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Twitter is only as useful as the people you follow. Here are 100 theatre people to follow on Twitter so that you know what’s going on and keep you up to date. You’ll be surprised the number of people who follow you back, engaging in conversation with you. Remember to retweet and @reply to be active in your online community

Update: Thank you for all of the feedback on who to include in the list. Harnessing the power of other people’s Twitter lists and suggestions you made the list of 100 has now swelled to 129. Enjoy.

London Theatres

Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

1. @NationalTheatre The National Theatre on the Southbank, with six or seven productions in repertory at any one time.
2. @OldVicTheatre Led by Artistic Director Kevin Spacy. Original home of the National Theatre company.
3. @NTLive The National Theatre’s initiative to broadcast live theatre to cinemas.
4. @TheRSC The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) based in Stratford-upon-Avon but perform worldwide.
5. @RoyalOperaHouse Home of The Royal Opera, The Royal Ballet and the Orchestra of the Royal Opera House.
6. @Sadlers_Wells London’s venue dedicated to international dance – presenting dance in all forms.
7. @DonmarWarehouse A small not-for-profit theatre in the Covent Garden with a world wide reputation and regular West End season.
8. @LyricHammer One of London’s most successful off-West End venues. Launched Spring Awakening into the West End last year.
9. @SouthbankCentre 21 acres of creative space along the Thames including Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Hayward Gallery.
10. @The_Globe Built as a replica of an open air Tudor theatre. Performances take place in the open air. Theatre with a thatched roof.
11. @Battersea_Arts The National Theatre of the Fringe. Exciting new work with companies like Punchdrunk.
12. @BarbicanCentre The largest multi-arts centre in Europe. Art, music, theatre, dance, film and education.
13. @RoyalCourt A leading force in world theatre. Regularly finding, developing and producing innovative new work.
14. @NimaxTheatres Owners of the Apollo, Duchess, Garrick, Lyric and Vaudeville. Led by Nica Burnes and Max Weitzenhoffer – regularly listed as two of the most influential people in British theatre.

London Fringe Venues

Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

15. @TricycleTheatre Theatre representing its diverse community in Kilburn. Recent definative works include Stockwell, a verbatim piece about the death of Jean Charles de Menezes.
16. @SwkPlay Theatre in the railway arches near London Bridge station. Committed to delivering non-traditional theatre.
17. @SpikeTheUnicorn Theatre for young people in a stunning new purpose built base on the Southbank.
18. @KingsHeadThtr One of London’s best known and oldest pub theatre venues. Sets itself apart with different Fringe programming.
19. @Finborough Fringe theatre with a great reputation. Has a Resident Assistant Director programme, bringing in new theatre management every six months.
20. @ThePleasance Well known, particularly because of its Edinburgh Fringe venue. Famous for its comedy programming.
21. @BushTheatre A friendly but influential fringe venue in Shephards Bush. Known for supporting new writers.
22. @CochraneTheatre Attached to the University of the Arts, London. Showcases student work as well as recieving and producing independent productions.
23. @DrillHallProducing and presenting artists and productions, and being a vital rehearsal facility.
24. @ArtsEdLondon Drama school in Chiswick with an acting and musical theatre couse. Churns out triple threats.
25. @RichmondTheatre West London venue owned by Ambassador Theatre Group. A long history as a receiving house.
26. @Theatre503 Battersea fringe venue above the Latchmere Pub. Committed to new writing and led by Paul Robinson and Tim Roseman since 2006.
27. @Hamp_Theatre With a 50 year heritage the Hampstead Theatre is led by Artistic Director Anthony Clark. 325 seat custom built auditorium in Swiss Cottage.
28. @KingsPlace A new theatre and music venue in Kings Cross. Auditorium in the Kings Place development which shares residency with The Guardian.
29. @SohoTheatre Theatre on Dean Street in the heart of Soho, late night cabaret programming and comedy as well as new work and pioneering writing.
30. @CockTheatre A new fringe venue at the Cock Tavern in Kilburn under the Artistic Direction of Adam Spreadbury-Maher. Winner of the Dan Crawford Pub Theatre Award.

