AFTER 525 days of darkness on the stage, the New Theatre Oxford has announced it will reopen its doors to audiences from Monday, 23 August.
The theatre will open with Priscilla Queen of the Desert (August 23 – 28), which is the first show to grace the stage at the George Street venue since is closed in mid-March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
It marks the return of first class entertainment, with performances from some of the best musicians, comedians, dancers and musicals in the world, including Bat Out of Hell, Paul Weller, Chris Ramsey, Jersey Boys, the stars of Strictly Come Dancing and the queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK plus many more.
Theatre Director David O’Hara said: “We are thrilled be able to open our doors and safely welcome audiences back to our wonderful theatre for the first time since March of last year. We are delighted to kick off our autumn season with the brilliant musical Pricilla Queen of the Desert followed by a season that includes some of the best names in comedy, music and dance coming to Oxford.”
After Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the ‘standing ovation musical’ Blood Brothers returns (August 31 – September 4), this is followed by a series of fantastic one nighters, including Alan Carr (September 11), Paloma Faith (September 16), Fisherman’s Friends (September 25), John Bishop (September 27) and David Essex (September 30).
Looking ahead to Christmas, audiences should get ready to stick it to the man as School of Rock comes to Oxford from December 13 – January 1 2022. Based on the global hit musical based on the iconic movie starring Jack Black, the show features 14 new songs from Andrew Lloyd Webber, all the original songs from the movie, and a band of insanely talented kids that play live every show.
Speaking about the re-opening of the New Theatre Oxford, Hayley Beer-Gamage, Chief Executive of Experience Oxfordshire, said:
“We are so looking forward to seeing the New Theatre Oxford open its doors again this summer. The pandemic has had a catastrophic impact on visitor economy and cultural organisations, with theatres being severely impacted. To see the doors re-opening with such a fantastic programme for 2021 and beyond is great news and I hope as many people as possible will support the theatre and return to enjoy a great safe experience and top quality entertainment.”
The theatre is a See It Safely approved venue, allowing audiences to be assured that the New Theatre Oxford will always be following the latest Government advice.
It is also now operating a contactless ticketing system, with eTickets being issued to customers within two weeks of their performance date. This change allows the theatre to increase hygiene, as well as improve the overall booking experience. Customers can also book with confidence knowing should there be any further suspensions, tickets will remain fully valid for exchanges or refunds.
For a full list of upcoming performances, or to book, log on to www.atgtickets.com/oxford
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
SEE IT SAFELY
Ambassador Theatre Group has a comprehensive framework of control measures that Theatre Operators follow to ensure all venues comply with the requirements set out by UK Government and Health Authorities to be Covid-Secure, thus ensuring the safety of staff, production companies, third parties and audiences.
Once audiences have purchased their tickets, they are contacted just ahead of their visit to confirm the details of what they can expect, so that they can be confident that the venues will be operating in accordance with the most up-to-date guidelines (including eTickets, refreshments delivered to seats, contactless payments, hand sanitiser stations and, where required, controls to support social distancing and the use of face coverings).
CONTACTLESS TICKETS
Ambassador Theatre Group venues are now operating a contactless ticketing system. eTickets are now the primary and default delivery method for all bookings and are sent to customers within two weeks of their selected performance. The design allows ATG to detail door entry points, staggered entry times and any Covid safety guidelines as appropriate. Audiences simply show the eTicket on their mobile device, or bring along a print out. This change is a necessary step in increasing safety and hygiene and improving the overall booking experience in ATG’s venues.