Blackpool Grand Theatre is probably the oldest and best-known theatre in the town of Blackpool, England. It has been suggested that Drama (art form) be merged into this article or section. ... Blackpool is a seaside town in north-western England. ... Motto: (French for God and my right) Anthem: Multiple unofficial anthems Capital London Largest city London Official language(s) English Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair MP Unification    - by Athelstan 927  Area    - Total 130,395 km² (1st in UK)   50,346 sq mi   - Water (%) Population...

History

The Grand was designed by the famous Victorian theatre architect Frank Matcham and was opened in 1894 after a construction period of about nine months. The project was conceived and financed by local theatre manager Thomas Sergenson who had been using the site of the Grand for several years to stage a circus. Sergenson's successful directorship of the theatre ended in 1909 when he sold the operation to the Blackpool Tower Company for a considerable profit. Frank Matcham, a famous theatrical architect who designed Buxton Opera House in 1903. ... 1894 (MDCCCXCIV) was a common year starting on Monday (see link for calendar). ... 1909 (MCMIX) was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Blackpool Tower The Blackpool Tower is a tourist attraction in the town of Blackpool, Lancashire, in the north of England (Grid reference SD306360). ...

The success of the Grand continued through the First World War and on until the 1930s. The theatre now faced stiff competition from the newly introduced talking movies and the building was operated as a cinema outside the tourist season (ie, during the winter). This practice continued until 1938 when the nearby Opera House was constructed. Ypres, 1917, in the vicinity of the Battle of Passchendaele. ... This article or section is missing references or citation of sources. ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

The Grand was able to stay open during the Second World War but the post-war rise in the popularity of television was probably the cause of the theatre's dwindling popularity toward the 1960s. Incredibly, plans were filed for the demolition of the historic site in 1972 but the Grand's status as a Grade II* listed building prevented this from taking place. An agreement was reached with the Grand's owners, EMI, that a refurbishment of the the now-unused building would take place if it could be used as a bingo hall. After three years of this use, a group called the Friends of the Grand with the support of Blackpool Borough Council negotiated to lease and eventually buy the theatre back from EMI over a period of a few years. The purchase was complete by 1 October 1980 and a refurbishment, achieved partly through voluntary effort, was begun. Finally, on 23 March 1981 the Grand re-opened as a theatre once again to stage an Old Vic performance of Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice featuring the distinguished British actors Timothy West and Prunella Scales. The theatre's return was further confirmed in May of the same year when a Royal Variety Performance was staged in the presence of Prince Charles, Prince of Wales. Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... The 1960s decade refers to the years from 1960 to 1969, inclusive. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... The EMI Group is a major record label, based in Kensington in London, in the United Kingdom. ... Bingo Bingo is a game of chance where randomly-selected numbers are drawn and players match those numbers to those appearing on 5x5 matrices which are printed or electronically represented and are known as cards. ... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1980 (MCMLXXX) was a leap year starting on Tuesday. ... March 23 is the 82nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (83rd in Leap years). ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The exterior of the Old Vic. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Timothy West CBE (born October 20, 1934) is a British film, stage and television actor. ... Prunella Scales CBE (born June 22, 1932) is an English actor best known for her role as Sybil Fawlty in the British sitcom Fawlty Towers. ... Prince Charles may refer to: Prince Charles, Prince of Wales, current heir-apparent to the British throne Any of the previous British royals named Charles, Prince of Wales The former Belgian regent, Prince Charles of Belgium This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might... The Prince of Wales Feathers. This Heraldic badge of the Heir Apparent is derived from the ostrich feathers borne by Edward, the Black Prince. ...

Current status

Since the early 1980s, the popularity of the theatre has increased and the Grand's future seems secure. The theatre saw its centenary in 1994 and a restoration project was begun in the 1990s that is expected to be complete in 2007 after fifteen years of work and about £3million of investment. The 1980s decade refers to the years from 1980 to 1989, inclusive, informally sometimes including the years 1979, 1990 and 1991. ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal. // Events January Bill Clinton January 1 : North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) goes into effect. ... See also 1990s, the band The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive, sometimes informally including popular culture from 2000 and 2001. ... 2007 (MMVII) will be a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• The Grand Theatre, Blackpool - the Grand Theatre's official website.