Sunderland Empire
Vesta Tilley laid the foundation stone of what is now the Sunderland Empire on 29 September 1906 and took to the stage on 1 July 1907 to officially declare the theatre open.
Masterminded by two of the contemporary heads of British theatre, Edward Moss and Oswald Stoll, the Sunderland Empire theatre has undergone many changes since it opened but remains the North East’s premier entertainment venue.
Sunderland Empire exclusives
Sunderland Empire Academy of Performing Arts
Events
Sun 25 May - Sun 13 Jul 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £87.50
The Sunderland Story
Plays
Tue 27 May - Sat 31 May 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Scandal at the Stage Door: A 1920s Murder Mystery Evening
Events
Fri 6 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £35
Stage Door Academy presents This Is Us
Events
Sat 7 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £30+ £3.95 transaction fee
Sunderland Schools Dance Festival 2025
Events
Thu 12 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £12.50+ £2.25 transaction fee
Dance Schools of Sunderland Festival 2025
Events
Thu 12 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £12.50+ £2.25 transaction fee
Katherine Ryan: Battleaxe
Comedy
Sat 14 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £32.96+ £3.95 transaction fee
Hamilton
Musicals
Tue 17 Jun - Sat 26 Jul 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.80 transaction fee
Dance Fit
Events
Wed 25 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £20
Thursday Movers
Events
Thu 26 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £24
Friday Movers
Events
Fri 27 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £24
Community Chorus
Events
Fri 27 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £24
Connect Theatre Company
Events
Mon 30 Jun 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £100
Bright Minds Youth Theatre
Events
Mon 7 Jul 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £30
Derren Brown: Only Human
Events
Tue 29 Jul - Sat 2 Aug 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £22.50+ £3.95 transaction fee
Chicago
Musicals
Mon 4 Aug - Sat 9 Aug 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Creative Learning Presents: Summer School 2025
Events
Mon 11 Aug 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £120
Bat Out Of Hell
Musicals
Mon 18 Aug - Sat 23 Aug 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Public Venue Tour
Events
Sat 23 Aug - Sat 27 Sep 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £8.50
The Illegal Eagles
Concert
Mon 1 Sep 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £28.75+ £3.95 transaction fee
80s Live
Concert
Thu 4 Sep 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £18+ £3.95 transaction fee
The Music of Fleetwood Mac by Candlelight
Concert
Sat 6 Sep 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £20.50+ £3.95 transaction fee
Strange but True Crime with Jennifer Rees
Events
Sun 7 Sep 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £24.50+ £3.95 transaction fee
2:22 A Ghost Story
Plays
Mon 8 Sep - Sat 13 Sep 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Inside No. 9 Stage/Fright
Plays
Tue 16 Sep - Sat 20 Sep 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
FRIENDS! The Musical Parody
Musicals
Tue 23 Sep - Sat 27 Sep 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Mary Poppins
Musicals
Wed 1 Oct - Sat 25 Oct 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Hallo-wine Party
Events
Tue 28 Oct 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £25.21+ £3.95 transaction fee
Astravaganza Entertainment presents Nativity! The Musical
Events
Fri 31 Oct - Sat 1 Nov 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Sunny Afternoon
Musicals
Tue 4 Nov - Sat 8 Nov 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Queen of the Night - A Tribute to Whitney Houston
Concert
Sun 9 Nov 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £27.23+ £3.95 transaction fee
The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe
Family
Tue 11 Nov - Sat 15 Nov 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Top Hat
Musicals
Tue 18 Nov - Sat 22 Nov 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Fiddler on the Roof
Musicals
Tue 25 Nov - Sat 29 Nov 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Kinky Boots
Musicals
Tue 2 Dec - Sat 6 Dec 2025
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Sleeping Beauty (Pantomime)
Pantomime
Fri 12 Dec 2025 - Sun 4 Jan 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Sleeping Beauty (Pantomime) - Relaxed Performance
Pantomime
Fri 2 Jan 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
The Night Sky Show
Events
Sat 10 Jan 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £25+ £3.95 transaction fee
Fawlty Towers - The Play
Plays
Tue 3 Feb - Sat 7 Feb 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £20+ £3.95 transaction fee
Matilda The Musical
Musicals
Wed 11 Feb - Sat 28 Feb 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Bluey's Big Play
Family
Wed 25 Mar - Sun 29 Mar 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £18.70+ £3.95 transaction fee
The Bodyguard
Musicals
Mon 27 Apr - Sat 2 May 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee
Lord of the Dance: 30th Anniversary
Dance
Wed 9 Sep - Sat 12 Sep 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £16.62+ £3.95 transaction fee
Legally Blonde
Musicals
Tue 1 Dec - Sat 5 Dec 2026
Sunderland Empire
From £15+ £3.95 transaction fee