The Actors Centre relaunches as Seven Dials Playhouse with new venue

Marking a new beginning for The Actors Centre, the Seven Dials Playhouse is set to be the only studio receiving house in the West End, seating 100 audience members with a year-round programme of events. 

Following an overhaul of the structure and business model of the company, each seasonal programme of events will not only list productions, but also workshops, live music, masterclasses, work-in-progress readings, seminars, cast and creative Q&As; a series of bespoke events will be created with each visiting company in collaboration with the Seven Dials Playhouse. 

This move comes after the closure of The Actors Centre throughout the pandemic, and a #SupportTheActorsCentre campaign that helped take the company into its 43rd year under a new name. 

Amanda Davey, chief executive of Seven Dials Playhouse says: ‘When I took over as chief executive of The Actors Centre in October 2019, I could never have imagined what was to come. These incredibly challenging 18 months have, ironically, provided us with the opportunity to radically rethink, refocus, and reshape our work.’

Steve, a new production directed by Andrew Keates, will open the venue with its European premiere, running from 8 February to 5 March 2022. Steve will star David Ames, Tony Award nominee and Olivier Award-winner Jenna Russell, and is written by Mark Gerard. 

Keates says: ‘I’m known by many producers for my secret little book of extraordinary new plays. Steve by Mark Gerrard has been hidden within those pages for the right time, venue, cast, production team and producer, and at last all of those things have come together in harmony for this long overdue European premiere. I think we all strive for a legacy in the performing arts and it’s an honour to know part of mine will be being the first director to launch Seven Dials Playhouse with this stunning new LGBTQ+ play.’

To find out more email boxoffice@sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk or visit sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk