While we’re still enjoying the blooms of spring, we’re delighted to unveil our exciting lineup of events and activities for this vibrant autumn season. Whether you’re a fan of captivating performances, hands-on workshops, or community gatherings, there’s something special waiting for you.
Save the dates for our upcoming events and workshops starting September – because it’s never too early to start.
Be sure to check out our What’s On section for a comprehensive overview of our shows and participatory activities or have a look at our brochure guidehere.
Stay in the loop as we continually introduce fresh performances and activities on our website, ones that you won’t find in the guide. Make it a habit to explore our website frequently so you don’t miss out.
Please note that the events listed on our website are accurate at the time of publication but may be subject to change. We recommend checking back closer to the event dates for any updates or revisions to the schedule.
Top creatives join The POWER PLAYS Writing Festival at Blackpool’s The Old Electric this Spring
Leading playwrights, writers and theatre makers will light a creative spark for new playwriting across the region as the official line-up is announced for the innovative POWER PLAYS Festival, which launches on Friday 22 March at Blackpool’s newest theatre, The Old Electric.
Internationally acclaimed playwright Simon Stephens (Punk Rock, The Curious Incident of the Dog in The Night Time); renowned theatre maker and academic Dr Andy Smith (Citizens’ Assembly); award-winning playwright Nick Wood (Warrior Square, A Girl With A Book); literary manager, critic and dramaturg Dr Frank Peschier; National Theatre dramaturg Stewart Pringle, and top screenwriter and performance artist Krishna Isthna (Sex Education) are just a few of the illustrious industry names who will hold a whole host of workshops and talks at The Old Electric throughout a four-month long festival of artistic activity from April to July 2024.
The aim of The POWER PLAYS Writing Festival is to support new writing for the stage, explore original perspectives on the region, and establish The OE as Blackpool’s home of new writing and comprises 48 exciting events which will all connect with new writing. The literary festival line-up will also include visiting artist Q&As, thrilling new live productions, a pioneering primary schools programme, peer to peer projects and keynote masterclass sessions.
One such masterclass will be held by the multi award-winning playwright Simon Stephens who explained why he has chosen to be a part of this inspirational new festival. “I am excited to be part of a project so committed to supporting playwrights in Blackpool. It’s a place that has meant a lot to me and a place that has inspired me to write and if, even for a brief time, I can inspire writers, well that only seems right and proper.”
Fellow masterclass host and playwright Nick Wood, added: “The theatre, playwrights, and the arts in general, are going through a tough time at the moment and I think it’s great that this festival will give new, fresh, vital, regional voices a chance to be heard. I know we’re going to discover some very exciting writers.”
Dr Frank Peschier from internationally acclaimed theatre company Headlong is also a freelance dramaturg, critic and lecturer who is passionate about new writing, creative access and shaping brilliant experiences that bring people together. She said of her involvement with the festival: “I am so excited and honoured to be asked to be part of POWER PLAYS. The Old Electric is a creative hub and home for artists in the North West, and I can’t wait to read stories from all over, inspired by right here.”
The multi-layered engagement programme also includes a supported visit to Blastfest at the Dukes Theatre in Lancaster; a practical Wild Writing session exploring ways to start writing without being limited by expectations of form, or needing to finish; a Reimagining Gothic Horror workshop; opportunities for neurodivergent writers who want different techniques to create material; fascinating Artist Q+As; an interactive spoken word event; pre and post-show talks, plus a National Theatre supported Primary Schools programme with local Year 5 pupils who will see their words brought to life by professional actors onstage.
The project is supported by Arts Council England and a host of regional and national partners and will run throughout April, May, June and July at The Old Electric. There will also be a playwriting competition launched in May as part of the festival, which will invite writers to submit scripts showcasing themes that have resonance to Blackpool to a panel of professional readers, building to a performance of the winning script in July 2024 and a tour of the production in 2025.
