Theatre Royal Stratford East to reopen in June with new season

Theatre Royal Stratford East will reopen in June with a new season of shows, it has been revealed.

The previously announced and rescheduled The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars, penned by emerging playwright Dipo Baruwa-Etti, will open the season, directed by the venue's artistic director Nadia Fall.

Running from 2 to 19 June, the piece follows a young woman's quest for justice following the racially-motivated murder of her twin brother, and has design by Peter McKintosh, lighting by Oliver Fenwick, sound by Tingying Dong, movement by Dannielle 'Rhimes' Lecointe and assistant direction by Justine Kehinde.

The piece will be led by Kibong Tanji, who covered Arinzé Kene in the West End production of Misty. The show will also be streamed from Tuesday 15 to 20 June 2021.

Following this will be a new play by April De Angelis, Extinct. Directed with dramaturgy by Kirsty Housley, the show explores the climate emergency through a variety of testimonials.

It is designed by McKintosh with lighting by Josh Pharo, sound by Melanie Wilson and video by Nina Dunn. It plays from 30 June to 17 July with streaming options and casting to be confirmed.

Award-winning playwright Conor McPherson's Shining City will be revived from 17 September to 23 October, directed by Fall. With design by McKintosh, lighting by Howard Harrison, sound by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite and movement by Jack Murphy, the piece was first seen at the Royal Court in 2004. It follows two men – a psychotherapist and a former priest – trying to find their place in the world. Brendan Coyle stars.

The venue will present its annual pantomime Red Riding Hood from 27 November to 31 December 2021, with book and lyrics by Carl Miller, music and lyrics by Robert Hyman, direction by Robert Shaw Cameron, design by Jean Chan, lighting by Rick Fisher, sound by Helen Skiera and movement by Ingrid Mackinnon.

Other projects include Natasha Brown and the Stratford East Young Company's Scream Fire (For the Revolution), directed by Nastazja Domaradzka, with lighting by Pablo Fernadez and sound by Roly Botha. The young company will also stage a revival of Simon Stephens' Punk Rock in July.

Fall said: "Finally, finally, finally, after much anticipation, we are incredibly excited to announce our reopening, and we will be welcoming audiences back to the theatre from 02 June, opening with Dipo Baruwa-Etti's The Sun, The Moon, And The Stars, followed by Extinct by April De Angelis. Our Youth Theatres are now also in full swing with real life rehearsals, and slowly but surely, we are making the positive steps towards bringing our beloved theatre back to life."