Joseph Rowntree Theatre has revealed their brand new season.
It’s a packed programme of shows – featuring powerful plays, musical magic, cracking comedy, and fundraising fun.
We’ve put together a guide to 12 highlight shows running throughout June to September, so get your calendar out to start booking in and help support York’s community-powered theatre.
The theatre is also running several special ticket offers – where you can book three or more shows at once and automatically receive a 10% discount, family ticket discounts, and many shows also have a £2 discount if you book five or more tickets.
Take a look to see everything upcoming at Joseph Rowntree Theatre at their website here.
What’s upcoming at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre
From Cocoa Works to Curtain Calls: The Story of the Joseph Rowntree Theatre
Step back in time and explore 90 years of the Joseph Rowntree Theatre’s history.
Hear from our dedicated volunteers and expert panel who will reflect on the theatre’s rich history, the Rowntree family legacy and the enduring importance of community theatre. There will also be an audience Q&A. The panel features Dan Shrimpton (Chair of Trustees, Joseph Rowntree Theatre), Nick Smith (Executive Director, Rowntree Society), Professor Anne Marie Greene (School for Business and Society, University of York), and Graham Mitchell (Honorary Archivist, Joseph Rowntree Theatre).
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Fri 12 Jun
- 7pm
- Free
- More info
Les Misérables (School Edition)
The epic tale of redemption and revolution is retold in this abridged edition, performed by the young talent of the award-winning NETheatre York. After 19 years as a prisoner, Jean Valjean is freed by Javert, the officer in charge of the prison workforce. But after Valjean breaks parole and uses stolen silver to reinvent himself as a mayor and factory owner, Javert vows to bring Valjean back to prison. Eight years later, Valjean becomes the guardian of a child named Cosette after her mother’s death, but Javert’s relentless pursuit means that peace will be a long time coming. Will Valjean ever escape from Javert and will justice finally come to pass?
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Tue 16 – Sat 20 Jun
- 7:30pm (2:30pm Sat matinee)
- £24
- More info
Soaring Through the Years: A 30th Anniversary Celebration
Brace yourself for an unforgettable evening celebrating 30 years of Flying Ducks Theatre.
This milestone event will take audiences on a captivating journey through the last three decades of shows, featuring a vibrant array of songs and unforgettable numbers that highlight the creativity and talent of the young performers. The show will welcome past Flying Ducks alumni guest performers, who will grace the stage showcasing the lasting impact Flying Ducks has had on their artistic journeys, reminding us all of the community and friendships formed within these walls.
Join the Flying Ducks as it celebrates the past, embraces the present, and looks forward to the future in a night that promises to be truly memorable.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Sat 27 – Sun 28 Jun
- 2pm & 7pm
- From £15
- More info
Guys and Dolls
Step into 1950s New York with Guys and Dolls — the award-winning Broadway sensation packed with high-stakes gamblers, showgirls and unlikely love stories.
With unforgettable songs like ‘Luck Be a Lady’ and ‘Sit Down, You’re Rockin’ the Boat’, we follow smooth talking gambler Sky Masterson and straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown as their worlds collide in the most unexpected way.
Full of heart, humour and toe-tapping tunes, Guys and Dolls is a timeless celebration of risk, romance and rolling the dice on love.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Wed 8 – Sat 11 Jul
- 7:30pm (2:30pm Sat matinee)
- From £12
- More info
Boeing Boeing
This 1960s French farce adapted for the English-speaking stage features self-styled Parisian lothario Bernard, who has Italian, German and American fiancées, each a beautiful airline hostess with frequent “layovers.” He keeps “one up, one down, and one pending” – until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris, and Bernard’s apartment, at the same time.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Thu 23 – Sat 25 Jul
- 7:30pm
- £15
- More info
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Four Forty Theatre tackles A Midsummer Night’s Dream with its trademark mix of irreverence, wit and theatrical ingenuity. Lovers are enchanted, fairies feud and a troupe of hapless players rehearse their way into disaster — all in a single moonlit night.
