Sheffield Theatres reveals new season of shows

A mixture of new work and revivals form Sheffield Theatres’ 2025 and 2026 season.

The first from artistic director Elizabeth Newman (you can read our profile here) the pieces will take place across the two producing venues: the Crucible Theatre, and the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse, with the historic Lyceum and newly acquired Montgomery Theatre within walking distance.

Starting the season, this autumn Newman will direct a revival of Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa from 13 September to 4 October 2025. The much-loved drama is a co-production between Sheffield Theatres and the Royal Exchange Theatre, where it will play in-the-round. An opening night is set in Sheffield for 18 September.

Karis Kelly’s Consumed will be produced by Sheffield Theatres, Paines Plough, Women’s Prize for Playwriting and Belgrade Theatre. Directed by Katie Posner, the award-winning play follows four generations of Northern Irish women reuniting under one roof. It follows Sheffield Theatres’ recent announcement as the ‘Theatre Partner’ for the 2025 Prize. Consumed will run in the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse 24 September to 11 October 2025.

Sheffield’s festive offering will be a new production of A Christmas Carol adapted by Aisha Khan, playing from 29 November 2025 to 10 January 2026. Charles Dickens’ timeless classic will feature local carols.

Starting the new year, Sheffield Theatres, Theatre Centre and National Youth Theatre will collaborate on My Brother’s A Genius, a new piece from Debris Stevenson. Examining siblings and neurodiversity with a grime soundtrack, it’ll run from 28 January to 14 February 2026, with press invited on 30 January.

Sheffield Theatres and Utopia Theatre will then present Crown of Blood – A Yoruba Adaptation of Macbeth. Written by Oladipo Agboluaje and directed by Mojisola Kareem, the retelling is set during the civil wars of the 19th century Yorubaland. It’ll play from 2 to 7 February 2026, with an official opening on 3 February.

For spring, Stefano Massini’s The Ladies Football Club will debut from 28 February to 28 March 2026. A new adaptation by Tim Firth, directed by Newman, the production follows the true but relatively unknown story of war-time women workers making football their own.

Leo Butler’s play Living will be staged at the Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse from 14 March to 4 April 2026, with a press night on 19 March. The award-winning Sheffield playwright’s new drama is a homecoming to the theatre.

In the summer, Summer Holiday will play in Sheffield. Based on the 1960s film, the piece will be directed by Newman with Ben Occhipinti. It’ll be marked with events celebrating the beach spilling out into the city as part of the theatre’s community outreach. It plays from 20 June to 18 July 2026, with an official opening primed for 25 June.

Coming in 2027, Sunjeev Sahota’s novel, The Year of the Runaways will be adapted for the stage by Stephanie Street.

Newman said: “It has been a great privilege to conceive my first season as Sheffield Theatres’ artistic director. It’s been an exciting journey to create this year-long programme packed with a mix of new and familiar work, and I really hope there’s something for everyone to enjoy…

“We’re incredibly proud to be powered by our amazing city, and can’t wait to welcome everyone into one of our four theatres this year.”

Further participatory work will take place in Tudor Square – where the community will find Sheffield Theatres Beach, take part in the Lughnasa Dance Festival, attend the Montgomery Theatre Summer Party, compete in a Theatre Football Tournament and enjoy a candlelit carol concert.

New productions will go on sale to Centre Stage Members at 10 am Saturday 1 March and on general sale at 10 am on Saturday 8 March.