Live Theatre
Live Theatre operates a non-profit new writing theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne, producing original plays and nurturing creative talent. It serves general audiences, North East primary schools through its Live Tales workshops, and theatre members across four subscription tiers.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1973
- HeadquartersNewcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Live Theatre does
Live Theatre is a non-profit performing arts venue in Newcastle upon Tyne, operated by the registered charity North East Theatre Trust Limited (Charity No. 513771) and founded in 1973. It produces and presents new plays and runs supporting programmes including Live Tales (free story-writing workshops for Key Stage 1 and 2 primary school classes in Newcastle, Sunderland, and online), the Friends of Live Theatre membership scheme (four paid tiers from £5/month to £500/year), Edinburgh Fringe Previews, Live Summer School, and venue hire. The organisation holds an international reputation as a new writing theatre (The Guardian: 'one of the most fertile crucibles of new writing') and actively co-produces with regional partners including Newcastle Theatre Royal and Stephen Joseph Theatre.
The company operates as a hybrid box-office, subscription, and fee-for-service arts business plus a grant-funded charity. Revenue streams include direct ticket sales (adult £17-£38, concessions £12-£23, family bundles from £44, with multi-buy discounts of up to 30%), membership subscriptions, school workshop fees (£150 per session for independent or out-of-region schools, free for North East state schools), venue hire, and Atrium Bar sales. It is supported by core public funding from Arts Council England, the Community Foundation's Newcastle Culture Investment Fund, and the European Regional Development Fund, alongside corporate sponsors such as SPACE Architects and trusts such as the Gillian Dickinson Trust.
Customer segments span general local theatre audiences, North East primary schools (Live Tales), four tiers of recurring supporter-members, and writers/artists seeking development and preview platforms. Distribution is via a Newcastle box office, a 24/7 online booking system at live.org.uk, and co-production distribution through partner theatres, with audience-building efforts conducted through organic social (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter/X), a fortnightly email newsletter, and dedicated education outreach. The organisation employs between 11 and 50 staff.
Live Theatre firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Live Theatre
- Legal name
- North East Theatre Trust Limited
- Website
- https://live.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1973
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Live Theatre operates a non-profit new writing theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne, producing original plays and nurturing creative talent. It serves general audiences, North East primary schools through its Live Tales workshops, and theatre members across four subscription tiers.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Live Theatre industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performing Arts Theatre
- NAICS
- Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (71111), Performing Arts Companies (7111), Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries (711)
- SIC
- Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies (MPAGABAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama) (MPAGABAH), Touring Theatre Productions (MPAGABAC), Fringe & Experimental Performing Arts (MPAGABAI)
Keywords
Where Live Theatre is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Newcastle Upon Tyne
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices3 records
Markets served
Live Theatre business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Ticket Sales: Direct ticket sales for theatre productions, concerts, comedy shows, and family performances. Tickets range from £10-£38 for adults, with concessions and family offers available.
- Membership Subscriptions: Four-tier membership program: Friend (£5/month or £60/year), Good Friend (£10/month or £120/year), Best Friend (£25/month or £300/year), Champion (£500/year). Members receive priority booking, discounts, and exclusive experiences.
- Educational Workshops: Free workshops for North East state schools; £150 per session for independent schools and schools outside the region. Live Tales program includes Story Inventors, Story Writing, and Play Makers workshops.
- Venue Hire: The venue is available for hire, supporting community and private events at the Live Theatre facility.
- Bar Sales: Atrium Bar operating during performances with 10% discount for Friends members.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | General Admission - Adult tickets ranging £17-£38 |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Concession tickets |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Family Ticket Offer |
| Subscription | Monthly | Friend Membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Good Friend Membership |
| Subscription | Monthly | Best Friend Membership |
| Subscription | Annual | Champion Membership |
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Live Tales Workshops - North East State Schools |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Live Tales Workshops - Independent/Out-of-Region Schools |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | The Suggestibles Impro Pantso |
Go-to-market motion3 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
Live Theatre product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Live Theatre is a performing arts theatre that produces and presents new plays, comedy, music, and family shows at its Quayside venue in Newcastle upon Tyne. It also runs the Live Tales educational workshop program for primary schools and offers venue hire, a tiered Friends membership program, and the Edinburgh Fringe Previews showcase series.
Product overview
Live Theatre operates as a new writing theatre venue in Newcastle upon Tyne, producing new plays and nurturing creative talent. The core offering consists of live theatrical productions and events at their venue. Supporting the main theatre are complementary programs: Live Tales provides free story writing workshops for primary schools (with both in-person and online options); the Friends of Live Theatre membership offers tiers of benefits; and seasonal events like Edinburgh Fringe Previews showcase emerging performers. The theatre also runs community programs including workshops for specific groups like Ukrainians in the North East.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Live Tales: Free story writing workshops for Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 classes in Newcastle, Sunderland and online
Products and services
- Live Theatre Productions A new writing theatre in Newcastle upon Tyne with an international reputation for producing new plays and nurturing creative talent. The venue hosts plays, comedy, music, and family shows throughout the year.
- Live Tales Workshops Story writing workshops for Key Stage 1 (including SEND) and Key Stage 2 primary school classes in Newcastle, Sunderland, and online. Includes Story Inventors, Story Writing, and Play Makers programs. Free for North East state schools; £150 per session for independent schools and schools outside the region. Workshops accommodate up to 30 children and run for 2 hours.
