Visit the Audition page to discover upcoming auditions and what they entail.  Keep an eye on the front page of our website and our Facebook group and page to see audition notices when they’re posted.

We are always happy to hear from anyone willing to lend a hand backstage, working behind the bar, on front of house, selling ice cream or working in a technical discipline, e.g. lighting or sound design. Volunteers with practical ideas for fundraising or marketing would also be welcome. If you’re interested, see our Volunteer page or come along to a social night, where you can ask any member of the executive committee and they will show you around, take your details and discuss how you can get involved.

Our theatre patron, David Parfitt (currently chairman of BAFTA – the British Academy of Film and Television Arts), spent his early years in Sunderland and, along with his family, saw many Royalty productions. Still, David never actually appeared on our stage. Several of our members have worked in the professional theatre, both in the north east and elsewhere, and some have also worked on film or TV productions. Former member Laura Elphinstone appeared in the 2008 BBC production of ‘Tess of the d’Urbervilles’. Laura also took a lead role in ‘Pains of Youth’ at the Royal National Theatre (2010).

And the 2010 tour of Alan Bennett’s ‘The History Boys’, which included a week-long run at the Theatre Royal, Newcastle, featured in the cast ex-Royalty member Beruce Khan, who appeared in several shows for us from 2000-2005, including ‘Wyrd Sisters’, ‘Dry Rot’ and ‘An Experiment with an Air Pump’

In recent years, the most familiar face to have been on our stage is probably James Baxter (Jake Doland in ‘Emmerdale’); James appeared in two Royalty pantos before embarking on a professional career.

Each year, a small number of members volunteer to become the play selection committee. Along with the artistic director and with input from our pool of directors, they spend several months reading and considering various scripts before coming up with a final list of plays and a pantomime to form the season. The main factors to be considered include a play’s likely audience appeal, its artistic merit and whether it can be successfully staged and cast.

The committee also considers any suggestions for productions in the studio Theatre (60-seat capacity), which are in addition to the plays performed on the main stage.

Anyone interested in joining the youth theatre should go to the Youth Academy page. Please call our Youth Academy Principal Corinne Kilvington on the number listed on the page. Corinne will be able to answer any further questions.

To find volunteers to act in short student films, please join our Facebook group and post there.

We appreciate people’s generosity; however, we do not require any more costumes or props as we have no more space to store them.

We are unable to hire costumes or props to anyone.

If you are interested in hiring the theatre, don’t hesitate to get in touch with hiresrt@gmail.com.

We are an amateur theatre run entirely by volunteers; therefore, we do not have any paid staff. We are not in a position to support anyone seeking paid employment or work experience. However, we are very keen to hear from anyone wishing to gain experience on a regular voluntary basis. We are particularly interested in anyone with lighting and sound skills.