A MAJOR new exhibition at Scarborough Art Gallery will celebrate the 60th birthday of one of the town’s most famous institutions – the Stephen Joseph Theatre.

SJT at 60 can be seen at the gallery from Saturday to Sunday, September 13.

In 1955, theatrical pioneer Stephen Joseph started the UK’s first-ever theatre-in-the-round on the first floor of Scarborough Library. Sixty years later, and now located in the town’s Art Deco former Odeon cinema opposite the railway station, the SJT is still going strong.

Many famous faces have started their career at the theatre, including, of course, Scarborough’s most famous resident, Alan Ayckbourn.

Scarborough Museums Trust Collections manager Jennifer Dunne, who has curated the exhibition, said: “We’re delighted to celebrate the 60th anniversary of this internationally important theatre. Visitors can see photographs, posters, programmes and props from many of the productions of the last 60 years, plus – a real coup – Allan Ramsay’s portrait of Alan Ayckbourn, on loan from the National Portrait Gallery.”

Stephen Wood, former executive director of the SJT, who worked on the exhibition in conjunction with Scarborough Museums Trust, said: "We are delighted to be working with our friends at Scarborough Museums Trust in our 60th anniversary year. I'm confident that many of the exhibits will never have been seen before by the public and that this three-month exhibition will give a huge opportunity for many more people to see what an extraordinary history the SJT has had up to this point in the delightful setting of Scarborough Art Gallery."

There will be a programme of supporting events around SJT at 60, including lunchtime and evening talks, and guided walks taking in the theatre’s three homes at the library, Westwood and the former Odeon.

For more information, visit scarboroughmuseumstrust.org.uk

The gallery is open Tuesday to Saturdays, from 10am to 5pm, plus bank holidays.