- Friends of Live Theatre Membership A four-tier membership program offering benefits including 2-for-1 tickets, priority booking, 10% off Atrium Bar, and exclusive behind-the-scenes experiences. Tiers: Friend (£5/month or £60/year), Good Friend (£10/month or £120/year), Best Friend (£25/month or £300/year), and Champion (£500/year).
- Venue Hire The Live Theatre Quayside venue is available for hire, supporting community and private events at the Live Theatre facility.
- Edinburgh Fringe Previews Annual showcase of comedy and performance acts previewing their shows before the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, featuring multiple performers across multiple dates.
- Free Theatre Workshop for Ukrainians Free taster creative workshop exploring performing and theatre-making skills, led by Ukrainian actors and directors for Ukrainians living in the North East of England.
- Summery Tales Family Festival Outdoor celebration in Live Garden celebrating Live Tales 10th Birthday, featuring live music, free workshops, story times, illustration workshops, and craft activities.
Quantifiable outcome
- Free creative workshops for North East state schools
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Live Theatre
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Live Theatre technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Live Theatre partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Stephen Joseph TheatrecoreCo-production partner with Live Theatre for 'All At Sea' by Alison Carr. This is a significant regional theatre collaboration bringing new writing to audiences.
- Newcastle Theatre RoyalcoreCo-production partner for 'Our Friends In The North 1979-1984' adaptation. Production takes place at Newcastle Theatre Royal from 15-24 Oct 2026, celebrating 30 years since the original BBC drama.
- Eastlake ProductionscoreCo-production partner alongside Live Theatre and Newcastle Theatre Royal for 'Our Friends In The North 1979-1984'.
- LaurelsminorCo-production association partner for 'All At Sea' production.
- Entertainment UnlimitedminorAssociation partner for 'Tits Up!' production - a play about breast cancer awareness.
- Stanley CreativesminorAssociation partner with Entertainment Unlimited for 'Tits Up!' production.
- Your Aunt FannyminorComedy troupe presenting 'Crease' sketch show at Live Theatre.
- Gillian Dickinson TrustminorSupporter/funder for 'Where Do All The Kittiwakes Go At Christmas?' production.
- SPACE ArchitectsminorCorporate sponsor for multiple productions including 'All At Sea' and 'Summery Tales - Family Festival'.
- GemArtsminorFestival partner for GemArts Masala Festival, hosting events like 'Freespill: A Night of Unfiltered Desi Soul Flow'.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Live Theatre competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Sheffield Theatres: Major regional producing theatre operating multiple stages with a mix of classics, new writing and community programmes. Closely comparable in scale, regional remit and producing model.
- Bristol Old Vic: One of the UK's oldest regional producing theatres, combining heritage with new work and community engagement. Comparable to Live Theatre as a regional producing house with educational outreach.
- Liverpool Everyman Theatre: Regional producing theatre with a strong reputation for original work and community engagement in the North of England. Comparable to Live Theatre in audience-development mission and new-writing emphasis.
- Almeida Theatre: London producing theatre recognised for bold new writing and contemporary drama. Comparable to Live Theatre in commissioning and producing original scripts for live audiences.
- Stephen Joseph Theatre: Scarborough-based theatre known for new writing and premieres, and a co-production partner of Live Theatre. Highly comparable in new-writing focus and regional producing model.
- Royal Court Theatre: London-based new-writing theatre with an international reputation for premiering original plays. Directly comparable to Live Theatre's new-writing producing model, though operating at a larger national scale.
- Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester: Major Manchester producing theatre with a national reputation for new writing and in-the-round staging. Comparable as a North-of-England producing house with broad community programming.
- Newcastle Theatre Royal: Newcastle's flagship receiving and co-producing theatre and an active co-production partner of Live Theatre. Comparable as a North East venue sharing audiences and production partners.
Broad incumbents
- Young Vic: London-based producing theatre known for new writing, international co-productions and community programmes. Comparable mission but operating at a larger national/international scale.
- National Theatre: UK's flagship producing organisation with extensive new-writing, touring and learning programmes. Comparable to Live Theatre's producing-plus-education model, though at vastly greater scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Live Theatre social profiles
Digital presenceLive Theatre financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Live Theatre leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Live Theatre subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries1 record
Live Theatre funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Live Theatre M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Live Theatre
What does Live Theatre do?
Live Theatre is a performing arts theatre that produces and presents new plays, comedy, music, and family shows at its Quayside venue in Newcastle upon Tyne. It also runs the Live Tales educational workshop program for primary schools and offers venue hire, a tiered Friends membership program, and the Edinburgh Fringe Previews showcase series.
Is Live Theatre a public or private company?
Live Theatre is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Live Theatre founded?
Live Theatre was founded in 1973. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is Live Theatre based?
Live Theatre is headquartered in Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Live Theatre make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Ticket Sales are the primary driver. The others are membership Subscriptions, educational Workshops, venue Hire and bar Sales.
Who are Live Theatre's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Sheffield Theatres, Bristol Old Vic, Liverpool Everyman Theatre, Almeida Theatre, Stephen Joseph Theatre, Royal Court Theatre, Royal Exchange Theatre Manchester and Newcastle Theatre Royal. Broad incumbents are Young Vic and National Theatre.
Does Live Theatre have an API?
No public API is recorded for Live Theatre.
What industry is Live Theatre in?
Live Theatre's product category is Performing Arts Theatre. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAGABAB, Regional & Repertory Theatre Companies, with a secondary code of MPAGABAH, Classical & Contemporary Theatre (Plays/Drama). Its NAICS code is 71111 and its SIC code is 7990.