The Barn Studio Theatre Open Weekend

The Barn Studio Theatre is opening its doors for an open weekend on 27 and 28 June, and the whole thing is built around the centenary of the Portsmouth Players. They're the oldest theatre company in the city, founded back in 1926, so this is a proper hundred-year milestone. Their debut production was The Gondoliers in 1927, and since then they've worked their way through a mix of classics and contemporary musicals across the Kings Theatre, the Theatre Royal, and their own studio here at The Barn in Milton Park.

Over the two days, the theatre becomes a bit of a hub for anyone with an interest in how things work behind the scenes. There are interactive costume exhibitions from past and future productions, a look through the group's century-old archive, and performances running throughout the weekend. You'll also get to meet the members of the Portsmouth Players themselves, so if you've ever wondered who's actually behind the curtain, this is the time to find out.

For those who want to get stuck in, there's a series of workshops led by industry professionals. Saturday 27 June has a Musical Theatre Dance Workshop for ages 13+ from 11am to 1pm, followed by a Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat Dance Workshop for children from 2pm to 4pm, both starting at £7.50 per person. Sunday 28 June shifts to the adults: Auditioning is a Science runs from 10am to 12pm and is led by West End and Broadway performer Tim Quinlan, and Reimagining One Day More! runs from 1.30pm to 3.30pm, a workshop focused on the big number from Les Misérables. Both of Sunday's sessions are free.

The weekend is open to everyone — theatre fans, families with kids for the dance workshops, and aspiring performers for the audition and dance sessions. General admission is free, with only the specific workshops costing extra. It's all at The Barn Studio Theatre in Milton Park, Portsmouth, on Saturday 27 and Sunday 28 June.