The Old Electric Artistic Director, Melanie Whitehead, is the driving force behind this latest venture for Blackpool’s newest theatre. Melanie said of this new festival: “POWER PLAYS is the next stage in our journey for encouraging and supporting new talent and ties in perfectly with our ethos of Community, Creativity and Culture. To have rock stars of the literary world like Simon Stephens and Dr Andy Smith appearing, along with local creatives such as the one and only Scratch DJ Rob del Terror hosting an evening of performance poetry and Blackpool born and bred writer and actress Lauren-Nicole Mayes discussing her journey as an artist on the bill, is truly inspiring. POWER PLAYS is also about changing the narrative that is so often associated with Blackpool and looking at positive change and regeneration through new creative works and we hope to encourage and mentor a new generation of writers.”
The POWER PLAYS programme has also meant The Old Electric has been able to appoint a Festival Assistant Producer, Abi Hellam, and three-month Writer-in Residence, Martha Pailing. Blackpool born Martha is a writer, spoken word and performance artist whose writing often blends personal material with fictional characters to create absurd and tender narratives. She will be hosting a Conversation Drop In during the festival and inviting artists, non-artists, creative-all-the- timers and creative-some-of-the-timers to chat and explore our personal relationships with laughter.
She said: “The Old Electric is the home of alternative art that I wish would have existed 10 years ago – it represents much welcomed creative progression in Blackpool and brings together several art forms, takes creative risks and challenges the negative.”
We are offering an opportunity for young people aged 16-17 years to be part of our team to open and run our Tuck Shop for an hour on week-day evenings (Monday – Thursday).
The applicants will be responsible for serving a range of hot and cold drinks and light refreshments to our session-goers.
For more information about this position and how to apply, please download the PDF below.
At The Old Electric, we’re thrilled to kick off 2024 with a bang!
Join us this January for Jan-NEW-ary, a month-long celebration of creativity and self-discovery. From DJ workshops, to Burlesque for Body Positivity and ballet sessions, each session is designed to unlock your artistic potential in a welcoming and fun environment. You can find out what we have in our Jan-NEW-ary programme here.
But the excitement doesn’t stop there! We’re delighted to unveil our January to June 2024 programme, featuring an eclectic mix of workshops and performances. We’ve curated a diverse lineup that promises something special for everyone.
Check out our What’s On section for a comprehensive overview of our shows and participatory activities or have a look at our brochure guide here.
Stay in the loop as we continually introduce fresh performances and activities on our website, ones that you won’t find in the guide. Make it a habit to explore our website frequently so you don’t miss out.
We’re thrilled to announce the launch of our guide for Autumn 2023. This edition is brimming with an array of engaging activities and captivating performances that cater to all.
Delve into the complete rundown of our shows and participatory endeavors within the guide here, or head over to our what’s on section.
Stay in the loop as we continually introduce fresh performances and activities on our website, ones that you won’t find in the guide. Make it a habit to explore our website frequently so you don’t miss out.
To celebrate World Refill Day, The Old Electric is launching the first in its new range of merchandise. To help support The Old Electric and to join the refill revolution, you can pre-order your aluminium, branded water bottle for just £6 from Wednesday 16 to Wednesday 23 June.
All orders have to be collected from The Old Electric from the start of July. Stock is limited so don’t delay and click ‘add to basket’ below to buy yours this #worldrefillday.
Welcome to our new site covering all things happening inside The Old Electric.
We are grateful to everyone who has helped in so many different ways on our journey of transforming this empty, old nightclub into an exciting new creative hub full of possibilities for the future of Blackpool, not least National Lottery Community Fund who have made it possible through funding.
We feel sure that, in spite of everything that is difficult in the world at the moment, one day soon we will be able to open our doors fully to welcome you inside to take part in whatever may take your fancy – be that an immersive production, a self-guided tour, a professional artist networking event, as one of our volunteer crew or just for coffee, cake and a catch up!
We know that in order to recover and rebuild ourselves as individuals and as a town, we, the residents, need to drive the changes.
