LEEDS PLAYHOUSE ANNOUNCES
ARTISTIC DIRECTOR
TOM WRIGHT’S FIRST SEASON OF PRODUCTIONS
AUTUMN 2026 – SUMMER 2027
Leeds Playhouse today announces Tom Wright’s inaugural season of shows as Artistic Director, with new productions running from autumn 2026 to summer 2027 in the Quarry theatre and Courtyard theatre.
- In the Courtyard, August Wilson’s landmark play, FENCES, returns in a vital new production directed by award-winning Daniel Bailey in a co-production with Headlong, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester.
- In the Courtyard, PEANUT BUTTER & BLUEBERRIES, based on the Kiln Theatre production. The play is written by Leeds playwright Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan and will be directed by Sameena Hussain.
- Following its Broadway success, a brand-new UK production, directed by the Playhouse’s Artistic Director Tom Wright, DR. SEUSS’S HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS! THE MUSICAL will play in the Quarry theatre.
- In 2027, Leeds Playhouse will present a fresh production of William Shakespeare’s ROMEO & JULIET in the Quarry theatre.
- SIRENS, a new play written and directed by Tom Wright will debut in the Courtyard theatre, produced in association with Belgrade Theatre.
- A new adaptation of a beloved classic THE SECRET GARDEN in co-production with Theatr Clwyd, written by Linda Marshall Griffiths, inspired by the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett, and directed by Amy Leach, will play in the Courtyard theatre.
- A Gripping adaptation of Mary Shelley’s FRANKENSTEIN, with Leeds-born adaptor and director Jeff James making his Quarry theatre debut in this co-production with Rose Theatre Kingston.
- Leeds Playhouse Associate Artistic Director, Jamie Sophia Fletcher directs her first Playhouse-produced work in the Quarry with the musical LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS produced in association with Oxford Playhouse.
Tom Wright, Artistic Director of Leeds Playhouse, said:“My first season begins with a simple idea – that theatre should entertain and challenge in equal measure, and speak directly to the world we’re living in. Across the programme are four new works – including two original stories and two bold adaptations – alongside landmark plays, reimagined classics and large-scale theatrical spectacle.
“This season brings together artists with deep connections to Leeds and the Playhouse, alongside acclaimed voices joining us for the first time – reflecting our ambition to celebrate the extraordinary talent rooted in this city while welcoming some of the most exciting theatre-makers working across the country. I’m proud that it will also see four directors making their first Playhouse-produced work in the Quarry, introducing audiences to artists helping to shape the future of British theatre.
“Our Courtyard will be home to contemporary voices and compelling stories of now, while the Quarry presents epic theatrical events and reinventions of major titles. Meanwhile, the Bramall Rock Void will host a year-round programme for emerging artists and visiting companies – creating space for experimentation, discovery and new creative voices. Through a wide range of partnerships with theatres and organisations across the country, we’re building a collaborative model of producing that allows ambition, scale and creativity to thrive.
“Ultimately, our ambition is for Leeds Playhouse to be a theatre where everyone feels welcome, and where some of the most exciting conversations in British theatre are happening right here in Leeds.”
Shawab Iqbal, Chief Executive of Leeds Playhouse, said: “Leeds Playhouse is one of the UK’s leading producing theatres – operating at scale, rooted in its city, and playing a central role in shaping the future of theatre nationally.
“We are focused on delivering work with real impact, bringing together ambitious new work, major titles and large-scale productions – underpinned by a collaborative producing model across the commercial and subsidised sectors.
“For over 55 years, the Playhouse has been a people’s theatre – created by and for the people of Leeds, rooted in the belief that ‘a city without a theatre is a city without a heart’. That founding principle continues to shape our work as we enter a new phase of development – one that is confident, outward-looking and ambitious, championing bold stories, shared humanity and theatre that entertains, challenges and connects across three spaces, one city and many voices.
“Leeds is one of the UK’s largest and fastest-growing cities, and we are making work that reflects its scale, its diversity and its ambition – reaching audiences far beyond our stages and contributing to the national conversations about culture, place and the future of the UK.
“We are not just presenting theatre – we are a national cultural institution, and we are leading from Leeds.
“We are grateful to our audiences, funders and partners – including Arts Council England, Leeds City Council and the Liz and Terry Bramall Foundation – whose support makes this work possible.”
