"If we don’t get lost, we’ll never find a new route."
Joan Littlewood

In March 2020, we were forced to close our theatre doors due to the COVID-19 pandemic, facing our biggest challenge since we opened in 1884.

Our beloved theatre is currently dormant, longing for the buzz of audiences and artists. We miss welcoming you through our doors. We miss our youth theatres and community groups, running workshops and classes for schools and emerging creatives, chats with our regulars and especially the parties in our bar. We are so much more than what you see on stage.

As Joan Littlewood said, we must now find a new route so that we can come back even stronger and continue to support our local community that is so important to us.

The Government and Arts Council have thrown us a lifeline and whilst these funds will enable us to stay afloat, we need to do more than float. We want to continue to make work for you, explore new ways of working, continue our Learning & Participation work and be ready to open as soon as we safely can. All of this costs money and as long as our doors stay shut there is no money coming in. Your support right now will help us to literally put the show back on the road.

Throughout this difficult time, we have stayed positive, creative and innovative, determined to continue to make work inspired by and for our local community. This includes exploring new forms of sharing work like No Masks, moving our Youth Theatre groups online to create work such as Those of Hero Figures, our digital series The Revival created with Nottingham Playhouse, our response to the murder of George Floyd 846 - a new audio play, our brief re-opening for virtual reality show PETRICHOR, our Spotlight on Freelancer podcast series and our mini-series of shows PRESS PLAY HERE.

To continue to do this, we need the help of you, our loyal audiences and supporters. We are on a mission to raise £100,000 through this campaign.

We know this is a difficult time for many of you and if you are able to consider making a donation of any size, we would be extremely grateful.

Thank you. We can’t wait to welcome you back.

WE'RE NOT GOING by HUSSAIN MANAWER

FINDING A NEW ROUTE

WAYS TO GIVE
There are four ways you can help:  

1. Text TRSE plus the amount you want to donate to 70085 (e.g. TRSE 10 to donate £10). Texts cost your donation amount plus one standard rate message  

2. Donate online via our website here - we are always grateful for our passionate, loyal and supportive audiences. A donation of any size will go a huge way. 

3. Sign up as a Member - although our membership scheme is paused, we will be welcoming our members back to the theatre as soon as possible for exclusive events, Q&As with cast and creatives and opportunities to get closer to our work

4. Simply spread the word. If you can’t do any of the above, please share this as widely as possible. Your theatre needs you. 

Stratford East is a registered charity (233801)