Chorley Theatre

Chorley Theatre is a volunteer-run community theatre in Chorley, Lancashire. It stands on Dole Lane, next to the town’s market. The building began life as a cinema in 1910 and still shows films today. CADOS, the local amateur society, runs the theatre and stages drama, comedy, pantomime and youth shows. The theatre also hosts touring musicians and comedians throughout the year. The theatre has a long history of innovation. In the 1950s it was among the first places in the region to screen 3D films. CADOS bought the building in 1960 and turned it into a community theatre. A major restoration in 2010 added new dressing rooms, a green room and a larger bar. In 2021 the theatre opened the Studio, a 100-seat space in the old Indian restaurant next door. Inside, the main auditorium has plush seats and decorative details from the 1910 cinema. The rear entrance on Dole Lane still carries the word EMPIRE above its stone façade. The Studio next door provides an intimate setting for smaller performances. The building remains a lively arts hub, with six major shows a year and regular film screenings.