This Christmas, we are grateful to generous donors who have sprinkled their magic to support local schools attend performances. Primary school children will enjoy A Town Called Christmas, a magical production for young audiences in the Playhouse brought to the stage by Gala Durham and Wrongsemble, and Beauty and the Beast, the annual Lyceum panto and festive family favourite, co-produced with Evolution Pantomimes.

Sheffield Theatres is committed to welcoming school children to its spaces, and with the help of generous donors, have been able to work with schools across the city to make more of these visits possible. With the funding, Pye Bank Church of England Primary School, Springfield Primary School, Emmaus Catholic and Church of England Primary School and Walton Peak Flying High School are confirmed to visit Sheffield Theatres over the festive period. They will enjoy coach travel to and from the theatre, plus ticket prices have been reduced by the funding, and each child will receive an ice cream when they arrive.

Elizabeth Barran, Fundraising and Commercial Director, commented:

“Sheffield Theatres’ commitment to supporting schools is a vital and ongoing endeavour, but with this boost of funding from donors who support our theatres, we can ensure that even more children are able to experience the joy of live performance with an afternoon of festive fun, especially at such a magical time of year! We are incredibly grateful to those who have funded this scheme and we hope to continue with other projects like this in the new year.”

A Town Called Christmas runs from Friday 15 – Saturday 30 December in the Playhouse and is a Christmas rollercoaster of magic, music, and mayhem for adventurers aged 3+.

Beauty and the Beast is this year's hilarious fun-filled family pantomime at the Lyceum and runs from Friday 8 Dec 2023 – Sunday 7 Jan 2024.

We would like to thank all donors who have made the additional school visits possible.