Theatre at Leeds

Study theatre at Leeds

From scriptwriting to set design and performance to production, we offer a range of courses to help advance your performing arts career.

Discover our courses
Theatre at leeds performance
Discover our courses

Professional facilities and support

Our extensively-resourced theatres are equipped with professional equipment and supported by real-world technical expertise.

Explore our stages
Theatre at leeds facilities
Explore our stages
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Theatre at Leeds

Theatre at Leeds encompasses study, research and public performance, led by world-renowned practitioners and academic expertise from the School of Performance and Cultural Industries, the School of English and the School of Languages Cultures and Societies.

Our campus-wide programme of performance takes place across several publicly licenced theatres – providing platforms for pioneering new work and popular touring productions.

We’re also home to Leeds University Union’s Theatre Group, first established in 1919 and playing host to a variety of fantastic performances and public events.

Courses

Develop the skills and experience to enhance your career opportunities as a theatre professional. Our undergraduate and masters courses allow you to explore the theory and practice of performance and theatre-making with research-led teaching:

BA English, Theatre and Performance

BA Global Creative Industries

BA Theatre and Performance

BA Theatre and Performance with Enterprise

MA Applied Theatre and Social Change

MA Audiences Engagement Participation

MA Culture, Creativity and Entrepreneurship

MA Performance Design

MA Writing for Performance and Digital Media

MA Global Performance and Cultural Industries

Theatres on campus

stage one theatre stage@leeds

stage@leeds

Based in the School of Performance and Cultural Industries, this cutting-edge theatre complex is dedicated to artist development and supporting new work. Features include the 180-seat Stage One, 52-seat Alec Clegg Studio, integrated Box Office and licenced bar.

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Workshop Theatre Workshop Theatre

Workshop Theatre

In the School of English, the Workshop Theatre is comprised of Studio 1 and the Banham Theatre, providing 84-seat and 58-seat spaces with additional capacity configurations. These thriving, heavily resourced theatres have a prestigious and expanding community of famous alumni.

More on Workshop Theatre
Luu riley smith hall Pyramid and Riley Smith Theatre

Pyramid and Riley Smith Theatre

Leeds University Union has a number of theatre and performance societies including the University's Theatre Group, established in 1919. The Union is also home to the 200-seat in-the-round Pyramid Theatre and the impressive 360-seat Riley Smith Theatre.

More on Pyramid and Riley Smith Theatre

Our partnerships

We have many established and newly emerging collaborative links with creative organisations in Leeds and the Yorkshire Region, the UK and across the world.

At a local level we are proud to work with organisations including Leeds Playhouse, Opera North, Invisible Flock, Human VR, Slung Low, Red Ladder Theatre Company, Transform, Leeds City Council, Leeds Museums and Art Galleries and many more to create, develop, deliver, research and evaluate outstanding events and opportunities for students, staff and communities in Leeds and the surrounding areas.

We have developed national collaborations with diverse groups and organisations from the Kendal Mountain Festival to the National Theatre, while through the Centre for Cultural Value and its core partner The Audience Agency, we work with almost 30 affiliate partners including the BBC, the British Library, the Museums Association and the BFI.

Theatre at leeds expertise

Our expertise

Theatre at Leeds is driven by research-led teaching, which means our courses benefit from the latest findings from world-leading experts in their field.

Our theatres are also supported and managed by industry professionals and technicians with decades of professional experience in stagecraft.

Explore our expertise.