Theaters Loire-Atlantique

The National Scene The Theatre took place in 2012 in the old station of Saint-Nazaire, located in the City-Port district. In the Haussmann style, it was built here in 1857 because passengers from Paris could win the maritime station at 100 metres on foot, to sail on the ships and earn South America. Damaged but not destroyed during the war, it remains in service until 1955, the year of inauguration of the new SNCF station. In 1978, the city acquired the remaining buildings. After many years of abandonment and several years of successive work, she is fully rehabilitated and becomes the starting point for attending beautiful shows: theatre, dance, music, song, circus, performance… The entrance takes place by the arcades. The requalifiée nave is accessible from the arcades and from the northern parking lot.

Pass the porch of the Compagnie du Café-Théâtre, sit back and enjoy the show! You'll understand why for more than 20 years it has been an essential part of the Nantes humor scene. In this atypical and warm place, you can laugh, have a drink and play. The rooms offer intimate and friendly shows. At the bar Chez Marius you can have a drink or a snack, meet the artists after their show. For those who wish to get on stage, the company offers courses and workshops. A place to discover or rediscover!

The rich programming of the Piano'cktail in Bouguenais explores the performing arts in all its forms: theater, music, dance, circus arts, puppets, conferences-debates ... like the 2022/2023 season which sees Stefano di Battista (saxophonist), Madeleine Peyroux (jazz), Les Fauves (juggling), Tanguy Pastureau (humor), Queen Blood (dance)... The venue also honors youth and family shows, since a good part of its programming is accessible to the youngest, with Wednesdays reserved for the youngest. As a presenter and co-producer, the Piano'cktail supports the creation and emergence of young companies and regional companies. Also noteworthy are the literary breakfasts, exhibitions, talks and wide angle evenings. Check out the program!

Since 2013, Agnès and Philippe Birsel have been at the helm of this small 100-seat theater. They offer a beautiful program in a small room with comfortable red seats that offers a real proximity with the actors. From Thursday to Sunday, there is theater in all its forms: classical, modern, comedy, humor and also music around jazz, gospel... If you want to try your hand at acting, theater courses are available for adults and young people. Courses for children are also offered during the school vacations. Just a step away from the Graslin theater, here is a small pocket theater with an intimate and warm atmosphere!

Improvisation for all is the aim of this league, which offers amateur workshops and courses for all levels. In addition, the league puts on shows in a number of venues in and around Nantes - as well as in companies - in three forms: Script'acte (as the words are spoken, the text is written and projected onto a screen), Blablabar (spectators propose words or situations to the actors on the fly), and the Match d'improvisation in which two teams face each other (at the Maison de quartier de Doulon and the Coup du Lapin in particular). This year, you'll be able to see his new show Cabaret.

The TNT is a performance hall opened in 1998. The place was created and thought by actors as a space of creations and meetings. It offers shows for all audiences, including a program for the youngest which has been a great success. To come here is to discover the regional cultural melting pot with theater, circus, as well as music, dance, humor, poetry, tales and readings... without forgetting the exhibitions! A multidisciplinary stage, dedicated to emerging artists, which hosts more than 500 performances per year and more than 20,000 spectators. It is worth noting that you can learn acting here thanks to numerous theater workshops open to adults, with themes based on musicals, contemporary theater, theater in Spanish... At the end of the year, a real performance will punctuate this learning process. Teenagers will be able to take advantage of improvisation theater classes.

The Théâtre du Sphinx in Nantes, founded 33 years ago by Patrice Fourreau, has just been rejuvenated under the management of Christèle Guéry and Julie Toublanc. The new managers have undertaken modernization work while preserving the unique soul of this charming private theater, dear to the heart of its founder, who passed away in 2020. The eclectic and varied program, ranging from contemporary theater to stand-up comedy, one-man-shows, music and dance, remains faithful to the spirit of proximity intended by Patrice.

A big, black, mysterious cube in the heart of the Atlantis pole, with the bulging eyes of a giant robot watching you. It's impossible to walk past Onyx-La Carrière without spotting this public cultural venue in the Herblin conurbation. With a focus on choreography and circus arts, this venue supports contemporary artistic creation in the broadest sense. It also focuses on music, theater and shows for young audiences. L'Onyx-La Carrière is also a venue that lives outside its walls, with the biennial Les Soleils Bleus jazz festival (odd-numbered years), and the family event Jours de fête (street shows, concerts, circus...), also biennial (even-numbered years) in the Parc de la Bégraisière. During the 2023-2024 season, you'll be able to enjoy a truly 100% all-female Circus Night from 7pm to 7am, share family shows during the Nijinskid dance and youth festival, discover musical nuggets in the ephemeral Blue Moon Club, combine shows and wine tasting every 20th of the month during Vin Du 20, immerse yourself in Mediterranean culture with the Made In Med festival.. Circus for the whole family, music of all kinds, contemporary dance or hip hop, humorous theater or itchy hair... ONYX's programming is accessible to all, from the youngest age.

