Give the gift of theatre to your students
by Theatre Workout
published 23 October 2026
Do you have a favourite play or musical?
Did it make you laugh or cry?
Brian Dennehy made me cry buckets in Death of A Salesman. I've never laughed so hard as I did at Avenue Q, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout The Woman In Black.
I was never a 'theatre kid' at school. I didn't get to do Drama. But a trip to Stratford-Upon-Avon aged 16 changed my life and I've never looked back. Discovering Drama brought me out of my shell, gave me confidence, and raised my ability to engage with all my A-levels.
It's why I champion theatre and drama for schools today, because I know how much of an impact it had on me, and so many of the people I work with every day. With the number of students able to engage with drama on a rapid decline in UK schools, I know first hand how beneficial these experiences can be, and why you should offer them to your students!
What's New?
Theatre is always changing across the UK, with fantastic theatres in most towns and cities. Although we can book for any of them, London and Stratford-Upon-Avon are our two top destinations - arguably the to theatre destinations in the world (sorry Broadway), where there are multiple new and extending shows for you to enjoy.
- Billy Elliot - the Musical, Miss Saigon, Charlie & The Chocolate Factory, Dirty Dancing, Legally Blonde and West Side Story all return to London stages in 2027
- Paddington continues to excite audiences, but is sold out of school rates throughout the current school year
- Wicked is celebrating 20 years in the West End, and The Mousetrap is in it's 75th year
- Harry Potter & The Cursed Child is now a one-part play
- The Greatest Showman, Anne Boleyn - the Musical, and Nanny McPhee are all new musicals opening in 2027, not to mention a whole raft of new plays coming to London theatres.
Planning A Theatre Trip
As a tour operator with over 20 years' experience, every year we have to disappoint schools who book too late, so we highly recommend booking early!
Matinees for the most popular shows can sell out of school rates 6-9 months in advance. Paddington is already sold out of all school rates for all performances throughout the current school year; Matilda will sell out all matinees by Christmas, and shows like The Lion King and Charlie & The Chocolate Factory will also sell out soon.
London and Stratford-Upon-Avon are our two top destinations for theatre, but there are great theatres in most towns and cities across the UK, and we can arrange trips to any of them.
Just let us know what you want to do and plan your trip below.
The further ahead you plan, the better the availability. We can reserve tickets for you for about a month while you get everything organised, but don't forget about everything else you need.
If you're in London, you can get free travel from TFL, but it does need to be booked in advance. If you need a coach or train tickets, we can plan that for you, along with accommodation, meals, and anything else you need.
As a rule, day trips should be planned 3-6 months in advance, with overnight trips planned at least 6-9 months in advance to get the best rates and availability, but also to give families as much time as possible to plan and budget for it!
In addition to managing all your bookings, Theatre Workout can manage all the trip admin too. Our trip portal allows parents to register and pay us direct for their trip, with automatic payments and notifications so you don't have to chase payments.
Making The Most Of It
As an award-winning workshop company, we always recommend workshops to maximise your theatre experience. It was my participation in a drama workshop in 1994 which led me to writing this article today. I want every student to have that same exciting, inspiring, and potentially life-changing experience I had all those years ago!
We tailor workshops to the age and ability of your group, to the show you're going to see, and to any learning objectives you have.
Backstage tours are also a great way of learning about the workings of theatres, and we offer tours at the National Theatre, RSC, Shakespeare's Globe, Royal Opera House, Angels Costumes, and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
The Victoria & Albert Museum is free and has permanent theatre exhibits to inspire and inform your students.
If you're planning to go to Stratford-Upon, there is Shakespeare's Birthplace, the Schoolroom and other Shakespeare houses to enjoy.
If you're looking for something completely different, then just talk to us. There are so many amazing attractions, historic sites, museums and galleries you can learn from - far too many to list here. Use the form below to make an enquiry or give us a call.
Make a school trip enquiry with Theatre Workout
If you are interested in hearing a bit more about how Theatre Workout can help you with planning your next school visit then why not get in touch here.
