From Ballet To Bollywood: New Shows Now On Sale At The Belgrade Theatre

As its 60th anniversary year gets into full swing, the Belgrade Theatre is excited to announce a diverse range of productions coming to Coventry during our spring and autumn seasons.

Shows new on sale this week include Chase the Dream: The Reeboot from Britain's Got Talent winners Flawless, a series of productions from the popular Russian State Opera & Ballet and the return of the Coventry Belgrade Mela, as well as Read All About It, the theatre's first home-produced project of the year.

Encompassing two separate shows in a massive, site-specific takeover of the nearby Coventry Evening Telegraph Building, Read All About It runs from 10-14 July, drawing on an array of real-life stories from Coventry's history. The project is part of the Coventry Great Place scheme, supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund, Arts Council England, Coventry University, University of Warwick, Coventry City Council and Coventry Business Improvement District.

In City Final, the Belgrade's youth & community drama groups invite audiences on a journey back in time to the days when the building was filled with the hustle and bustle of busy newsrooms. Inspired by stories covered by the Coventry Telegraph over the years, a series of short performances will fill multiple floors of the building in a large-scale promenade experience, offering audiences the chance to explore the building itself for one last time before a major redevelopment sees it transformed into a hotel later in the year.

Meanwhile, in Retold, acclaimed West Midlands-based company Mercurial Dance take over the building's foyer area in an interactive, cabaret-style show. Real-life memories supplied by members of the community will be brought to life by a professional and community cast using dance and music, allowing audiences to bear witness to the many ways that Coventry has changed across the decades as it approaches its year as City of Culture in 2021.

This week, Mercurial Dance will be running open rehearsals at the CET Building as part of the citywide Shop Front Festival. Stop by from 3.45-5pm on Friday 23 and Saturday 24 March for a taster of what to expect.

Ahead of the summer, the company are also offering audiences a chance to be involved in the production by sharing their own memories of the city. For a chance to see your story featured in the show, email retold@mercurialdance.co.uk, write a letter to Mercurial Dance, 11a Coventry Canal Basin, Leicester Row, CV1 4LH, or get in contact via Facebook, Instagram or Twitter @MercurialD, using #RetoldCov and #CETtakeover.

Then on Saturday 21 July, there'll be free fun and games from 12-5pm as part of the Coventry Belgrade Mela. Take part in Bollywood dance workshops, try your hand at calligraphy, browse the stalls for jewellery, crafts and more, or stop by the café to indulge in a delicious Afternoon Chai - a South Asian twist on a traditional afternoon tea. Throughout July, you can also drop into a special exhibition, exploring South Asian women and the vote as Britain marks 100 years of women's suffrage.

The family-friendly daytime fun will be followed by a ticketed evening performance in the theatre's B2 auditorium. Running from 7pm, the evening event will showcase a diverse range of local talent, incorporating spoken word poetry, Bhangra and street dance, comedy, acting and live music.

In August, the acclaimed Russian State Opera take to the Main Stage with two operatic classics, both accompanied by a sumptuous 30-piece orchestra. On Thursday 30 August, expect familiar tunes and enthralling characters in their production of Bizet's Carmen, one of the world's most accessible operas. It's followed on Friday 31 August by the equally popular La Traviata, in which Giuseppe Verdi brings to life the beguiling splendour and gaiety of mid-19th-century Parisian life, only to reveal a tragic love story blossoming beneath the revelry and hedonism.

In November, Russian State Ballet then returns with a mini-series of best-loved ballets. On Thursday 1 November, love triumphs over betrayal in the romantic story of Giselle. This new production offers audiences a chance to see the timeless tale like never before with lavish sets and costumes created by the award-winning former Bolshoi Ballet soloist Konstantin Uralsky.

On Friday 2 November, there'll be familiar sounds and scenes as Swan Lake brings a night of fairytale magic to the Belgrade. Romance, fantasy, enchanting music and exquisite dancing combine in this irresistible production. The trio is completed by one of the world's most popular ballets, with The Nutcracker bringing festive cheer to brighten up any chilly autumn night. Featuring the instantly recognisable "Waltz of the Flowers" and "Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy", this story of snow, sweets, magic and love promises an unforgettable evening for all the family.

Finally, for one night only on Wednesday 10 October, international dance superstars Flawless head to Coventry as part of a brand new UK tour. In Chase the Dream: The Reeboot, the two-time winners of the World Dance Championships and stars of Street Dance 3D 1 & 2 promise bigger and even more jaw-dropping routines than ever before.

This high-energy, acrobatic, feel-good family show follows the journey of ten big dreamers, seeking the opportunity to live out their ultimate dance fantasy on board the "Intergalactic Dream Ship". But the passengers soon realise that with every dream comes a dark reality, ultimately turning their dreams into nightmares. Now the team must battle their way back to reality to complete the journey home or risk their minds being forever lost and trapped in the Realm of Dreams.

Further ahead, tickets are also now on sale for the Spring 2019 run of smash hit musical Rock of Ages. Featuring more than 25 massive 80s anthems, this hilarious LA love story promises some serious rock 'n' roll debauchery when it arrives at the Belgrade 11-16 March next year. Plus, a special earlybird deal enables anyone booking before Friday 6 April to claim a free beer, wine or soft drink with their ticket.

Tickets to all of these shows and more are available too book now by calling the box office on 024 7655 3055, or by visiting www.belgrade.co.uk where prices are even cheaper.

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