
“We look forward to a new season of shows that showcase what our theatres do best: offer audiences thrilling experiences with new and reimagined work on all our stages.
We begin with a co-production with our long-standing partners Utopia Theatre, in their new play Anna Hibiscus’ Song. Directed by Mojisola Kareem-Elofuwoju, this magical tale based on Atinuke’s book combines music, dance, puppetry and traditional African storytelling to delight young audiences.
Later in the year, we present Molière’s hilarious satire The Hypochondriac in the Crucible, with Sarah Tipple directing Roger McGough’s playful adaptation. Over in the Playhouse, Hannah Morley’s debut play We Could All Be Perfect, directed by Ruby Clarke, celebrates the power, experiences and potential of teenage girls throughout history.
To round off the year we bring the festive classic White Christmas to the Crucible stage this December. Directed by Paul Foster, it’s a musical that will delight all ages.”
Tom Bird, Chief Executive of Sheffield Theatres, said:
“It is an exciting time at Sheffield Theatres, having just transferred Standing at the Sky’s Edge to the National Theatre in London to great acclaim (including a phenomenal eight Olivier Award nominations),and we look forward to the opening of our production of Accidental Death of an Anarchist, which started life in our intimate Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, at the Lyric Hammersmith later this month. Here in Sheffield, we are producing hot new writing with Wildfire Road running now in the Playhouse, before the new season in the Crucible begins with The Good Person of Szechwan: our co-production with ETT and the Lyric Hammersmith. We also welcome an old friend back to the city with Life of Pi opening its UK and Ireland tour at the Lyceum Theatre this August, following its Broadway debut this spring.
All this, plus an exciting summer ahead with our newly reimagined production of Miss Saigon, which we are delighted to be extending by a week due to extraordinary demand, followed by the autumn and winter season of brand-new shows announced today. I’m thrilled to join these daring and beautiful theatres as we look ahead to an exceptional year!”
These new shows join other productions previously announced for 2023. In the Playhouse Wildfire Road is produced by Sheffield Theatres. Thisnew play by Eve Leigh and directed by Laura Keefe is an environmental thriller about a highjacked plane and a disparate group of passengers who try to make sense of their situation as the world burns below. Until Saturday 18 March 2023.
In the Crucible, a new production marking the 80th anniversary of Bertolt Brecht’s popular play The Good Person of Szechwan, is commissioned by ETT and co-produced by Sheffield Theatres, ETT and Lyric Hammersmith Theatre. This new version by writer Nina Segal is directed by Sheffield Theatres AssociateArtisticDirectorAnthony Lau (Anna Karenina).Saturday 11 March – Saturday 1 April 2023.
Also in the Crucible Theatre this summer is a new production of Miss Saigon which will mark the first regional non-replica production of Boublil and Schönberg’s hit musical retelling of Madame Butterfly set during the Vietnam war. Miss Saigon will be reimagined by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director Robert Hastie and Associate Artistic Director Anthony Lau as co-directors, with design by Ben Stones and lighting design by Jessica Hung Han Yun. Joanna Ampil, who has previously played Kim in the London, Sydney, UK touring and 10th anniversary productions of Miss Saigon, is cast as The Engineer. Further casting and creative team to be announced. An extra week has been added to the run, now playing from Saturday 8 July 2023 – Saturday 19 August 2023.
Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre continues to host some of the UK’s best touring plays, musicals and dance. In December, Sheffield Theatres and Evolution Pantomimes will stage the family pantomime Beauty and the Beast. Panto legend Damian Williams returns for his 16th year. Friday 8 December 2023 – Sunday 7 January 2024.
Beyond Sheffield, the Olivier Award nominated new musical which started life at the Crucible Theatre, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, continues at the National Theatre until Saturday 25 March 2023, written by Chris Bush with the music of Richard Hawley and directed by Robert Hastie, nationaltheatre.org.uk. Also in London, the Playhouse Theatre’s acclaimed comedy Accidental Death of an Anarchist by Dario Fo in a new version by comedian and writer Tom Basden runs at the Lyric Hammersmith from Monday 13 March – Saturday 8 April 2023, lyric.co.uk.
Tickets for Anna Hibiscus’ Song, We Could All Be Perfect, The Hypochondriac and White Christmas are on sale to Centre Stage Members at 10am Saturday 18 March 2023 and on general sale at 10am on Saturday 25 March 2023. Tickets for all other 2023 productions are on sale now.
Accessible performances are available on the majority of productions. Tickets can be booked through the Box Office in person, over the phone on 0114 249 6000 or at sheffieldtheatres.co.uk.
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