ONE of Scotland’s oldest theatres is set to open its doors for the first time in seven years after undergoing a major refurbishment.
Bosses of the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow have confirmed it will open in the summer of 2025 as the multi-million-pound revamp is near completion, according to the Scotsman.
Work at the theater, which dates back to 1878, is expected to be finished within weeks, despite funding fears throughout the multi-year project.
After construction is completed, the theater will undergo a six-month “fit out”, as plans for the revamp include an expanded foyer, a new 150-seater studio theatre, a cafe-bar, improved backstage areas, new spaces for set-building, costume-making and rehearsing, and better sightlines in the auditorium.
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The theatre's original Victorian auditorium, which has also been restored, has been “wrapped” in a new three-storey building, which has allowed a taller “fly tower” for moving sets and scenery to be integrated.
The Citizens was last open in June 2018, however, work on the refurbishment did not start until September 2019.
A spokesperson said: “We are in the final phase of the project. Large areas of the building are close to completion.
“This includes much of the new build areas including offices, back of house and the new ‘courtyard’ foyer spaces front of house.
“The main auditorium has been a more complex area. Threading new services through historic elements of the building and upgrading a historic Victorian theatre has inevitably been challenging.
“Building works are expected to complete by the end of December 2024 and this will be followed by a six-month fit out.
“This will involve a wide range of work as we gear back up to being a fully functioning theatre, including installing technical equipment, building workshop spaces for set building, staff training and test events.
“We anticipate reopening to the public by the summer of 2025. A full season programme will begin from the autumn.”
Theater bosses had planned to reopen the building for Christmas this year in an earlier announcement where the cost of the project was also said to be “in the region of £30m.”
However, in June it emerged that the Citizens would not be ready until 2025.
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