Why we take part
The Crewe Lyceum Theatre boasts a rich history dating back to 1882, but as an entertainment venue, we rarely have the chance to share our story. By opening our doors and hosting unique events through Heritage Open Days, we hope more people in our community will come to appreciate the theatre's origins and its significance. Our aim is to inspire ongoing support for this beautiful Edwardian theatre, ensuring it remains a cherished landmark for future generations.
What we do for HODs
Over the past few years, we’ve offered backstage tours, where a local historian shares the theatre’s journey from its beginnings to the present day, while giving attendees a rare glimpse behind the scenes, typically reserved for performers.
It was so cool to see parts of the theatre that you wouldn't normally see, and we learnt loads … None of my group had ever been to the theatre there before but will definitely be returning for a show in the future.
We were also selected for the New Wave programme* this year, where we collaborated with young adults aged 18-25 to help develop and deliver an event aimed at younger audiences. Over three months, we worked with a small group of volunteers, meeting every two weeks. They delved into our history and chose to highlight our ghost stories, which tie into key events from the theatre's past. Their idea was to create an escape room-style experience using various parts of the building, which evolved into our "Hunted History" event. Five teams of up to four people competed against each other to see who could solve the clues the fastest.
Hollie’s top tips!
- Partnering with another organisation can help lighten the workload.
- Be open to creativity and new ideas! I initially wasn’t sure how an escape room would work in our theatre, but by collaborating with colleagues and volunteers, we found a way to make it happen.
Inspired?! Find out more
- Crewe Lyceum Theatre
- More case studies - Meet other local organisers
- Get involved - Taking part in Heritage Open Days