New West End fringe venue the Stage Door Theatre has announced its first Artistic Director, with Robert McWhir appointed to the post.
McWhir was previously Artistic Director of the Landor Theatre in Clapham for 16 years.
Operated by Lambco Productions, with actor Su Pollard as Patron, The Stage Door Theatre is described as a new pop-up fringe dinner-theatre venue, and is located above the Prince of Wales pub in Covent Garden’s Drury Lane.
The Stage Door Theatre’s first season starts next month.
The new venue was officially announced in November, and was originally meant to be led by artistic director Adam Spreadbury-Maher, who recently directed a revival of queer drama Strangers in Between, which played earlier this year at the Golden Goose Theatre.
That production was revealed as The Stage Door’s inaugural show, although has now been postponed.
Instead the initial programme for The Stage Door Theatre includes a strand called Decomposing Composers running on selected nights from 28 January to 2 August 2024, compiled and compèred by Guildhall School of Music & Drama opera singer and pianist Sean Jay, together with performances from musicians from the Royal College of Music.
Also on the schedule is one nighter The Love Shack on Valentine’s Day, 14 February 2024; a transfer for hit Lambco queer play Sauna Boy by Dan Ireland-Reeves from 29 May to 1 June 2024; and another run for critically acclaimed gay drama Self Tape, from 8 to 10 May 2024, written by and starring Michael Batten.
Both show and dinning, and show only tickets, will be available for performances.
Artistic Director Robert McWhir said in a statement: “I’m thrilled and excited about this new venture and looking forward to announcing our inaugural season of productions early in the new year. Alongside plays and musicals there will be regular events including Overtures Sunday Roasts, Musical Mondays, Classical Music Matinees and special one-off nights such as The Love Shack on Valentine’s Day.”
Executive Producer of Lambco Productions, and Operator of The Stage Door Theatre, Richard Lambert, said: “Robert’s vast experience in running a successful fringe venue along with extensive freelance directing experience makes him uniquely qualified to steer this new venture. Robert and I have worked together on many production in several different venues over the years, and I’m really looking forward to working together again.”
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