The Playhouse you know today was born directly out of Leeds Playhouse – a repertory theatre that started its Portakabin existence in what was always meant to be a temporary home under Artistic Director Bill Hays, with John Harrison taking over in 1972.

Leeds Playhouse is a vital theatre. They are a creative hub for the city and beyond, a place where people and communities come to tell and share stories; to experience world-class theatre that is pioneering, invigorating and relevant. Leeds Playhouse is dedicated collaborators seeking out the best companies and individual artists locally, nationally, and internationally to create inspirational theatre here in Leeds at the heart of Yorkshire.

The Playhouse develop work with established practitioners and find new voices that we believe should be heard, providing a creative space for new writers, emerging companies, and individual theatre artists. We make work with national and international ambitions yet we’re locally rooted and our distinctiveness is informed by where we are from.