Here at TheOE, we feel certain that by continuing to form connections across our communities, offering opportunities to access the creativity that’s inside us all and providing a broad range of cultural experiences that enable us to reflect on our place in the world, we can grow stronger together.
Hopefully you will enjoy having a browse around our online presence and it might inspire you to sign up to try something new, to contact us with an idea you have, or to just pop-in when you see our doors open.
There’s a bright future ahead folks – watch this space and follow us on socials to ensure you don’t miss out on anything!
Melanie Whitehead Artistic Director, The Electric Sunshine Project
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
Christina Bradley
“Hi I’m Chrissie. I’ve been involved with The Old Electric since 2020 when we took over the building and called it our new home. I’ve also been part of The Electric Sunshine Project since 2016. I have learned new skills, been taken out of my comfort zone in our productions and have thrived in confidence. I’m also the Housekeeper of this magnificent building and take pride in maintaining her majestic beauty. I love to see our audiences enjoying our performances.”
Ruth Collinge
Hi, I’m Ruth and I have been part of the OE volunteer team since we took over the building in 2020. I’ve been a member of the Community Theatre since 2018/19 and I love being part of the OE and its fantastic work. I’ve had experiences and met people I couldn’t have done anywhere else!!
Luke Berryman
Hello I’m Luke and I have been with the Old Electric since 2020. I joined the community theatre group all the way back in 2016. I love the variety of shows we put on, and how we give voices to LGBTQ+ stories.
Lindsay Mullholland
Hi I’m Lindsay and I’ve volunteered for the Old Electric and been involved with the community theatre since before it opened. I’ve challenged myself, grown in confidence and made loads of new friends since joining. It’s a magical gem of a place.
Soozie Walmsley
“I’m Soozie and I’ve been involved with TESP and The Old Electric since we got the theatre in 2020. I love making people feel welcome to our special place and sharing the experiences and opportunities that this magical place offers.”
Anthony Dixon
“Hello! I’m Anthony and I’ve been volunteering since June 2024 and I love the variety, meeting people, and making their experiences as excellent as it can be.”
Liz Burley
“Hello there, I’m Liz. I moved to Blackpool in 2023 and have discovered a very special place: The Old Electric Theatre. A very warm, welcoming atmosphere. I love British Sign Language, and hope we can enhance diversity within the Deaf community. I started volunteering in October 2024.”
Jamie Foster
“Hi, my name is Jamie. I started volunteering in October; I have been a part of The Electric Sunshine Project since 2016 and have been in nearly all their performances since then. I love being part of the community theatre at The Old Electric – we are a great bunch of people.”
Jeanette Dervish
“My name is Jeanette and I have been involved with the Old Electric since 2022. When I heard about The OE I was very excited to hear that at last we had a community theatre in Blackpool. I love meeting new people especially from the arts and the creative world – and ushering for the plays means that I get to watch new plays and meet up and coming artists!”
Dominik Knight
“Hi, my names Dominik. I have been volunteering at The Old Electric since May 2024. I like meeting new people, enjoy helping out, and learning new things along the way.”
Imogen Cardwell
Hi, I’m Imogen. I found The Old Electric by chance in July 2024 when I was looking for opportunities to volunteer and be involved with the local arts scene. I’ve been blown away by how friendly and welcoming all the other volunteers are! It’s a very special place, and I’m so happy and grateful to be part of it.
