The Hazlitt Theatre is the main

theatre Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors or actresses, to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The perform ...

Maidstone Maidstone is the largest Town status in the United Kingdom, town in Kent, England, of which it is the county town. Maidstone is historically important and lies 32 miles (51 km) east-south-east of London. The River Medway runs through the c ...

Kent Kent is a county in South East England and one of the home counties. It borders Greater London to the north-west, Surrey to the west and East Sussex to the south-west, and Essex to the north across the estuary of the River Thames; it faces ...

. It was named after

William Hazlitt William Hazlitt (10 April 177818 September 1830) was an English essayist, drama and literary critic, painter, social commentator, and philosopher. He is now considered one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English lan ...

, the famous essayist, who was born in Maidstone in 1778. It opened in 1955. It presents a varied programme of professional drama, comedy, music etc. as well as local community theatre groups. This traditional proscenium arch theatre seats 353. The sister venue, The Exchange, is a multi-purpose venue suiting a variety of events from theatre or dancing to conferences.

Hazlitt Youth Theatre

The Hazlitt Theatre is home to the Hazlitt Youth Theatre (HYT), who have performed a string of hit shows including plays, musicals, new writing, partnership projects, touring shows and a whole lot more! HYT provides opportunities for young people aged between 6 and 18 to put on productions, and to go and see professional plays. Being in a theatre such as The Hazlitt allows members to gain experience of all areas of theatre, and many members go on to study theatre-related courses at universities around the country. Some of the Youth Theatre's recent productions were ''

The Baker's Wife ''The Baker's Wife'' is a musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and the book by Joseph Stein, based on the 1938 French film of the same name by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono. The musical premiered in the West End in 1989 for a short ...

'' the musical by

Stephen Schwartz Stephen Lawrence Schwartz (born March 6, 1948) is an American musical theatre lyricist and composer. In a career spanning over five decades, Schwartz has written such hit musicals as ''Godspell'' (1971), ''Pippin'' (1972), and ''Wicked'' (20 ...

and

Joseph Stein Joseph Stein (May 30, 1912 – October 24, 2010) was an American playwright best known for writing the books for such musicals as ''Fiddler on the Roof'' and '' Zorba''. Biography Born in New York City to Jewish parents, Charles and Emma ...

and 'The Lost Christmas' by Lawrence Mark Whyte. All their productions are well received by the audiences. The most recent musical performed by the Hazlitt Youth Theatre was 'Our House' in October 2013, and a performance of 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' at Christmas of that year. These were again well received by the audience. The Hazlitt Youth Theatre also write new plays which include - 'House of Horrors' 2011 a play that combined urban legends and ghost stories. Another piece called 'Intense' 2011, a comedy about a group of young people trapped inside three tents due to an alien invasion.

Regular Performers

* The Marlin School Of Dance * Prima Stage School of Performing Arts *Stage Theatre Society * Maidstone Operatics * Hilton Hall Dance Academy * Willington Players * European Arts Company *Maidstone Scout Gang Show *The Amanda Jayne Stage School

Other Maidstone theatres

Other theatres in Maidstone include: * The Exchange Studio (previously known as ''The Corn Exchange'') * The Fourth Wall * Whatman Park Riverstage * Hermitage Millennium Amphitheatre

References

External links

Hazlitt Arts Centre
{{coord, 51.274, 0.521, display=title, region:GB, format=dms Theatres in Kent William Hazlitt Buildings and structures in Maidstone 1955 establishments in England Maidstone Borough Council