Tom is a writer, director, producer and dramaturg originally from Coventry, with over a decade’s track record of developing new and innovative work with some of the UK’s most dynamic theatre artists at Kiln Theatre where he was Associate Artistic Director and as Head of Artist Development at The Old Vic.
Shawab has over 15 years’ experience across theatre and dance and was previously Executive Director and Chief Executive of the Gate Theatre, and Executive Producer of Eclipse Theatre Company. He has also held various roles at Theatre Royal Stratford East, Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures, the Bush Theatre and Boy Blue. He is a member of Arts Council England’s London Area Council, a Mayor of London appointment, and sits on the board of UK Theatre. He is a former Vice Chair of Tamasha.
August Wilson’s Fences opens Tom’s season in the Courtyard theatre. This much-loved classic by one of America’s most influential 20th century writers is a story of ambition for our time. Set in the 1950s and directed by award-winning Daniel Bailey (Red Pitch, West End), this co-production between Leeds Playhouse, Headlong, Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and HOME Manchester plays from 11 – 26 September 2026 (press performance Wednesday 16 September) ahead of its UK tour.
Building on the sell-out success of its 2024 world premiere, playwright, poet, educator and former Leeds Playhouse Writer-in-Residence Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan’s Peanut Butter & Blueberries invites us to explore how to love when the weight of the world is on your shoulders. Based on the Kiln Theatre production and directed by Sameena Hussain it will play from 22 October – 7 November 2026 (press performance Friday 23 October).
This festive season, Leeds Playhouse in association with Running Subway produce Dr. Seuss’s How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical, directed by Leeds Playhouse’s Artistic Director Tom Wright, with book and Lyrics by Timothy Mason, music by Mel Marvin. This brand-new UK production is packed full of Seussian charm and humour. The musical runs from 19 November 2026 – 16 January 2027 (press performanceThursday 26 November).
Into the new year, Leeds Playhouse will present a fresh production of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet in the Quarry theatre. The play will run from 3 – 20 March 2027 (press performanceThursday 4 March).
Sirens is a hilariously witty, intimate new piece of work written and directed by Leeds Playhouse’s Artistic Director, Tom Wright. A warm, tense and deeply human story in which ordinary people are bound together by unexpected danger, this new play in association with Belgrade Theatre will debut in the Courtyard theatre playing from 15 March – 3 April 2027 (press performance Thursday 18 March).
In spring 2027, Leeds Playhouse will stage a co-production of a much‑loved classic by Frances Hodgson Burnett, reimagined by acclaimed writer Linda Marshall Griffiths, The Secret Garden. Directed by the Olivier Award nominee and UK Theatre Award winner for her production of Animal Farm, director Amy Leach, this co-production with Theatr Clwyd will play in the Courtyard from 23 April – 15 May 2027 (press performance Thursday 29 April).
Leeds Playhouse and Rose Theatre Kingston present an adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein, adapted and directed by Leeds-born Jeff James. Interrogating AI, creation and the role of humanity in shaping technology, this new version will play in the Quarry from 12 – 29 May 2027 (press performanceThursday 13 May).
Leeds Playhouse Associate Artistic Director, Jamie Sophia Fletcher directs her first Playhouse produced work in the Quarry with the musical Little Shop of Horrors, marking an exciting new chapter in her work with the theatre. With book and lyrics by Howard Ashman and music by Alan Menken, the musical will play from 23 June– 17 July 2027 (press performanceTuesday 29 June).
Alongside its new season of productions, Leeds Playhouse is launching a refreshed programme of creative engagement through Playhouse Connect, opening the theatre more widely to audiences, communities and artists across Leeds and Yorkshire. Delivered through three strands–People’s Playhouse, Playhouse Ensembles and Furnace –the programme will deepen audience engagement, create opportunities for communities to perform and celebrate their voices on Playhouse stages, and nurture the next generation of theatre-makers. Through wrap-around events, civic partnerships, performance ensembles and artist support, the Playhouse will continue to strengthen its role as a creative home for the city.
As part of Tom Wright’s inaugural season, Leeds Playhouse is expanding its Furnace artist development programme, strengthening pathways for artists at every stage of their careers. New initiatives include an entry-level writing scheme for those discovering playwriting for the very first time, alongside a dedicated emerging writers’ programme supporting Leeds-based artists to develop their first full-length play. Together, these programmes mark the beginning of a long-term commitment to building a sustainable ecosystem of writers and original stories rooted in Leeds, alongside a broader year-round programme of opportunities for directors, makers and theatre professionals developing their craft.