The Pitlochry Festival Theatre is a large performing arts theatre located in the town and burgh of Pitlochry in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The idea of a performance space in the area was conceived in the late 1940s by John Stewart, a leading promoter of amateur dramatics in Glasgow. The theatre officially opened on 19 May 1951. Alan Cumming is the theatre's current Artistic director. History After the decline and subsequent closure of his Park Theatre Club in the West End of Glasgow, John Stewart decided to plan a theatre site in the Knockendarroch area of Pitlochry. However Stewart's plans were met with little success as building licences were refused by the Ministry of Works.
Following this setback, Stewart had the idea of founding a tent-style theatre. After viewing the wet weather tent of London's Regent's Park and the Birmingham Arena Theatre, Stewart searched for the tents' construction company in Walsall, eventually investing in one for a theatre space for Pitlochry.
After construction work and promotion by the Scottish Tourist Board, the theatre officially opened on 19 May 1951. In his opening address, the chairman of the board and later Secretary of State for Scotland Tom Johnston said, "This theatre is a monument to one man's courage, one man's persistence, and one man's great faith."
After 30 years of use and regular incidents of weather damage to the tents, it was decided in the late 1970s that the tent structure would be renovated and stabilised. Construction work began on a new theatre building at the current site, and eventually on 19 May 1981 the new theatre building was opened on the 30th anniversary of John Stewart's first tent.
Modern day The theatre is now of great cultural importance to the Perthshire area. Every summer, the theatre and its surrounding area attract thousands of tourists with the theatre's summer season.
Traditionally, the theatre offered a rep season through the summer months, enabling visitors to see several plays within a few days; the theatre asserted that "No other UK theatre attempts this extraordinary feat" and that the nearest similar offering is in Canada. For example, the 2018 season offered: Chicago the musical; Jim Cartwright's The Rise and Fall of Little Voice; J. M. Barrie's Quality Street; Tom Stoppard's Travesties; Rodney Ackland's Before the Party; and Rona Munro's The Last Witch.
In 2025, Cumming announced that he would be ending the repertory season in favour of producing shorter runs at the theatre, followed by tours or transfers to other venues.
Expansion In 2014, it was announced that the Pitlochry Festival Theatre would undergo a £25 million expansion of the current building. Plans were made to have the expansion completed and opened for the theatre's 70th anniversary in 2021. The work was delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. During the theatre's closures in 2020, work was undertaken to enhance the outdoor performance spaces, including refurbishment of the amphitheatre and the construction of a bandstand. The theatre reopened in August 2022 with a refurbished foyer and a new 175-seat studio space designed by Suzie Bridges Architects.
Leon Sinden Awards The Leon Sinden Awards are awarded annually to two performers appearing in the theatre's summer rep season. Previous recipients include Steven McNicoll and George Rae. They were founded by and named after the actor Leon Sinden, who spent eight seasons working at the theatre between 1965 and 1994, with the inaugural ceremony taking place in 1995. The award was specifically created to honour actors appearing in supporting roles. Those who have won twice previously are ineligible. Winners are selected by an audience vote, with the result announced at the end of the season on the main stage. There were no awards in 2020 and 2021, as the theatre did not present a full rep season those years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, nor were there awards in 2000, although it was still counted as the 6th award season. Traditionally, the two awards were given to the "Best Supporting Actor" and the "Best Supporting Actress", but since 2024 the awards have been presented as "Best Supporting Performance" with no distinction made between genders.
Winners
Year Winner 1 Notes Winner 2 Notes 1995(1st) Martyn James Claire Richards 1996(2nd) Martyn James Rona Anderson 1997(3rd) Russell Hunter Una McLean 1998(4th) Roy Boutcher Patricia England 1999(5th) Martin Hodgson Deirdre Davis 2000(6th) No award No award 2001(7th) Jimmy Chisholm Janet Michael 2002(8th) Michael McKenzie Helen Logan2003(9th) Steven McNicollFor his role as Andy in The Steamie Janet Devigne 2004(10th) Samuel James Janet Michael2005(11th) Hywel Morgan Kezia Burrows2006(12th) Robin Harvey Edwards Jacqueline Dutoit Won for the role of Lady Pontefract in A Woman of No Importance2007(13th) Rory Murray Joanne Cummins2008(14th) Christian Edwards Won for his role in She Stoops to Conquer Luisa Prosser2009(15th) Alan Steele For the role of Frazer in Good Things Isabelle JossFor the role of Marjorie in Good Things2010(16th) George Rae Kate Quinnell2011(17th) Fred Broom Kate Quinnell2012(18th) Dougal Lee Emily Altneu2013(19th) Joseph Mann Jacqueline Dutoit Won for the role of Duchess of Berwick in Lady Windermere's Fan2014(20th) Scott Armstrong Romana Abercromby2015(21st) Dougal Lee Helen Logan2016(22nd) Greg Powrie Gemma McElhinney2017(23rd) Mark Faith Rebecca Elise2018(24th) Alan Mirren Fiona Wood2019(25th) David Rankine Fiona Wood2020 No award No award2021 No Award No Award2022(26th) Richard Colvin Nalan Burgess2023(27th) Robbie Scott Rachael McAllister2024(28th) David Rankine Won for multi-rolling in Nan Sheperd: Naked and Unashamed First awards presented as "Best Supporting Performance"Luke ThorntonWon for the role of Willard in Footlose First awards presented as "Best Supporting Performance"2025(29th)Chris CoxonFor playing Clown 1 in The 39 StepsAlyson OrrFor playing Jean in Sunshine on Leith
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