Celebrated for inventive staging, breakneck character changes and playful dismantling of tradition, Four Forty breathes fresh mischief into Shakespeare’s best-loved comedy. The result is part affectionate homage, part riotous reinvention: clever, chaotic and utterly alive. It’s a dream performed with wit turned sharp and imagination turned loose.
This is Shakespeare, but with Four Forty.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Fri 31 Jul
- 7:30pm
- From £13
- More info
UK Ultimate Physiques Northern Championships 2026
The best bodybuilding & fitness athletes come to compete for the UKUP Northern titles 2026, showcasing their amazing physiques on stage that they work so hard to gain over prep. It’s a family-friendly show for the fitness and bodybuilding enthusiasts of the world.
Come watch a thrilling, fun experience and get inspired by all the amazing athletes on stage.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Sun 9 Aug
- 2pm
- From £16
- More info
Mirror, Mirror
Long ago, the Disney villains were defeated. The heroes were crowned, the kingdoms rejoiced and happily-ever afters were written in gold.
But as songs were sung and statues raised, the villains faded into whispers… then into nothing at all.
Forgotten by the stories they once shaped, they waited in the shadows, watching, listening.
Now, the mirror stirs.
Tonight, the silence shatters. The villains return, not for revenge, but to tell the story you were never told.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Sat 15 Aug
- 5pm
- From £8
- More info
The Three Musketeers
Prepare for a hilarious and uproarious family farce brought to you by Our Star Theatre Company.
This theatrical re-telling of The Three Musketeers is packed with laughter, lively audience participation and plenty of energetically silly performances. The story centres around a small troupe of performers gearing up for their highly anticipated debut performance of The Three Musketeers.
However, as the curtains rise, all is not as it seems.
What starts as a simple theatrical endeavour quickly unravels into a whirlwind of confusion, mayhem and comical mishaps.
From forgotten lines to chaotic set changes, the actors find themselves entangled in a series of laugh-out-loud blunders, much to the delight of the audience. This delightfully entertaining production is brimming with wit, slapstick humour and a dose of good-natured silliness that will keep you on the edge of your seat, laughing from start to finish.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Fri 4 Sep
- 7:30pm
- From £16
- More info
Anne Boleyn’s Mother
This compelling one-woman play gives voice to Elizabeth, Countess of Wiltshire, as she confronts unimaginable loss and reflects on her family’s turbulent place in Tudor history.
Set on 13 October 1537, a son is finally born to King Henry VIII by his wife, Jane Seymour. But Elizabeth finds herself unable to rejoice, grieving the deaths of her son George and her daughter Anne, the former queen of England, at the hands of the king’s courtly intrigues.
The play explores the emotional toll of motherhood, legacy and ambition against the backdrop of treacherous royal politics, questioning whether the heavy price paid for her family’s rise was worth it.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Sun 6 Sep
- 7:30pm
- From £16
- More info
Curry and Quiz Night
Enjoy a fantastic evening of flavour and fun at the much-loved Parvin Indian Restaurant in Haxby. Savour a delicious three-course Indian meal while putting your knowledge to the test in the lively quiz. Whether you’re a quiz champion, a casual trivia fan, or simply in it for the curry, this promises a brilliant night out filled with great food, friendly competition, and wonderful company.
There are tables of 4, 5 or 6 for this event. If you book any other number of tickets we’ll be in touch to allocate you to a table.
A fundraising event for the Joseph Rowntree Theatre
- The Parvin Indian Restaurant, 169 York Rd, Haxby, York YO32 3HB
- Mon 14 Sep
- 7pm
- £24
- More info
Another Night at the Musicals: A Music Night Production
A night of timeless showstoppers.
Legendary York musician Don Pears returns to perform Another Night at the Musicals after his successful 2025 concert. A great supporter of the theatre, Don will be joined by regulars, York Choir Singphonia, to bring the biggest hits of the West End and Broadway to the Joseph Rowntree Theatre.
Featuring a sensational live band and breathtaking vocalists, audiences will be swept away by beloved classics, heart-stirring ballads and toe-tapping showstoppers.
Join us as we raise the curtain and let the music take centre stage.
- Joseph Rowntree Theatre, Haxby Road, York, YO31 8TA
- Sun 20 Sep
- 7pm
- From £12
- More info