UK Regional Theatres

Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

31. @LyceumTheatre Edinburgh’s premier producing theatre. Traditional rep fayre with the ocassional new writing or musical gem.
32. @CrucibleTheatre Famous as the home of the World Snooker Competitions. Has just seen a £15m refurb. Sheffield’s most famous theatre.
33. @DundeeRep Scotland’s only year round traditional rep theatre company. Celebrating the 68 productions their ensemble as produced in the last 10 years.
34. @SheffieldLyceum The largest theatre cluster outside of London with the Crucible. Has a new artistic director in Daniel Evans.
35. @TronTheatre Glasgow’s most innovate venue. A strong in house company and receiving house to boot.
36. @BristolOldVic Back from the dead, programming the Theatre Royal Bristol again having been closed by Arts Council cuts.
37. @WatermillTh A stunning record of transfers to the West end and Broadway with actor musican led Sondheim musicals and more. Home to Propeller Theatre Company.
38.@OldhamColiseum A historic theatre at the heart of Oldham, Lancashire. Not a million miles from Manchester.
39. @SalisburyPlay Traditional regional theatre, the strongest producing theatre in the South West.
40. @RXTheatre Manchester’s Royal Exchange produces contemporary, classic and brand new drama in a unique in-the-round space.
41. @The_Lowry Salford’s art & entertainment centre. Recieving house with studio attached.
42. @CrescentTheatre One of Birmingham’s oldest theatre companies. Has a reputation for high quality.
43. @LivEveryPlay The Everyman helped launch a politicised theatre revolution in the 60s. Joined with the Playhouse in 1999.
44. @UnityTheatre Three small theatres with interesting and varied programming. Follows from the national unity theatre tradition.
45. @TraverseTheatre Scotland’s new writing theatre with a world wide reputation and fantastic bar.
46. @HullTruck Established in 1971. Just moved to a new £14.5m home in Kingston-upon-Hull.
47. @NuffieldTheatre Producing and receiving theatre in Southampton. Associated with Southampton University.
48. @BelgradeTheatre Pioneered theatre in education in the 60s. Still a strong regional producing house.
49. @A_T_G Recently bought Live Nation’s regional theatre portfolio for £90m making them the UK’s largest theatre owner with some 50,000 seats across 37 theatres.
50. @BrumHippodrome Birmingham’s large recieveing house with touring musicals, opera, dance, comedy and Panto. Also home to DanceXchange, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Welsh National Opera.

West End Shows
Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

51. @LoveNeverDies Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new musical, continuing the story of Phantom of the Opera. Previews at the Adelphi Theatre from 20 February 2010 with press night 9 March 2010.
52. @LBtheMusical Legally Blonde opens at the Savoy Theatre with previews from 5 December 2009 and press night on 12 January 2010. Booking through to 23 May 2010.
53. @HairsprayUK Tracy Turnblad and friends at the Shaftsbury Theatre. Taking bookings through to 27 March 2010. UK tour planned for 2010.
54. @La_Clique Cabaret, new burlesque, circus sideshow and contemporary variety mixed for Christmas at the Roundhouse until 17 January 2010.
55. @GreaseMusical Musical stage show of the John Travolta film at the Picadilly. Staring X Factor’s Ray Quinn. Taking bookings until January 2010.
56. @JerseyBoysUK With music from the well known back catalogue of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. 24 October 2010.
57. @SoJestEnd Musical theatre satire in the Forbidden Broadway tradition. At the Jermyn Street Theatre until 20 December 2009.
58. @MammaMiaMusical The worldwide smash hit with music from Abba at the Price of Wales Theatre. Taking bookings through to 26 March 2011.
59. @PeterandWendy Revival of JM Barrie’s classic tale of the boy who never grows up. Performed in a tent with spectacular 360 degree projection at the O2 arena. Booking until 10 January.
60. @PriscillaBus Musical of the film Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Aussie musical at the Palace Theatre. Booking until 4 September 2010.
61.@SisterActLondon Whoppi Goldberg’s troop of all singing, all dancing nuns bring hymns and more to the Palladium. Booking until 18 December 2010.
62. @WickedLondon The untold story of what happened over the rainbow in Oz. Playing at the Apollo Victoria. Booking until 30 October 2010.

