Days Out NI
Theatre & gallery Donaghmore

Bardic Theatre

A 220-seat community theatre in Mid Ulster with panto, musicals and a kids' theatre school.

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Check what’s onOpen for booked performances; check curre…
TicketedBook ahead
DonaghmoreTheatre & gallery
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5 hoursHow long
TicketedAdmission
All agesBest for
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FreeParking

Bardic Theatre — A 220-seat community theatre in Mid Ulster with panto, musicals and a kids' theatre school.

  • Admission: Ticketed theatre, not a free gallery; you book seats for each show.
  • Tickets: Book online at bardictheatre.com or by phone; prices vary by show, so check their listings.
  • For families: Christmas pantomime, musicals and family shows, plus a theatre school with weekly drama, music and dance classes from primary-school age to 25+.
  • Opening: Open for booked performances; check current listings for show dates and times.
  • Café: No cafe info confirmed; eateries such as The Brewers House and Ranfurly House are minutes away.
  • Best for: Primary-age children upward for family shows and panto; theatre school from primary-school age.
Plan your visit

What families see and do here

Across the year the Bardic stages musicals, drama, Shakespeare and plays by Irish writers, plus a pantomime at Christmas that is the big family fixture. Past productions run from Oliver! and Blood Brothers to West Side Story, so musical theatre is a regular thread for older kids and teens. The theatre school, Bardic Showstoppers, runs weekly drama, music and dance classes from primary-school age up to 25-plus, building confidence as much as stage skills. If your child catches the bug after a show, this is a place they can keep coming back to. Check the Bardic's own listings to see what is on and which shows suit your family's ages.

Ticketed shows 220-seat venue Panto at Christmas Kids' theatre school Free parking Book ahead
Good to know before you go:

Venues like the Bardic run year-round seasons of theatre, musicals and drama, with a pantomime at Christmas and theatre-school showcases through the year. Programming changes regularly, so check their own listings for dates and prices.

Before you set off

What to bring

  • 🎟️Your bookingShows and big exhibitions sell out — book ahead where you can.
  • 💷A bit of pocket moneyFor the café, the shop or a show programme.
  • 🧒An eye on the age guidanceSome shows and galleries suit certain ages best — check first.
  • 📱The what’s-on pageThe programme changes all the time — see what is on the day you go.
Good to know

Everything before you go

Admission
Ticketed theatre, not a free gallery; you book seats for each show
Tickets
Book online at bardictheatre.com or by phone; prices vary by show, so check their listings
Family programming
Christmas pantomime, musicals and family shows, plus a theatre school with weekly drama, music and dance classes from primary-school age to 25+
Best for ages
Primary-age children upward for family shows and panto; theatre school from primary-school age
Opening
Open for booked performances; check current listings for show dates and times
Cafe
No cafe info confirmed; eateries such as The Brewers House and Ranfurly House are minutes away
Toilets
Toilets on site at the Torrent Complex
Parking
Free parking on site at the Torrent Complex
Accessibility
Ground-floor community venue; contact the theatre directly to confirm wheelchair access and seating
How long to allow
A typical show runs around 2 to 2.5 hours including an interval
Address
The Torrent Complex, 9 Hillview Avenue, Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, BT70 3DL
Questions

Before you go

Is it free to get in?
Ticketed theatre, not a free gallery; you book seats for each show
How do I get tickets?
Book online at bardictheatre.com or by phone; prices vary by show, so check their listings
Is there anything for kids?
Christmas pantomime, musicals and family shows, plus a theatre school with weekly drama, music and dance classes from primary-school age to 25+
When is it open?
Open for booked performances; check current listings for show dates and times
Is there a café?
No cafe info confirmed; eateries such as The Brewers House and Ranfurly House are minutes away
Getting there

Bardic Theatre is at The Torrent Complex, 9 Hillview Avenue, Donaghmore, Co. Tyrone, BT70 3DL. Free parking on site at the Torrent Complex. Tap below for directions.

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The story

About the venue

The Bardic Theatre has been a fixture of community theatre in Mid Ulster for around 40 years, growing from a first production of Oliver! into a venue that has reached almost 25,000 members and patrons. It is a registered charity and social enterprise based in the Torrent Complex in Donaghmore, run as an intergenerational community hub where everyone from pre-schoolers to veterans of the stage has a part to play.

Its productions have nurtured a string of well-known names, including Les Misérables star Fra Fee, actor and writer Conor Grimes, and presenters and producers who began on the Bardic stage. In 2016/17 the company won an international award at the Martin McDonagh International Festival in Russia for its production of The Lonesome West.

Alongside the main programme, the Bardic runs its Showstoppers theatre school and dance school, offering training in performance and technical production for all ages and feeding the next generation of the Bardic community.