Tis the season for launches of the exciting news seasons of theatres up and down the country but where better to preview a sensational new season than the North West?

The beautifully ornate auditorium of The Grand Theatre in Blackpool played backdrop to the theatre’s 2017 Spring/Summer season press launch, attended by members of the media, trustees, supporters, performers and a few other special guests. With refreshments and a buffet, attendees entered through the stage door straight onto the boards trod by many a personality and variety act and were given the opportunity to mingle and use iPads to read of the forthcoming season.

After settling in on the stage, Chair of their Board of Trustees, Anthony Stone welcomed everyone with a few current affairs-themes puns (Trump) making reference to the impressive format in which the marketing team had excelled themselves in organising the event. He then handed over to, after introducing, Chief Executive Officer Ruth Eastwood.

CEO Ruth is clearly, and rightly so, passionate about the theatre and arts and revels in the element of her role that qualifies her to assist in the selection of pieces for the theatre’s programme. Along with musicals, plays, children’s, comedians and comedies, Dance is a huge part of the USP of the theatre in that they are the hub of the craft for the area, welcoming and working with the likes of Matthew Bourne (Early Adventures – 21st&22nd March), Gary Clarke Company (COAL – 29th March), Ballet Theatre UK (Alice In Wonderland – 14th May), Northern Ballet (Goldilocks and the Three Bears – 30th March) and – commonly mentioned throughout the day – Breaking Convention (Sadler’s Wells) on 27th May. Between her opening remarks which included news of the restoration of the site’s original blueprint through the landlord’s reclamation of shops that are around the edges of the theatre, and detail about some of the shows making up the first half of this year’s timetable, we were showed a promotional video culminating a few of the more impressive and perhaps lesser-known productions.

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Photos courtesy of Claire Griffiths