American Theatre
Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

63. @AvenueQMusical Possibly the world’s naughtiest puppets. Join Kate Monster and Gary Coleman in this long running Broadway musical.
64. @BillyElliot Billy recently left Newcastle for New York, picked up a raft of Tonys for his trouble. Its electric…
65. @LaCageBroadway Originally a Mernier Chocolate Factory production. La Cage recently took the decision to head to Broadway instead of a widely anticiapted UK tour.
66. @LCTheater Theatre within possibly the world’s leading performing arts center. Great plays which aim to bring art to the many. An American theatre with an average ticket price of $32!
67. @Backstage5thAve Fantastic musical theatre in the Pacific Northwest. A combination of spectacular in house pieces as well as launching productions Broadway bound.
68. @SteppenwolfThtr Steppenwolf Theatre Company in Highland Park, Illinois. In its 33rd season supporting new playwrights and more. A revered company.
69. @Reduced The Reduced Shakespeare Companyhas created six stage shows all of which have been performed the world over.
70. @TheBwayLeague Trade Association supporting theatre owners and operators, producers, presenters, and general managers on Broadway and across the US.

Theatre Companies

Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

71. @NTSonline The relatively young National Theatre of Scotland. Pioneering a non-building based model with world wide hits like Black Watch to show for it.
72. @NBroadsides Currently in the West End with their production of Othello starring Lennie Henry. Barry Rutter’s Northwest troup reimagine classic pieces for a modern time.
73. @SDTDance Based in Dundee and sharing a home with the Rep. Scotland’s Contemporary Dance Company.
74. @NorthernStage Largest producing theatre company in the North East of England.
75. @Sell_A_Door Theatre Company. All ex-LIPA students. Specialising in new writing and currently at the Greenwich Playhouse.
76. @FrictionTheatre Theatre in Birmingham focusing on new writing and school’s tours. Touring Brecht’s Mother Courage.
77. @Chickenshed_UK Makers of pioneering, groundbreaking, genuinely inclusive theatre. Based in Southgate, London.
78. @ArcTheatre Based in the London Borough of Barking & Dagenham, Arc has been creating theatre for the last 25 years.
79. @ETOpera English Touring Opera is the leading touring opera company in the UK. Touring Britten’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream in Spring 2010.
80. @KneehighTheatre Making great theatre in barnes in Cornwall. Bringing it to the world and changing the way people think about theatre.
81. @Out_of_Joint Touring theatre company producing new plays, based in the UK, directed by Max Stafford-Clark.
82. @RedLaddertheatr 40 year old theatre company with radical history which shows no signs of stopping.
83. @Untheatre Unlimited Theatre was formed in by a group of graduates from the Workshop Theatre at the University of Leeds.
84. @APropellerBlog A well known touring company based at the Watermill. An all male cast tour innovative Shakespeare reinterpretations around the UK.
85. @TrestleTheatre A company that creates physical storytelling theatre with diverse cultural expression both UK and abroad.
86. @AbbeyTheatre Based in Dublin, the National Theatre of Ireland has a long history of great theatre. Moving to its new home by 2012.
87. @HelloHoipolloi Make theatre which is playful, theatrical, physical and funny. Touring widely around the UK and internationally. Based in Cambridge.
88. @WBNTheatre Write By Numbers is a new writing theatre company founded by two graduates of Goldsmiths College’s Writing For Performance MA.
89. @PunchDrunk Punch Drunk are an immersive theatre company formed in 2000. Letting audiences explore their own performances, sometimes in spaces the size of warehouses.
90. @Pilot_Theatre International touring theatre company, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire and resident at the Theatre Royal, York. Known for their work for young people and boundary pushing online work.
91. @AngelExit Physical theatre company based in the Dorset in the South West of England. Currently touring Moonfleet.
92. @Citizen598 A theatre company that create new and imaginative touring theatre. Based in Leicester and working in schools and colleges.
93. @Proto_type A company of multi-disciplinary artists forming intricately crafted events of live performance for an intelligent audience.
94. @TeatroVivo Site-specific theatre company based in London. Led by Artistic Director Sophie Austin.
95. @InTheLampLight Bringing Strindberg’s Lady Julia to The Hen and Chickens Theatre this December.
96. @ShadyDolls Established in 2004, Shady Dolls is a North London, all female Theatre Company dedicated to new writing.
97. @RackedTheatre Racked is a new London based theatre collective. Presented The Assassination of Paris Hilton at the Assembly Rooms in Edinburgh this summer.
98. @SharpWire SharpWire are international cellist / singer / theatre performer, Matthew Sharp, transatlantic writer / composer, Pete M Wyer and executive producer Fiona O’Mahony.
99. @FoursighTheatre Female-led, actor-centric touring theatre company. Based in Wolverhampton and led by Frances Land and Sarah Thom.
100. @CbyJ Cheek by Jowl was formed in 1981 by Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod. Award winning company who tour internationally and perform in 3 languages.
101. @SlungLow Company specialising in new work. Prose, movement, video, sound, new technologies and theatre all for the sake of a good story well told.
102. @FactionTheatre The Faction is an independent theatre company dedicated to innovative revivals of classic texts.
103. @FuelTheatre Fuel produces fresh work for adventurous people by inspiring artists.
104. @GeckoTheatre Gecko is an internationally touring physical theatre company based in the UK. Recently took The Overcoat to the Edinburgh Fringe this year.
105. @IceAndFire_E1 Ice and Fire explore human rights stories through performance and verbatim theatre.

