What's On
Displaying events between 01 January 2026 and 31 January 2026
Beyond the Barricade 2026
Beyond the Barricade, the UK’s longest running Musical Theatre Concert Tour, is back for 2026. Join the cast for two hours of the best of Broadway and the West End, featuring the songs that have made audiences return over and over again for more than 25 years. Enjoy numbers from The Phantom of the Opera, Jesus Christ Superstar, West Side Story, The Lion King, Blood Brothers, Miss Saigon, Hamilton and many others, climaxing with a spectacular finale from, of course, Les Misérables!
The concert tour will feature Andy Reiss, David Fawcett, Katie Leeming and Sarah Ryan who have all played principal roles in both the West End and UK Tours of Les Misérables, together with a live band who capture the feel of the original orchestrations of the chosen musicals.
To this day every musical note is still played and sung live – very rare indeed. Beyond the Barricade gives musical theatre songs a bold concert format treatment – but with the conviction and intention to deliver the material as if the audience are watching the original performance.
Dates: Sun 18
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Boris Bear Cubs
Join us at the museum for Boris Bear Cubs - perfect for your youngest museum fans under 5 years old! Our sessions take place in the Wells Suite on the first floor of the museum which is a lovely larger space with more room to play.
Each 90 minute session follows a topic related to our displays and collections and includes fun play areas, activities, story and song times. Sessions run every other Thursday during term time to 18 December, and then returns in the Spring between 8 January and 12 March 2026!
Our upcoming themes are:
4 Dec: Frogs
18 Dec: Winter
8 Jan: Boris the Bear
22 Jan: Love your city
5 Feb: Dinosaurs
26 Feb: Space
12 March: Patterns
Dates: Thu 08, Thu 22
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Creative Education: Technical Theatre (13-18)
Our creative education programme aims to ensure that all children have access to high-quality creative experiences. We promise smaller group sizes, and challenging, engaging sessions lead by professionals in their industry.
Dive deeper into the art of theatre technology with this engaging workshop for ages 13–18. Focused on in-depth problem solving and creative exploration, you'll learn how to craft detailed stage effects that capture emotion, tell compelling stories, and frame key moments or spaces.
Explore how lighting and sound can be layered to create nuanced, immersive environments that support storytelling on a whole new level. Through hands-on activities and collaborative projects, you'll experiment with technology and techniques used by professional designers, gaining insight into how to bring your artistic vision to life—much like a director shaping the entire stage picture.
This workshop encourages critical thinking, innovation, and artistic expression, giving you the tools to craft impactful performances and develop your skills in technical theatre. Whether you're interested in design, directing, or simply want to deepen your understanding of stagecraft, this is your chance to explore the possibilities and elevate your creative practice.
Chelmsford Theatre is committed to creating a fully inclusive Discover Programme. We ask that if you have any questions, or would like some additional support that you contact us at [email protected]
Dates: Thu 29
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Creative Education: Technical Theatre (8-12)
Our creative education programme aims to ensure that all children have access to high-quality creative experiences. We promise smaller group sizes, and challenging, engaging sessions lead by professionals in their industry.
Join us for an exciting workshop designed for creative 8–12-year-olds, where you'll explore how lighting and sound can bring stories to life on stage. Through hands-on activities and engaging discussions, you'll learn how technical theatre elements help enhance storytelling, create immersive worlds and add that touch of magic to performances.
We'll focus on understanding the effects of light and sound—how they set the mood, highlight characters, and transform a simple space into a fantastical environment. There will be plenty of opportunities to see how lighting works in practice, helping you understand how these techniques support storytelling.
While planning and creativity are key, this workshop is all about exploring and experimenting with the tools that make theatre magical. Whether you're a budding theatre enthusiast or just curious about behind-the-scenes magic, this is your chance to bring your own stories to life through light and sound!
Chelmsford Theatre is committed to creating a fully inclusive Discover Programme. We ask that if you have any questions, or would like some additional support that you contact us at [email protected]
Dates: Thu 29
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