Family Shows in Dartford, Kent. The Orchard Theatre.

The Orchard Theatre, Home Gardens

Dartford, Kent, DA1 1ED.

Box Office Tel No: 01322 220000

Email: ticketoffice@orchardtheatre.co.uk

Web Address: www.orchardtheatre.co.uk

What’s on at The Orchard Theatre for Families?

Children and Family Shows in Kent.

If you are looking for shows and theatre suitable for your family and you are near Dartford, then Things for kids in Kent cannot recommend The Orchard Theatre highly enough.

Family shows that The Orchard Theatre offer range from CBeebies type shows on tour, like Mister Maker, Ben & Holly, In The Night Garden, they offer family days, Christmas Family Raves, Annual Pantomimes, Julia Donaldson tours like Stick Man, Room on the Broom, The Gruffalo and for the older children shows like The Worst Witch, musicals such as Mama Mia, Hairspray and so, so much more!

What else does The Orchard Theatre offer for Families?

What many people don’t realise is that The Orchard Theatre also offers many other services for children and families, which include:

Seedlings: Weekly parent and toddler drama sessions with play, story time, movement, songs and music, suitable for under’s 4’s

Orchard Theatre Drama: Drama classes offers young people the opportunity to learn and develop new skills! Sessions are designed to be fun and lively, and help build confidence through imagination and creativity. Suitable for aged 8 - 18 years old.

Summer Youth Project: The Summer Youth Project is open to all young people between 9 and 19 years old and offers great opportunities for young performers to tread the boards where some of the biggest stars in show business have performed! Auditions take place in the Spring and the project takes place in the month of August. There are opportunities to perform and take on backstage roles too.

Young Writers: The Young Writers visit the theatre throughout the year attending a variety of shows. They receive two tickets to selected shows and in return compose a review of 200 words. The reviews appear on their website, to be read and enjoyed by every Orchard Theatre website visitor, on their social media outlets and shared by the company of the reviewed show.

Pre-Show Dining Available at The Orchard Theatre.

If you like to include a meal when you go to see a show, The Orchard Theatre has an in house dining experience available to add to your date. The Restaurant's seasonal menu offers a range of delicious, unique and memorable dishes, using the freshest local produce and prepared daily by their Head Chef.

The restaurants offers a ‘Little Stars’ children’s meal deals, which includes a drink and have options from Chicken nuggets, to burger meals and vegetarian pasta or jacket Potatoes to choose from for just £7.50!

Pre-dining is bookable via The Orchard Theatre’s website (link above & below). The restaurant is situated just a few footsteps away from the main auditorium and is open two and a half hours before the performance is due to start.

Accessibility.

The Orchard Theatre Has a stunning auditorium and is very accessible to its audience. Although there is no lift in the theatre, there are allocated disabled parking available and can be pre-booked by telephone.

If requested on booking, for any disabled parking spaces, The Orchard Theatre can send you a token and permit for free parking. There is wheelchair/level access to the stalls, lower bar/café and disabled toilets, via a ramp to the right of the main entrance. The staff at the lower café/bar will gladly assist those patrons who have difficulty directly accessing their Ticket Office. All of our stairs have handrails except those in the auditorium.

There is a disabled toilet available and is accessed and operated by a radar key.

Suitable Shows For Children with Autism.

Relaxed Performances.

Designed to welcome into the theatre people with special needs (including Autistic Spectrum Conditions and/or learning disabilities) and, crucially, their families, this relaxed performance aims to give those who otherwise might feel excluded the chance to experience the magic of live theatre.

Those needs are accounted for with a more relaxed atmosphere, including the acceptance of noise from audience members. The lights may be left up, auditorium doors left open and audience members are able to come and go as they please throughout the show. Some of the loud and bright elements will be reduced and strobe lighting and pyrotechnics will be removed.

Visual Story.

The Orchard Theatre brings Visual Story, which has helped numerous children and adults who experience Autistic spectrum disorders. It breaks down the experience of visiting the theatre into small steps using words and pictures.

For much more information about accessibility to and around The Orchard Theatre and also the shows available for children with Autism please click on this link.

The fabulous family shows on offer at The Orchard Theatre change all the time. If you would like more information, or you would like to contact them for any reason, you can use their website and social media links below, or use the contact details above.

Please remember to mention Things for kids in Kent!

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