Theatre and Arts News Feeds

Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

106. @NYTimesTheater Does what it says on the tin: The theatre section of New York’s Paper of record. Great for features on productions, people and for news.
107. @TheStage Nearly always first with big news in the UK theatre and entertainment space. News, blogs, jobs and features which hits the news stands on Thursdays.
108. @GuardianCulture Culture news, reviews and multimedia from the Guardian in a world of broadsheet cultural ignorance.
109. @TelegraphTheatr Theatre news from The Telegraph newspaper. Critics Charles Spencer, Mark Monahan, Sarah Crompton and Dominic Cavendish.
110. @TimeOutTheatre News, recommendations and opinion from what is still London’s top listings magazine.
111. @Whatsonstage An online theatre force to be reckoned with. A wide net cast for reviews and previews on the London theatre scene.
112. @GuardianStage Its what Lyn Gardner and Michael Billington say, but on Twitter. You should read it. It should be your bible.
113. @LondonTheatre The Twitter feed of London Theatre Blog, a group authored publication on theatre in London and beyond, led by Andrew Eglinton.
114. @O_L_T From Official London Theatre – Bringing you the best London theatre news, features, listings and tickets. Official source of SOLT news.

Theatre and Arts Commenters and Bloggers

Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

115. @BBBway Theatre news and features you can use from the offices of Boneau/Bryan-Brown – Theatrical Public Relations.
116. @Shentonstage As well as links to Mark Shenton’s daily blog entry for The Stage you also get the musings of the man himself. Always insightful and never far away from the world of the stage.
117. @LynGardner Guardian theatre critic and columnist. Has added her voice to the support of some great young companies including Belt Up and Dumbshow.
118. @BroadwayCom Features, news, tickets and all things Broadway. Tied to the online presence of the Broadway booking service 1.800.Broadway.
119. @CarrieSparkle Regular Guardian theatre columnist as well as UK editor of BroadwayWorld.com. Also contributor elsewhere in the theatrical press. Well worth a follow.
120. @BroadwayWorld One of the largest theatre sites on the net featuring news, videos, photos and more.
121. @WestEndUpdates A fantastic marketing addition and blog to Show and Stay – hotel and show specialists on the West End and further afield.
122. @BroadwaybabyCom A social networking site on the Fringe. Includes Edinburgh, Brighton and the London scene.
123. @UKTheatreNews Bringing you a whole lot of London based theatre news and links to things all round the theatre web.
124. @TheaterMania An online source for theatre news, reviews, information, and discount tickets. American and Broadway centric.
125. @WestEndWhingers Phil and Andrew pull no punches, whining their way around West End theatres. Timely and regular reviews.

Jobs and Unions

Follow them all in one click with Twitter Lists

126. @ArtsJobsOnline High quality listings from around the arts sector. Advertisers have to pay for listings, cutting down the number of unpaid internships etc you might recognise on other arts jobs boards.
127. @CastCall The UK’s longest running internet based casting information service for actors and agents.
128. @EquityUK The UK’s trade union for actors and professional performers, acting across the creative industries.
129. @BECTU Representing staff and freelance backstage and front of house workers in the UK entertainment sector.

Who did I miss? Leave a comment or reach me on Twitter @andrew_girvan to let me know who you find most interesting or useful on Twitter. There’s number 101.

Photo credit: Respres on Flickr

This entry was posted on Monday, November 23rd, 2009 at 11:08 am and is filed under Actors, London Theatre, New Media, Professional Performers, Twitter. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.