Preview: Spring season line-up at Stephen Joseph Theatre

We are the Lions, Mr Manager (Tuesday April 24), from Townsend Productions, tells the remarkable story of Jayaben Desai, inspirational leader of the Grunwick strike in the late 70s.

She was named as one of the women who has had the biggest impact on other women’s lives in the Radio 4 Women’s Hour power list.

One of the big hits of last spring was Welsh actor Rhodri Miles with his one-man show about Richard Burton.

Rhodri returns on Thursday April 26 with Dylan Thomas: Clown in the Moon, a dramatic portrait of the poet’s chaotic, frequently hilarious and all-too-brief life.

In an exhilarating and moving dance, music and storytelling performance, Soldiers of the Empire: The Unknown Becomes Known, Annapurna Dance pay tribute to the forgotten soldiers from an undivided India who fought for Britain during World War I (Saturday April 28).

Klezmer-ish is what happens when four classically trained musicians let their hair down and explore a wide range of music from travelling people across the world, fusing it together into their own unique sound (Saturday May 5).

Willy Russell’s classic comedy Educating Rita, in a production from the Dukes, Lancaster, and the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme, visits the Stephen Joseph from Wednesday May 9 to Saturday May 12.

The Yorkshire Silent Films Festival comes to the big screen at the theatre for the third year running on Wednesday May 16 and Thursday May 17.

Highlights will include Beggars of Life, starring Louise Brooks, and two great silent comedies – Harold Lloyd’s Speedy and Laurel and Hardy’s The Battle of the Century.

Robert Bathhurst, star of Cold Feet and Downton Abbey, and Sarah Malin join together in a erformance of the work of celebrated poet Christopher Reid.

Love, Loss and Chianti can be seen on the afternoon of Sunday May 3.

Magical pair Morgan ad West return to the theatre on Wednesday May 30 with More Magic for Kids! in the afternoon, and Time-Travelling Magicians in the evening.

All Delighted People, by Scarborough-born playwright Chris York (Friday June 1 and Saturday June 2), will bring together Rounders old and new to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the Stephen Joseph’s youth theatre group.

Flamenco jazz guitar virtuoso Eduardo Niebla, accompanied by Matthew Robinson (guitar) and Dharmesh Parmar (Indian table) brings music to the Round on Friday June 8.

And there’s spontaneous musical comedy at its finest in Showstopper! (Saturday June 9).

With ten years as an Edinburgh Fringe must-see, a BBC Radio 4 series, a critically acclaimed West End Run and an Olivier Award to their name, The Showstoppers have delighted audiences across the globe, creating a new musical comedy from scratch at each performance based on audience suggestions.

Tickets go on sale from Monday February 5 on 01723 370541 or www.sjt.uk.com

Tickets for the summer repertory season go on sale on Monday February 19.

The season opens with The 39 Steps and includes a revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s Joking Apart.