Chichester Festival Theatre
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Chichester Festival Theatre, located in Chichester, England, is one of the United Kingdom's flagship theatres with an international reputation for quality and innovation. The Festival Theatre, designed by Philip Powell and Hidalgo Moya, opened with much anticipation and to great acclaim by its founder Leslie Evershed-Martin in 1962. Subsequently the smaller and more intimate Minerva Theatre was built nearby in 1989.
The inaugural Artistic Director was Sir Laurence Olivier, and it was at Chichester that the first National Theatre company was formed. Chichester's productions would transfer to the NT's base at the Old Vic in London.
The Festival Season runs from April to September and includes productions from classics to contemporary writing and musicals.
During this time the theatre also puts on outdoor promenade performances and organises other festival events including cabaret and comedy nights. A range of events is designed to add to the experience of visiting the theatre, including Platform Events, Family Days and Talks.
The Theatre is currently run as a registered charity is chaired by Lord Young of Graffham.
[edit] Artistic directors
- Sir Laurence Olivier (1962–1965)
- Sir John Clements (1966–1973)
- Keith Michell (1974–1977)
- Peter Dews (1978–1980)
- Patrick Garland (1981–1984)
- John Gale (1985–1989)
- Michael Rudman (1990)
- Patrick Garland (1991–1994)
- Sir Derek Jacobi and Duncan C. Weldon (1995–1997)
- Andrew Welch (1998–2002)
- Martin Duncan, Ruth Mackenzie and Steven Pimlott (2003–2005)
- Jonathan Church (2006 to date)
[edit] 2008 season
- The Cherry Orchard - by Anton Chekhov
- The Music Man - by Meredith Wilson
- The Circle - by Somerset Maugham
- Calendar Girls - by Tim Firth
- Funny Girl - by Isobel Lennart
- Six Characters in Search of an Author - by Luigi Pirandello
- Taking Sides - by Ronald Harwood
- Collaboration - by Ronald Harwood
- Aristo - by Martin Sherman
- Further information: Chichester Festival production history
