Find out what goes on before theatre’s curtain falls

The Citizens Theatre will open its doors to the people of Glasgow to discover what goes on behind the scenes.

It’s a chance to look around the Gorbals venue before it closes for a £19.4m redevelopment project.

The On the Move event will take place on Saturday, 23 June, from 10am–5pm, ahead of the building’s closure this summer when work will commence in order to preserve the Victorian interior and upgrade the venue. This will be the first time that a working theatre has not been operating from 119 Gorbals Street in 140 years.

The day will kick-off with a walk to Scotland Street School Museum, which will become the temporary home of the Citizens Theatre community and education projects during the two year decamp.

The event will include a series of backstage tours, while also providing visitors with the chance to grab a memento at the costumes and theatrical items sale, share their memories of the theatre, and explore plans for the new building.

From September 2018 the Citizens Theatre will present its artistic programme at Tramway. The theatre recently announced details of its first two shows at the Albert Drive venue, a co-production with National Theatre of Scotland and the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh of Cyrano de Bergerac, and the return of A Christmas Carol.

Citizens Theatre artistic director Dominic Hill said: ‘We want people of all ages, from all parts of Glasgow and beyond, to come and share this special day with us and celebrate all that this beloved building means to them, as a home for world-class theatre and a space where community and creativity collide.

‘The move is absolutely essential if we’re going to ensure that this building exists as a resource for the people of Glasgow for generations to come.

‘So I can’t think of a more appropriate way to mark this exciting new phase in our theatre’s journey, than to open our doors and give everyone the chance to spend a day exploring the theatre before it undergoes its biggest ever transformation over the coming years.’

Tickets are not required to attend the On the Move event. Places on backstage tours will be available to book on a first come first serve basis at Box Office on the day.