Curve announces community day line-up and family Christmas show

Leicester’s Curve theatre has revealed the full line-up for its Community Day taking place on Sat 14 Nov, as well as details of a Christmas show for families which will run as part of the theatre’s reopening season.

Running 10am – 4:30pm on Sat 14 Nov, the Curve Community Day will include a variety of socially distanced free events and activities to welcome members of the community back to the building.

Legendary choreographer Arlene Phillips will lead a dance workshop at 10am, taking inspiration from David Bowie’s ‘Life On Mars’ and ‘This Is Me’ from The Greatest Showman to get people of all ages and abilities moving and feeling together after months of lockdown. Later in the day, Curve Associates Mel Knott and Tasha Taylor Johnson will teach families to sing and dance the ‘Rhinos’ Rock and Roll’ number from the recent Made at Curve production of Giraffes Can’t Dance.

Local artists Rebecca Harvey-Hobbs and Kate Unwin will host design workshops for participants to create and craft their own pieces. The sessions will focus on mental health and environmental sustainability in the wake of lockdown, designing worry boxes to help manage stress and creating an installation from unused 2020 show posters.

The Showstoppers Kids Show will return to Curve, putting children in charge of the marvellous, musical, interactive adventures on stage. Taking place in Curve’s specially adapted socially distanced auditorium, the hour-long performances will run at 11:30am and 2:30pm.

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said:

“We couldn’t be more overjoyed at the prospect of welcoming our communities back to Curve for this very special, socially distanced day of activities and performances.

“Lockdown has taken its toll on everyone and the extension of Leicester’s restrictions has been sharply felt in our brilliant city and across our communities. We’re proud to be able to welcome people back to our building for a safe, fun and creative day out for all of the family, focusing on positivity and mental well-being.

“We’re immensely grateful to the incredible practitioners leading these workshops and all those who will be part of creating what is sure to be an extraordinary and memorable day for all of us.”

All workshops will be free to attend, with tickets for The Showstoppers Kids Show priced at £10 each. Tickets for all activities and performances must be booked in advance. For visitors looking to enjoy a full day of fun and creativity at Curve, the theatre is also offering combined passes.

From 3 to 6 Dec, families can enjoy live, socially distanced performances of Dear Santa, adapted from author Rod Campbell’s beloved book. The show follows Santa as he tries to find the perfect Christmas present and to help spread cheer, every child in the audience will receive a free gift as part of the show.

Perfect for families and children aged 2+, tickets for Dear Santa will be on sale to Curve Friends and Supporters Wed 28 Oct, Members and Access Register customers Thu 28 Oct and on general sale Fri 30 Oct, all from 12pm.

Curve’s Community Day will officially welcome audiences back to the theatre, ahead of a trio of Made at Curve favourites performed in Curve’s transformed 533-seat auditorium. The theatre’s reopening plans are only possible thanks to grant funding received from the government’s Culture Recovery Fund and the ongoing support of Arts Council England and Leicester City Council. Tickets for performances of The Color Purple in concert (23 Nov – 5 Dec), Sunset Boulevard in concert (14 Dec – 3 Jan) and Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual (25 Jan – 6 Feb) are on sale now.

For more information visit www.curveonline.co.uk or call Curve’s Box Office team on 0116 242 3595.