News: LC Opens New Grove Theatre

Arts, Sports & Health

19 April 2007

Leisure Connection is celebrating the opening of the new Grove Theatre in Dunstable. The £16 million venue will raise its curtain to the public on Saturday 21st April with a gala night hosted by stage and screen star Brian Blessed. The gala will include surprise guest appearances from celebrity artistes to feature excerpts from the opening season.

Based just around the corner from Dunstable Leisure Centre, also managed by Leisure Connection; the striking, modern two and three storey complex took 18 months to complete making it the single biggest leisure development undertaken in South Bedfordshire in the last 40 years.

Graham Farrant, Chief Executive of Leisure Connection, said "We are delighted to welcome the Grove Theatre as the latest addition to our portfolio and we hope that it's enjoyed by all. We are very excited about the line up and we have some major productions in the pipeline. We are extremely pleased with the end result and would like to congratulate everyone who has put in lots of hard work and long hours to accomplish this. I'm sure they feel rewarded by looking at the finished product".

The theatre seats 780 on two levels, 320 of which are retractable to create a flat floor space in the stalls increasing the capacity to 1,000 people. A stunning curved auditorium with stalls, circle and box style seating areas creates an intimate atmosphere for performers and the audience. There is a fly tower 2.5 times the height of the stage opening with a counterweight flying system which will allow scenery to be moved vertically high above the stage.

At the back of the building is a large scene dock with easy access for trailers along with a loading area for 3 x 4.5 trailers.  An orchestra pit with a motorised floor has been created to enable technicians to lower or raise the floor to create a larger stage area, additional seating or varying sizes of pit.  A high specification lighting and sound rig enables the theatre to house shows from large West End musicals to concerts and dramas.

There are facilities for performers on three levels including principle and chorus dressing rooms, a green room and separate stage door access point with waiting area. A fully equipped function room with state-of-the-art audio visual equipment has been built in which can be used for conferences, meetings and receptions.

General Manager of Grove Theatre, Jo Ditch said "We have been delighted by the response from the people of South Bedfordshire, the phone lines and internet bookings have been very busy which is great as it proves we have already got a good measure of what local people in the area want to see".

Shows to look forward to include The Rat Pack, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Abba Mania, Peter Pan, The Drifters and much more, all of which can be found at www.grovetheatre.co.uk. 

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