City comes together at Cast to celebrate 250 years of Doncaster theatre

Doncaster has come together to celebrate 250 years of theatre in the city with special productions at Cast.

774 people attended two performances of Waiting in the Wings at the theatre in Sir Nigel Gresley Square earlier this month.

Sixty local performers, aged seven to 86, brought 250 years of Doncaster’s theatrical history to life and vivic, cultural, political, community and business leaders came together

to celebrate the city’s theatre heritage.

“Stepping out onto the Main Space stage gives me instant freedom to be anyone I want to be for a short while,” said Christine, a member of Doncaster People’s Theatre (DPT).

On Saturday 5 September, Christine stood alongside 59 other local performers to bring two and a half centuries of Doncaster history to life in Waiting in the Wings.

People watched as the stories of the city’s theatrical past were brought to life by the people and communities who are part of its cultural future.

Director of Cast and Director of Waiting in the Wings, James Blakey, said: “What made Waiting in the Wings so special was that we weren’t simply telling the story of Doncaster’s theatre history - we were giving the people of Doncaster the opportunity to tell it themselves.

“Bringing 60 performers from different ages, backgrounds and communities together on our Main Space stage was a real celebration of what theatre can do. And to see such a wide range of people from across the city joining our audiences, celebrating the production and sharing in that experience made it feel like a genuinely significant moment for Doncaster.”

Nicola Doyle, Community Engagement Manager at Cast, said: “What an achievement. A 60-strong community and cameo cast coming together to celebrate 250 years of theatre in Doncaster. And to the incredible cast and everyone who made Waiting in the Wings possible: thank you for reminding us what community, theatre and Doncaster can do when we come together. Here’s to the next chapter of Doncaster’s theatrical story.”

Written by Chris O’Connor and co-directed by James Blakey and Simon Jones, Waiting in the Wings was created through months of research, workshops and rehearsal. The production drew on local archives, oral histories and community memories to explore the people, places and performances that have shaped theatre in Doncaster since the opening of the Theatre Royal in Market Place in 1776.

The production combined members of Doncaster People’s Theatre, Citizens of the World, Bombshell Blu and Theatre Squad UK, alongside live music and integrated BSL interpretation. For some members of Theatre Squad UK, it was their first time performing on a theatre stage, while DPT members who had previously performed together returned to the stage with new members of the company.

The performances also brought together a remarkable cross-section of Doncaster’s civic, cultural, political, community and business life. Among those attending were Doncaster Central MP Sally Jameson, the Junior Civic Mayor Eliana Urah and Deputy Civic Mayor Cllr Nick Allen, alongside councillors, City of Doncaster Council representatives, darts, Arts Council England, Right Up Our Street, local artists, funders, community organisations and cultural partners.