Thank you for your interest in working at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

About Theatre Royal

Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds works to transform the lives of people in its local community through the power of the performing arts. We believe everyone, at all stages of their lives, regardless of background or personal circumstance, should have equal opportunity to engage in extraordinary cultural experiences.

Theatre Royal is a vibrant 200-year-old theatre located in the beautiful Suffolk town of Bury St Edmunds. First built in 1819, it was restored to its original regency design in 2007 and as a Grade 1 listed building, is the only theatre in the National Trust portfolio and is considered to be one of the cultural sector’s ‘crown jewels’. As the last working Regency playhouse in the country, it offers visitors a unique and unforgettable theatrical experience.

A major cultural and social asset and a key part of West Suffolk’s culture, heritage and tourism offer, we serve a population of 370,000. We are the only theatre in West Suffolk that both receives and produces high-quality theatre, reaching 80,000 audience members each year.  We pride ourselves on the quality and innovation of our in-house productions, with recent successes including A Christmas Carol, Home, I’m Darling, and The Secret Garden.  Our eclectic programme is carefully curated to ensure we have something for everyone, whether it’s cutting-edge contemporary theatre, traditional drama, dance, comedy, music spanning genres from classical to pop, or award-winning productions for children and young people. Over 20,000 people attend our renowned annual family pantomime each year.

We pride ourselves on putting our community at the heart of everything we do. Our performing arts programme is augmented by a wide-reaching & diverse Creative Learning offer which engages targeted community groups through bespoke partnerships. Our ambition is to further embed the voice of our community within all aspects of our offer, ensuring that our cultural & education programmes are designed with, by and for the people of West Suffolk.

The theatre employs a paid staff of 25 alongside a wider team of casual staff and is supported by a dedicated team of approximately 140 volunteers.  It is overseen by a highly skilled non-executive board of trustees.  There is a Patron’s Scheme and a thriving Friends scheme numbering over 600 members.  The theatre receives core funding from West Suffolk Council and Suffolk County Council and also enjoys strong support from the local business community.

Our Vision, Mission & Values

Our vision is to bring the Theatre Royal into the heart of our residents. Our mission is to shape, produce and showcase high-quality, diverse theatre and participation activities that reach all corners of our community. Our values are:

• Expansive: we work beyond the walls of our 19th-century building
• Inclusive: we are open to all, both on and off stage
• Transformative: we transform the lives of our community through work that is unexpected, high-quality, entertaining and thought-provoking
• Collaborative: we work in partnership, learn from others and share the knowledge and expertise we have
• Resilient: we are steadfast in our approach to strong governance, operational leadership and financial acumen