In January 2025, Imogen joined the TESP Board of Directors too! https://theoldelectric.co.uk/about/
Frank P
Dr Frank Peschier is the literary manager of Headlong and a freelance dramaturg, critic and lecturer from South London, based in Liverpool. She currently oversees commissions and in house dramaturgy including forthcoming work from Cordelia Lynn, Winsome Pinnock, Joel Tan and James Graham. Previously she was New Works Associate at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatre where in 2021 she was highly commended for the Kenneth Tynan Dramaturgy Award, highlighting her ‘artistic leadership and passion in platforming and celebrating voices that are often left unheard’. She writes about theatre for publications including Exeunt and The Stage, and has taught performance theory and contextual studies for BA and MA programmes at LIPA, Liverpool Hope, AUB and UAL. She is passionate about new writing, creative access and shaping brilliant experiences that bring people together. She is equally passionate about books, aerial arts and a seriously good vodka martini.
www.frankpeschier.co.uk @FrankPeschier
Melanie Whitehead
Since graduating from Goldsmith’s College, University of London, with a BA (Hons) in English and Theatre Studies, Melanie has worked with young people in a diverse range of fields including for 8.5 years at the Royal Shakespeare Company and 4-years at the National Theatre for whom she oversaw regional learning partnerships for both War Horse and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time. She has been an Educational Consultant for Touring Consortium Theatre Company, produced and directed Blackpool Grand Theatre’s first NT Connections Young Company projects and managed participation projects for NW organisations such as The Lowry, LeftCoast, Tameside Borough Council and Fleetwood Festival of Transport.
She has a Masters in Applied Theatre and Post Graduate Certificate in the Teaching of Shakespeare as well as a Chartered Institute of Marketing Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing. She has also been on the Board of Directors previously for Geese Theatre and the dukes, Lancaster.
In April 2013, she bought a derelict warehouse in Blackpool to turn into a family home and it was here that she used on street and desk based research to found The Electric Sunshine Project cic, a company inspired by the town’s historical connections to enterprising showcasing of creativity via the illuminations. In 2019/20 she led the organisation to taking it’s first home in The Old Electric through an ambitious Lottery Communities funding bid.
Nick Wood
Nick was an actor and then a teacher. He left teaching when he got his first commission from Nottingham Playhouse. He has written over 30 plays, including: WARRIOR SQUARE, NO PLANET B, A DREAM OF WHITE HORSES, ABOUT A BAND, A GIRL WITH A BOOK, and MIA. He has been commissioned by, amongst others, Radio 4, Eastern Angles, Derby Theatre, RSC, Theatre Solo, Crucible Theatre. For several years he was an RSC Education Associate Practitioner – writer on six regional tour community projects, worked in schools, led teachers’ Insets, and was a member of the team for the Davidson College RSC residency in North Carolina. He’s a member of Equity and on the Theatre Committee of the Writers’ Guild.
Frank Peschier
Dr Frank Peschier is the literary manager of Headlong and a freelance dramaturg, critic and lecturer from South London, based in Liverpool. She currently oversees commissions and in house dramaturgy including forthcoming work from Cordelia Lynn, Winsome Pinnock, Joel Tan and James Graham. Previously she was New Works Associate at the Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse Theatre where in 2021 she was highly commended for the Kenneth Tynan Dramaturgy Award, highlighting her ‘artistic leadership and passion in platforming and celebrating voices that are often left unheard’. She writes about theatre for publications including Exeunt and The Stage, and has taught performance theory and contextual studies for BA and MA programmes at LIPA, Liverpool Hope, AUB and UAL. She is passionate about new writing, creative access and shaping brilliant experiences that bring people together. She is equally passionate about books, aerial arts and a seriously good vodka martini. www.frankpeschier.co.uk @FrankPeschier
Iskandar إسكندر R. Sharazuddin
Iskandar إسكندر R. Sharazuddin it is a British-Bruneian theatre artist. He is an Associate at Headlong Theatre and the Joint Artistic Director of Ellandar Productions, a British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) theatre company producing new writing and work by and about a BESEA lived experience. An award-winning writer, he received the Tony Craze Playwriting Award from Soho Theatre and has been long-listed for the Bruntwood Playwriting Prize and shortlisted for the Off West End Adopt a Playwright. https://www.headlong.co.uk/iskandar-r-sharazuddin
Martha Pailing
Martha Pailing is a writer, spoken word and performance artist. Her writing often blends personal material with fictional characters to create absurd and tender narratives. Website – https://www.marthapailing.com
