Sheffield Theatres Announce Incredible Shows for the 2026-27 Season

Photography by Smart Banda

Sheffield Theatres have announced their upcoming line-up of fantastic shows, which includes a heady mix of much-loved classics alongside highly anticipated world premieres. 

Elizabeth Newman, Artistic Director at Sheffield Theatres, unveiled the news on Friday. She said: “I feel a real sense of responsibility this season. 

“We want people to know that we are for theatres. We want to reach as many people as possible and ensure that we are offering something for everyone. It feels vital to do this right now.”

The exciting announcement includes the news of the formation of a Crucible Shakespeare company. They will begin by performing what is often considered as the greatest tragedy ever written, King Lear, which will be led by Ian McDiarmid. This will be followed by a slight change in tone as the same cast perform one of the greatest comedies, Twelfth Night, this time led by Mathew Horne. 

Currently at the Crucible to kick off the new season (no pun intended) is The Ladies Football Club - a brilliant and bold female story, based on true events. It is a piece of cutting edge theatre that will be talked about for years to come.

Another story that was born in the Crucible will make its return: Everybody’s Talking About Jamie will come home to the Sheffield Lyceum for its 10th anniversary tour in March 2027. The new theatre season promises plenty of iconic shows for musical lovers, including Dirty Dancing, Blood Brothers and Burlesque. 

The 2026/27 season includes numerous world premieres of Sheffield Theatres productions, including The Ballroom, which will be created and staged by Jonathan Butterell (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Kevin Clifton (Strictly Come Dancing) and novelist Anna Hope. Based on the book by Hope, The Ballroom is described as the following:

“Inside Sharston Asylum, at the edge of the Yorkshire moors, there is a beautiful ballroom. Men and women, kept apart during the week, meet on a Friday to dance… Set over the tinder-dry heatwave summer of 1911, The Ballroom spins a tale of forbidden love and dangerous obsession, of madness and sanity, and of who gets to decide which is which.”

Additional world premieres include 12 Letters To My Name by Lettie Precious, a coming of age story which will creatively integrate audio description and captioning, and The Year Of The Runaways, which brings to life Sheffield novelist, Sunjeev Sahota’s award-winning novel in this triumphant story of dignity and human spirit. 

Even with all these exciting shows unveiled for the upcoming season, possibly the biggest news from Sheffield Theatres is the announcement of their first-of-a-kind festival, Open Works. The festival will celebrate theatrical talent from Sheffield and its surroundings. 

Elizabeth Newman expressed her deep excitement for the project. She joked: “No one thinks ‘let’s go to a festival and be miserable!’” The festival will allow people to create new connections and (hopefully) new collaborations. “Wonderful things can be born out of a festival”, Newman added.

The festival offers show-stopping world premieres, rare insights into the creative process and industry masterclasses. Open Works is the chance to witness innovation and experience brilliant story-telling live across Sheffield Theatres’ stages.

The 2026 to 2027 season at Sheffield Theatres promises to be a big one, with something for everyone from all walks of life. 

“We are the work on our stages. We are proud to be producing the best of the canon and big, bold new work alongside each other where we celebrate local, national and international talent.” - Sheffield Theatres.