Long-Awaited Crown Wharf Theatre in Stone Set for Opening Night

The opening night of a new theatre, anticipated for seven years, has prompted a trustee to state he “never thought this day would come”. The Crown Wharf Theatre, located in Stone, Staffordshire, is scheduled to commence operations and present its inaugural performance on Friday evening. This venue’s development spanned seven years, experiencing setbacks attributed to the pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and various planning challenges. Trustee Leo Capernaros, discussing the significance for the theatre’s team, informed BBC Radio Stoke: “The town deserves a theatre.” He further stated: “It deserves a space for people to come together and have a good time.” The theatre’s initial production will be an adaptation of Shakespeare in Love, a narrative exploring the passion for theatre and its inherent difficulties. Mr. Capernaros explained that the play was selected because it reflected the “trials and tribulations” encountered by the Crown Wharf Theatre throughout its development. He also confirmed his participation in the performance, mentioning he would endeavor to “keep it together”. “We’ve been kicking around this building for years carrying plasterboard, painting walls, wiring in things, cleaning floors and all sorts of weird and wonderful stuff,” he remarked. He continued: “All of a sudden it’s a theatre and there will be an audience at a show. It will be a very different experience so I’m going to try and enjoy myself.” The land for the theatre was a donation from the adjacent Joule’s brewery, and the community contributed approximately £800,000 towards the project. Mr. Capernaros reported that tickets for the premiere performance had been selling rapidly, with roughly 99% already purchased by Thursday. Shakespeare in Love is scheduled to run at the Crown Wharf Theatre through 16 November. Follow BBC Stoke & Staffordshire on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.