Leeds Theatre Festival, a celebration of new stories and new voices, is returning to Leeds Conservatoire this summer.
Image from last year’s festival production of Twenty Bridges
Taking place from 6 to 18 July, the one-of-a-kind festival will showcase over 40 different theatrical productions. The programme includes original theatre, new musicals, play readings, scratch performances, comedy, dance works and commissioned productions created by emerging artists, partner organisations, and students from the conservatoire’s School of Drama.
Leeds Theatre Festival is a vibrant celebration of creativity, providing a platform for fresh voices and innovative storytelling. Audiences will experience a diverse range of performances exploring contemporary issues, personal journeys, social commentary and imaginative new worlds, reflecting the breadth of talent emerging from the conservatoire. In addition to supporting the next generation of theatre makers, the festival will showcase new writing from professionals.
Scott Harrison, Postgraduate Coordinator - School of Drama, is the producer of Leeds Theatre Festival. He said: “We run five Master’s courses, including the only MA in Musical Theatre Writing in the UK, which focuses on putting collaborative practice and new theatre creation at the heart of our curriculum and our ethos.
“Leeds Theatre Festival is the engine that drives this vision forward by allowing a space for not just our students, but local and national professionals, to come together and showcase what new theatre could offer our industry and community. We have expanded to running a two-week programme, meaning there truly is something for everyone, and at £10 for a whole day ticket, we are hoping this work can be accessible in ways that many feel theatre isn’t any longer.
“We have visiting writers, such as Hollie Cassar (YOU, ME, & the rest of the world) and Lizzie Lawton (Life Behind Bars), showcasing the full versions of their new contemporary musicals, alongside our wonderful partners at Red Ladder Theatre Company who will be presenting six thrilling new plays as part of our rehearsed reading series. This is just a snapshot of what to expect alongside a huge output from our future industry leading artists from across our BA and MA courses.”
Shows will take place across performance spaces within Leeds Conservatoire. Individual show tickets are available for £8, with full-day festival passes for £10. Free-of-charge shows, including an innovative adaptation of Stephen Chbosky’s bestselling novel The Perks of Being a Wallflower, are also part of the festival programme.
Scott added: “This is the year when we put Leeds Theatre Festival on the map, and we want you to be a part of it.”
