A year of celebration
Celebrating 140 Years
On 19 December 2024 Stratford East celebrated its 140th anniversary, supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund
Celebrating 140 Years of Stratford East
In December 2024, Stratford East turned 140 years old. We marked this extraordinary milestone by looking back at the people, productions and communities that have shaped the theatre, while celebrating the Stratford East of today and looking towards its future.
Thanks to generous support from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, we spent the year bringing our history to life through a programme of free events, performances, heritage activity, storytelling and community projects.
Throughout our 140th anniversary year, we opened up the theatre and invited our community to celebrate with us. Our programme included free Open Days featuring workshops, talks, theatre tours and performances, alongside heritage tours and speaker events exploring Stratford East’s rich history.
Stratford East Stories
Our 140 films project captured the memories and experiences of people connected to Stratford East, preserving stories from artists, staff, audiences and members of our local community for future generations. These stories became Stratford East Stories, a collection of interviews and films celebrating the people who have passed through our doors and helped make the theatre what it is today.
Building Connections: Community Ambassadors
As part of the anniversary celebrations, we launched our Community Ambassadors Scheme, strengthening our relationship with the people and organisations around us.
Our Community Ambassadors worked with local groups to introduce more people to Stratford East, shared opportunities and performances within their communities, welcomed groups to the theatre and supported heritage activity including backstage tours. The scheme was created to help make Stratford East an even more accessible and welcoming place for our neighbours.
Stratford East Through the Years
We also refreshed the images displayed throughout the theatre as part of Stratford East Through the Years – a visual journey through some of the productions, people and moments that have defined our 140-year history.
The exhibition allows audiences and visitors to explore our past as they move through the building, connecting the Stratford East of yesterday with the theatre you see today.
Visit Stratford East today so see the exhibition for free.
Cynthia Erivo comes back to Stratford East!
Sir Lenny Henry talks all things Stratford East.
Tameka Empson tells all about her time on the Stratford East stage.
