Rugby Theatre

Rugby Theatre stands in Henry Street, right in the heart of Rugby, Warwickshire. It occupies a building that first opened as The Empire cinema in 1913 with 550 seats. The cinema became The Scala in 1923 before closing in 1946. The Rugby Amateur Theatre Society formed that same year and took over the building. They converted it into a theatre and reopened it in 1949. Among the society’s founders was Harry Pigott-Smith, whose son Tim Pigott-Smith later became a well-known actor. The theatre remains an amateur venue run by a society with over 500 members. Its main auditorium seats 270 people and hosts up to twelve live shows each year. The programme includes classical drama, musicals, and musical entertainments. It also shows up to twenty films annually in its small cinema. The society belongs to several national bodies, including the Little Theatre Guild of Great Britain. Visitors find a traditional theatre with a single auditorium and a small cinema space. The interior reflects its cinema origins but now serves live performance. The society organises regular rehearsals and performances throughout the year. Its location in the town centre makes it easy to reach. The building carries the history of Rugby’s cultural life since the early 20th century.