White Rock Theatre
Encyclopedia
White Rock Theatre is a medium-scale receiving house venue owned by Hastings Borough Council situated on the seafront of Hastings
, East Sussex
, on the south coast of England. It has a seating capacity
of 1066 (after the date of the Battle of Hastings
) and it currently presents a varied programme of touring shows including opera
, ballet
, musicals, the Hastings Musical Festival
and children's shows.
The auditorium is split on two levels – The Stalls and The Circle with an overall capacity of 1,066 seats. The Stalls is also split into flat and raked seating areas. The stage is 47 feet (14.3 m) wide and 31.6 feet (9.6 m) deep, with a 1/28 rake.
From its very beginning Hastings Borough Council ran the Theatre. As the years went by and the Theatre continued to run at a loss, the council decided to close the Theatre down. This announcement was met with the fierce opposition from local people and groups rallied round in support of the White Rock. In May 2002 Clear Channel Entertainment, a huge American organisation, took over management of the venue. In December 2005 Clear Channel Entertainment was spun off from the main body of Clear Channel and became Live Nation
.
On February 1, 2009, HQ Theatres
took over as operator of the White Rock in partnership with Hastings Borough Council.
, Hot Chocolate, Eartha Kitt
, Lily Savage, Joan Collins
, Jools Holland
, Derren Brown
, Frank Skinner
, Lenny Henry
and Russell Brand
just to name a few.
Hastings
Hastings is a town and borough in the county of East Sussex on the south coast of England. The town is located east of the county town of Lewes and south east of London, and has an estimated population of 86,900....
, East Sussex
East Sussex
East Sussex is a county in South East England. It is bordered by the counties of Kent, Surrey and West Sussex, and to the south by the English Channel.-History:...
, on the south coast of England. It has a seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 1066 (after the date of the Battle of Hastings
Battle of Hastings
The Battle of Hastings occurred on 14 October 1066 during the Norman conquest of England, between the Norman-French army of Duke William II of Normandy and the English army under King Harold II...
) and it currently presents a varied programme of touring shows including opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
, ballet
Ballet
Ballet is a type of performance dance, that originated in the Italian Renaissance courts of the 15th century, and which was further developed in France and Russia as a concert dance form. The early portions preceded the invention of the proscenium stage and were presented in large chambers with...
, musicals, the Hastings Musical Festival
Hastings Musical Festival
Hastings Musical Festival is an annual festival of the performing arts held in the White Rock Theatre, Hastings, England.-History:The Festival has been running since the early 1900s when Dr. Herman Brearley organised a festival ‘for the encouragement of choral singing’...
and children's shows.
History
The original East Sussex Hospital was replaced with the White Rock Pavilion which was opened by Edward, Prince of Wales in April 1927. It was built for the Hastings Municipal Orchestra. The pavilion underwent a further re-modification in 1937 and again in 1985 when it was renamed the White Rock Theatre.The auditorium is split on two levels – The Stalls and The Circle with an overall capacity of 1,066 seats. The Stalls is also split into flat and raked seating areas. The stage is 47 feet (14.3 m) wide and 31.6 feet (9.6 m) deep, with a 1/28 rake.
From its very beginning Hastings Borough Council ran the Theatre. As the years went by and the Theatre continued to run at a loss, the council decided to close the Theatre down. This announcement was met with the fierce opposition from local people and groups rallied round in support of the White Rock. In May 2002 Clear Channel Entertainment, a huge American organisation, took over management of the venue. In December 2005 Clear Channel Entertainment was spun off from the main body of Clear Channel and became Live Nation
Live Nation
Live Nation is a live-events company based in Beverly Hills, California, focused on concert promotions. Live Nation formed in 2005 as a spin-off from Clear Channel Communications, which then merged with Ticketmaster in 2010 to become Live Nation Entertainment....
.
On February 1, 2009, HQ Theatres
HQ Theatres
HQ Theatres Is the UK’s second largest owner and operator of provincial theatrical venues. It a part of the Qdos Entertainment Group.-History:In 2006 Qdos Entertainment and Hetherington Seelig Theatres formed a new collaboration – HQ Theatres Limited....
took over as operator of the White Rock in partnership with Hastings Borough Council.
Performances
The Theatre has seen a selection of entertainment over the years including Motörhead, Billy ConnollyBilly Connolly
William "Billy" Connolly, Jr., CBE is a Scottish comedian, musician, presenter and actor. He is sometimes known, especially in his native Scotland, by the nickname The Big Yin...
, Hot Chocolate, Eartha Kitt
Eartha Kitt
Eartha Mae Kitt was an American singer, actress, and cabaret star. She was perhaps best known for her highly distinctive singing style and her 1953 hit recordings of "C'est Si Bon" and the enduring Christmas novelty smash "Santa Baby." Orson Welles once called her the "most exciting woman in the...
, Lily Savage, Joan Collins
Joan Collins
Joan Henrietta Collins, OBE , is an English actress, author, and columnist. Born in Paddington and raised in Maida Vale, Collins grew up during the Second World War. At the age of nine, she made her stage debut in A Doll's House and after attending school, she was classically trained as an actress...
, Jools Holland
Jools Holland
Julian Miles "Jools" Holland OBE, DL is an English pianist, bandleader, singer, composer, and television presenter. He was a founder of the band Squeeze and his work has involved him with many artists including Sting, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Who, David Gilmour and Bono.Holland is a...
, Derren Brown
Derren Brown
Derren Victor Brown is a British illusionist, mentalist, painter, writer and sceptic. He is known for his appearances in television specials, stage productions and British television series such as Trick of the Mind and Trick or Treat...
, Frank Skinner
Frank Skinner
Frank Skinner is a British writer, comedian and actor. He is best known for his television presenting, often alongside David Baddiel, with whom he also collaborated for the football song "Three Lions."He is a radio presenter on the Saturday morning slot on Absolute Radio.-Youth and early career...
, Lenny Henry
Lenny Henry
Lenworth George "Lenny" Henry, is a British actor, writer, comedian and occasional television presenter.- Early life :...
and Russell Brand
Russell Brand
Russell Edward Brand is an English comedian, actor, columnist, singer, author and radio/television presenter.Brand achieved mainstream fame in the UK in 2004 for his role as host of Big Brother spin-off, Big Brother's Big Mouth. His first major film role was in the 2007 film St Trinians...
just to name a few.