musical.today Liverpool, United Kingdom
Liverpool Empire
2,348 seats
The largest two-tier auditorium in the United Kingdom, and the second theatre to stand on this corner of Lime Street. The first opened in 1866 and was pulled down in 1924 to make room for it.
The building
The site started as the New Prince of Wales Theatre and Opera House in 1866, became the Royal Alexandra, then simply the Empire when Moss and Thornton bought it in 1896 for £30,000. That building closed in February 1924 and the present one opened thirteen months later.
Merseyside County Council took it on in 1979 and spent £680,000 deepening the stage and the orchestra pit; a larger refurbishment in 1999 widened the stage again. The size is the point: shows that will not fit elsewhere in the north-west fit here.
Opening dates, capacities and architects on this page come from the theatre's own history pages and from Wikipedia.
Getting there
Liverpool Lime Street station is on the same street, a two-minute walk from the doors.