Welcome to the September edition of Ensemble. I hope you’re all keeping well.

As we head into the autumn months, it’s full steam ahead across the Group as the company expansion continues at pace. A very warm welcome to our new colleagues from TE’s latest two acquisitions; the New Theatre in Cardiff and the Helen O’Grady Drama Academy.

The iconic 115-year-old New Theatre becomes our very first Welsh venue and the team at HQ are now targeting a full reopening on 19 September. Howard and I, together with senior colleagues, are very much looking forward to attending the first night performance of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and meeting the venue staff.

As previously announced, the Helen O’Grady Drama Academy will run alongside Stagecoach and we believe that these two complementary brands can coexist in the market and will provide an enhanced performing arts franchise opportunity across the week. Helen O’Grady offers a number of markets outside of the Stagecoach core providing a platform for us to grow both brands across the world and offer more children the chance to develop through the arts. 

HQ’s regional venues are now fully open, welcoming audiences back for the first time in 16 long months. In London, audiences and critics are going wild for Anything Goes, Jersey Boys and Singin’ in the Rain, we have hit shows like Rocky Horror Show touring the UK and Trafalgar Theatre Productions and Jonathan Church have recently announced new national tours including Death Drop, Private Peaceful and Two Cigarettes in the Dark. 

We’re also witnessing strong ticket sales across the group, a hugely encouraging sign and one that once again highlights the demand for live entertainment in the UK. Since the pandemic, we have sold over 300,000 tickets which is an incredible achievement. Anything Goes – our major Summer musical at the Barbican that was produced and rehearsed during the pandemic, and the first major new musical to open once restrictions were lifted in London has sold over 100,000 tickets with one of the highest average ticket prices in the West End. The production broke box office records at the Barbican.

The Rocky Horror Show tour has sold over 117,000 tickets so far and is breaking records on tour. A recent week in Manchester sold over 10,000 tickets. And Jersey Boys remains London’s favourite musical and has settled well into the new Trafalgar Theatre.

As life begins to return to some kind of normality here in the UK and people are now coming into the offices more often as part of the phased return to work, the risk of Covid-19 spreading is obviously increased. Therefore, just a small reminder to please take a lateral flow test every morning before you go into the office, in order to reduce the risk of spreading the virus. And remember, it is important that you continue to follow the government guidelines if you experience any symptoms. For more information please visit https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus

Until next time, take care and look after yourselves.
Best wishes
Rosemary