The Broadway Theatre, New 400-Seat Venue, Will Open in Letchworth Garden City

Olivier award-winning Sue Scott Davison, producer of The Railway Children, has been appointed Creative Programmer of a new 400 seat theatre in Letchworth Garden City, only half an hour from London. Construction on the Broadway Theatre, to be built as an extension of the art deco Broadway Cinema, will begin on Monday 22 February, and is due to complete in the autumn, ahead of a Gala opening in the autumn.

Sue will spearhead the creative side of a major investment in the arts by Letchworth Garden City Heritage Foundation, who are using the revenue from their unique Garden City legacy to make the town a major centre for the Arts. Sue, who lives in Letchworth, will create a diverse programme of theatre, comedy, music and dance for the Broadway Theatre, launching in early 2017, as well as overseeing the Broadway Studio, with further details to be announced later this year.

Sue said: "The opening of any new theatre is exciting, but to do so in such a beautiful, community-minded building is a tremendous opportunity. The challenge with every new space is how to develop an audience, but the success of the live screenings at the Broadway Cinema has proven that there is a desire for good, quality performance on which to build.

"To be charged with providing the town and the area around with a diverse schedule of theatre, comedy, music and dance is daunting, but as this will be the first fully-programmed, professional theatre space in the area, the advantages are considerable. Offering a new, small to mid-scale space to touring companies, performers and musicians, and so close to London, will help in securing the best."

Plans for a new theatre follow the success of live screenings of National Theatre and Royal Opera House productions, which have proved hugely popular at Broadway Cinema and regularly sell-out in all four screens. The cinema has been top for several live screenings, selling a record number of tickets for events including the Royal Ballet's The Nutcracker.