Leeds Playhouse opens a new era with Tom Wright's first season

Leeds Playhouse has long been one of the north's great producing theatres, and the last couple of years have shown why. Big home-grown productions, acclaimed co-productions and a busy programme of visiting work have kept its stages full and its audiences coming back.

One of its recent triumphs was Oliver!. The Playhouse's production earned five-star reviews and played to more than 61,000 people. It then did the double at the UK Theatre Awards, winning Best Musical Production, while Jenny Fitzpatrick, who played Nancy, won Best Performer in a Musical.

The 2025 to 2026 programme continued that ambition. A new A Christmas Carol ran from November 2025 into January 2026, and February 2026 brought a new A Midsummer Night's Dream, co-produced with Headlong, Shakespeare's Globe and Bristol Old Vic.

Summer 2026 had a distinctly Yorkshire flavour, with a new stage production of the musical Brassed Off running from 18 June to 11 July. The spring and summer season also welcomed visiting work including James Graham's Punch and Ballet Black's 25th anniversary celebration.

Now the theatre is entering a new era. Autumn 2026 marks the first season programmed by new artistic director Tom Wright, and it opened in the Courtyard theatre with August Wilson's Fences, which ran from 11 to 26 September 2026.

The full autumn and winter 2026 to 2027 programme was revealed in July 2026, completing Wright's inaugural programme with a mix of Playhouse productions and major visiting shows.

What makes the Playhouse such a valued part of city life is its breadth. Musicals, new writing, Shakespeare and family shows sit side by side, so there is something for almost every taste and age across the year.

A change of artistic director is always an exciting moment for a theatre, and Wright's opening choices suggest a Playhouse that will keep balancing bold drama with productions that speak directly to Yorkshire audiences. For regular theatregoers and first-timers alike, it feels like a good time to take a seat.

Leeds Playhouse publishes its full season and booking information on its website, where theatregoers can browse upcoming productions and reserve seats.