Doncaster theatre to celebrate a decade of curtain rises

Celebrations are taking place to mark the theatre's 10th year

A South Yorkshire theatre is celebrating 10 years since its curtain rose for the first time.

Cast in Doncaster opened on 6 September 2013, replacing the town's old Civic Theatre, which shut in March that year.

Since then 675,000 tickets have been sold to theatre goers from more than 113,000 households, officials said.

At its opening the then Cast director, Kully Thiarai, said she had wanted to create a "thriving, artistically exciting and entertaining venue".

Cast was part of a wider £300m scheme to regenerate Doncaster town centre

The 620-seat glass-fronted theatre, which also hosts music, dance, children's shows and comedy, opened with £20m funding from Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council and a further £2m from Arts Council England.

As well as the main auditorium, a second space at the venue accommodates up to 400 spectators.

A spokesperson for the venue said each year more than 5,000 participants took part in Cast activities, independently or through schools and community organisations.

A statement on the theatre's website said to celebrate its 10th-year Cast would host a black-tie gala dinner to raise funds for the "incredible" work it does for the cultural life of Doncaster, "enriching the lives of people through the transformative power of engagement with the arts".

The statement said notable guests would include Labour MP for Doncaster North, Ed Miliband, and South Yorkshire Mayor, Oliver Coppard.