Milton Keynes Theatre has announced that all performances have been suspended until 26th June to allow staff to prepare to reopen.
The much-loved arts venue has been closed for over a year due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
But there is now light at the end of the tunnel for Milton Keynes Theatre, as the Government's latest roadmap out of lockdown means it should be able to reopen from May 17th - which is the third stage.
The theatre has since confirmed that it will not be opening in May, but will be reopening the following month to give staff and production companies the right amount of time to prepare.
Milton Keynes Theatre said in a statement: "Thank you to everyone for your continued support of our wonderful venue. We are so excited to see so much of our city re-opening including fantastic shops, pubs, and countless local businesses that we've missed greatly! It's inspiring for us all here and is another huge step towards normality.
"As we continue to plan for our theatre re-opening, we are today suspending performances to Saturday 26 June. This announcement puts us on a path towards opening our doors to you all. Our team is coming back to work in our theatre and this additional period also gives our producer partners time to prepare their amazing productions."
This means that the first production to be shown at Milton Keynes Theatre will be The Last Night of the Spring Proms on Sunday 4th July.
Jimmy Carr, The Magic of Motown, The Rocky Horror Show, Grease, The Addams Family, Bedknobs and Brooomsticks, Rock of Ages, Waitress The Musical, SIX, and Hairspray are among some of the productions set for this year.
Milton Keynes Theatre will be emailing people whose bookings have been affected by the suspension.
They concluded: "We are so close to our first standing ovation and we cannot wait to share the moment with you #TheShowsWillGoOn."
