The Little Theatre is an intimate, welcoming 99-seat venue and the home of Dunstable Rep. From drama and comedy to visiting productions and community events, it brings audiences and performers together in a space where everyone feels close to the action.
Today, the theatre includes a raked auditorium, changing rooms, box office, coffee room and licensed bar. But before audiences took their seats and the curtain rose, the building had already played an important part in Dunstable life.
From schoolroom to stage
1715: Chew’s Charity School opens
Chew’s Charity School opened at Chew’s House, next door to the building that would eventually become The Little Theatre. It was established to provide an education for 40 poor boys from Dunstable.
1883: A second school is built
As education for children aged five to ten became compulsory, the Chew’s Trustees opened a second school beside Chew’s House to provide additional accommodation.
That second school building is now The Little Theatre.
1938: The building becomes a library
The former school began a new chapter when Dunstable Library opened in the building, serving the town for more than 25 years.
1964: The old library falls quiet
A new town library was built as part of the development of the Queensway Hall site, leaving the former Chew’s School building vacant.
Dunstable Rep had been searching for a permanent home and approached the Chew’s Foundation with an ambitious plan: to transform the old library into an intimate theatre.
1968: The Little Theatre opens
After its conversion, The Little Theatre officially opened on 7 October 1968, with actor Bernard Bresslaw marking the occasion.
Dunstable Rep staged the first of many productions in its new home, beginning a relationship between the company and the building that continues today.
A small theatre with a big role
More than half a century later, The Little Theatre remains a place where stories are shared, skills are learned and friendships are formed.
Its 99-seat auditorium offers an experience that larger venues cannot: performers and audiences sharing the same story at close quarters. It is home to Dunstable Rep’s season of productions, while also welcoming visiting companies and other members of the local community.
The building has been a school, a library and a theatre but throughout its history, it has always been a place that brings people together.