Theatre at The Mill Spins Into 2nd Anniversary

Two years on and Theatre at The Mill continues to spool colourful threads of arts & entertainment in the Newtownabbey area.

The theatre is growing a solid reputation as the place to go for nights out in the local area, with over 70,000 tickets sold for over 300 performances at the Mossley Mill venue since it opened in February 2010.

Attracting live performances from the biggest names in the local, national and international arts scene such as Peter Corry, Phil Coulter, Northern Broadsides and Scottish Dance Theatre, the Newtownabbey venue has also been responsible for producing some first time theatrical experiences for the Northern Ireland public including professional premieres of The King & I and Sweeney Todd .  The team at Theatre at The Mill was also responsible for producing 7 of their own shows last year (including the acclaimed youth production of Oklahoma), which within the context of regional theatre provides a unique element to Theatre at The Mill’s programming offer whilst also demonstrating Newtownabbey Borough Council’s ongoing commitment to investment in the arts. 

Audiences to Theatre at The Mill have come from across Northern Ireland to experience the setting along with the diverse programme offering.  Whilst 18% of bookers in 2011 travelled more than 30 minutes to attend a performance, 35% of the audience cames from the Newtownabbey area and 17% from Belfast.  People from Carrick, Larne and North Down have also be travelling to the venue with customer feedback suggesting that the Motorway links and free car parking make the theatre very accessible and appealing.

The Mayor of Newtownabbey, Billy Webb said,

“Ticket sales for our first two years at Theatre at The Mill have reflected the desire of the public to experience top quality professional arts in this fabulous and imaginative space.  It is rewarding to see so many people take part in and enjoy the whole theatre experience.”

“Newtownabbey Borough Council recognizes the valuable contribution a vibrant arts scene makes to the quality of life for its residents and visitors by continuing to support the creation of high quality shows and investing in projects such as the Youth Theatre Schools which develops the skills and experiences of our young people. We are also working towards an exciting summer and autumn programme for 2012 which will offer local audiences opportunities to experience new and diverse performances including another NI first and big musical productions which are not usually available in intimate theatre spaces.”