Stevenage Festival - June 2009

Congratulations to the hundreds of local performers who took part in the Stevenage Festival 2009 - We've left the old programme up for anyone who'd like to reminisce, and also replaced a few of the publicity photos with actual photo's of the events.

The heart of the Festival was a week of performances at the Gordon Craig Theatre (listed below) supported by the 2009 fringe of community arts events.

Saturday 13th of June to Saturday the 27th of June 2009 - Click on links below to jump lower down the page for more details on the event.

Stevenage Choral Society and Stevenage Symphony Orchestra
The Armed Man by Karl Jenkins

The Stevenage Choral Society and Stevenage Symphony Orchestra join forces to perform the hugely popular and moving work ‘The Armed Man – A Mass for Peace’. This piece by the Welsh composer Karl Jenkins, who is also known for his ‘Adiemus’ compositions, was commissioned by the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds for the Millennium celebrations. The concert also includes a performance of ‘Finlandia’ by Sibelius and Bizet’s Suite ‘L'Arlésienne’.

Tickets: £13, Concessions £2 off

Lytton Players - Old Tyme Music Hall

The Stevenage Lytton Players are delighted to bring their traditional Old Tyme Music Hall to the Gordon Craig Stage. Our talented and terpsichorean troupe of players will entertain you with songs, sketches and comedy, hosted by an avuncular Chairman. An evening to don your whiskers, hats and boas and let your hair down.

Tickets: £8.00, Concessions £2.00 off

Stevenage Primary Schools - ‘Sing Up’ In Concert

Young pupils from Primary Schools in Stevenage and surrounding areas take to the stage to share their musical talent, and join together to ‘Sing Up’.

Tickets: £6, No Concessions

Stevenage Dance Schools - Dance Extravaganza!

Our ever-popular dazzling dance extravaganza making stars of performers of all ages from Stevenage and the surrounding area. From ballroom to ballet to boogie - an exciting evening for those who love all styles and forms of dance.

Tickets: £8.00, Concessions £2.00 off

Youth Theatre Night

Young actors from Stevenage demonstrate their ability to enthral and entertain with an evening of drama and sketches.

Variety Style! The Gordon Craig Youth Theatre presents a performance not to be missed! Showcasing the remarkable talents of our young members we will entertain and delight like you’ve never seen before! Including music, dance and drama our variety style performance is not to be missed!

Plus, the Lytton Youth Theatre presents the Grimm Tale of Sleeping Beauty in their own distinctive style.

Tickets: £8.00, Concessions £2.00 off

Stevenage Secondary Schools - Look Who’s Got Talent!

Talented young people from John Henry Newman School and Thomas Alleyne School take to the stage for an evening of music, dance and drama.

Tickets: £6.00, No concessions

Parnassus Poetry

(In the Ellen Terry Suite rather than the Theatre)

Stevenage’s inimitable Parnassus Performance presents an evening of contemporary poetry and music. NB - may include strong language. Bar available.

Fusion Community Theatre Arts - West Side Story

This timeless musical marks over 50 years of its success and is one of the most famous musical creations in the history of entertainment. This classic re-telling of the Romeo and Juliet story is as relevant today as it always has been and coupled with the energy and talent that only Fusion can provide, this show promises to be a landmark production.

Directed by Sarah Ellis

Tickets: £9.00, Concessions £2.50 off,

Michael Leach, Wildlife Photographer
It’s a Funny Way to Make a Living

Top wildlife photographer Michael Leach explains the basics of his art in this revealing and humorous introduction to the realities of professional wildlife photography. This is definitely NOT a technical talk, rather, Michael looks at the superlative highs and painful lows of the job. He explains how to coax animals into the right spot and convince them that no human is watching. He uncovers some of the cunning, underhand tricks-of-the-trade that produce some unlikely photographs. Be prepared to have some illusions shattered!

Tickets: £6.00, No concessions

Stevenage Secondary Schools -
Look Who’s Got Talent Too!

Talented young people from Nobel and Barnwell schools take to the stage for our second evening of music, dance and drama.

Tickets: £6.00, No Concessions

Top Hat Stage & Screen School -
A Night at the Musicals

A spectacular evening of Song and Dance from the Greatest West End Musical Classics, including Hairspray, Wicked, Mamma Mia, Avenue Q, Grease and many more. Come and see the dazzling costumes and amazing singers perform a variety of great songs on an amazing stage. A fun, family night out to enjoy. An amateur youth theatre production starring the students from Top Hat Stage School. For more information on Top Hat Courses, please visit: tophatstageschool.co.uk.

Tickets: £8.00, Concessions £2.00 off

Wind Band & Jazz Concert - Summertime

Join the combined forces of North Herts and Stevenage Wind Bands in concert as they whisk you away for a laid-back summer evening of music.

Tickets: £6, No Concessions

Knebworth Players - A Murder is Announced

Villagers are agog when a murder is announced in the local paper, not the Comet, but the Chipping Cleghorne Gazette. Luckily Miss Marple is on hand to unmask the killer but only after numerous plot twists and turns to keep you guessing to the end. Knebworth Players present this timeless Agatha Christie mystery.

Tickets: 8.00, Concessions £2.00 off

North Herts Youth Orchestra and Choirs
Last Night of the Proms

Join Stevenage Youth Orchestra and singers from Stevenage Choral Society with soloists bringing the 2009 Festival to a resounding close. All the old favourites will be there in an evening of traditional light classical music including Edward Elgar's ‘Pomp and Circumstance March No. 1’ (Land of Hope and Glory) and Sir Henry Wood's ‘Fantasia on British Sea Songs’, which culminates in Thomas Arne’s stirring ‘Rule Britannia’. Wave your flag and join in!

Tickets: £8.00, Concessions £2.00 off