La Fleuriaye offers an eclectic program: theater, comedy, dance, circus arts, song, music, ballet, shows for young audiences... The 2023-2024 season promises to be a nomadic one, as the theater is currently undergoing renovations. It will therefore host artists from all horizons in various Carquefolian venues (music school, high school, media library, school, church) as well as at the Cité des Congrès in Nantes. Among them, Donne-moi la main (Happy manif-chorégraphies), Au non du père, by Ahmed Madani, Jeu by Anthony Diaz, la Délicatesse by Thierry Surace, Les Dodos by compagnie le P'tit Cirk, Gravité by Preljocaj! We're also looking forward to the "Heures Heureuses" (Happy Hours) on certain Sunday afternoons: a moment of conviviality before and after the show. The theater also organizes events and meetings. A great cultural space for all!

For more than 30 years of existence, the Capellia cultural space welcomes, depending on its configuration, from 500 to 1,000 people per performance, that is to say more than 9,000 people per year. Concert, theater, dance... there is something for all ages and all tastes. This performance hall also takes part in major festivals: Les rendez-vous de l'Erdre, Celtomania, Jazz en phase le parcours, Hip Opsession and hosts every two years Saperlipuppet (with a next edition in April 2024), the most important festival of puppets and manipulated objects in Loire-Atlantique. The 2023/2024 program is to be discovered on the site. On the brochure, a sticker indicates "It's also for my children", "It's also for my teenagers" to make judicious choices of outings to experience as a family. In parallel, Capellia organizes workshops and courses (theater, contemporary dance, hip-hop, musical comedy), led by guest artists and open to all.

Located on the banks of the Saint-Félix canal, a stone's throw from the SNCF train station and the city center, the former Lu cookie factory was transformed into an atypical art center - the Lieu Unique - on January^1, 2000. This multidisciplinary artistic space has become the city's emblematic cultural den, recognized nationally and internationally. With a performance hall, a flexible exhibition space and workshops on the floors, it explores the plastic arts, theater, dance, circus, music, literature, philosophy, architecture, the culinary arts... All this in an effervescent atmosphere, further enhanced by all the services offered and renovated in 2013: bar, restaurant, bookstore, steam room, store with unusual and creative objects, visit to the Lu Tower - it's a real place to live! Le Lieu Unique aims to be a space for artistic exploration and a hub of activity that mixes cultures and audiences. It offers nearly 40 shows, more than 200 days of exhibitions, festivals and nearly 50 conferences (Les géopolitiques de Nantes, les rencontres de Sophie, the Atlantide literature festival, etc.). On the bill for the 2023/2024 season, among others, the pianist, producer and composer Nils Frahm... Discover the program online. Do not hesitate to go there during a walk, if only to discover this atypical place, and feel its so particular atmosphere. A place to (re) discover absolutely.

Free neighbourhood, this is the name of this recent theatre, designed by Jean-Claude Pondevie. Its aesthetics, the quality of the room and the facilities, its capacity of 490 places and its programming make it an essential part of the cultural and artistic activity of Ancenis.

Under the name Les Laboratoires Vivants, this is a new project, a new era for this 348-seat municipal facility located in the heart of the city. Since 2019, the Théâtre Francine Vasse has been directed by Yvann Alexandre, and is part of a generous project involving professionals, young audiences and amateurs. The theater program is open to dance and contemporary writing, and invites a wide range of audacious proposals at low prices. We give priority to new works, as well as to Francophonies, in this place of production and transmission. The flagship program, "Êtres en création", offers local residents, including beginners, the chance to experiment and discover artistic universes and practices free of charge through contact with the season's artists. Today, the Théâtre Francine Vasse is a true home for creation and professional and amateur artistic practices. It's a theater that goes through and through, with people at its heart and at the heart of its project. The program? D'Eckmühl à Eckmühl on November 28, 2023 (theater), ZAK Rythmik on January 17 (dance), À la vie ! march 27, 28 and 29 (theater), Distro April 12 (dance)

With its two auditoriums: Cocteau (199 people seated or 295 for meetings) and Malraux (420 people seated), this theater in the Nantes metropolitan area radiates dynamism and attracts numerous artists. The Théâtre Ligéria opened in 2001, and has found its audience, who are unfailingly loyal to its program. Among the shows on offer for the 2023-2024 season: political satire, a tribute to Jacques Prévert with Yolande Moreau, baroque music and hip hop dance, film music with the Orchestre national des Pays de Loire... The theater will also open its doors to the public, with free open-air events at various venues in Sainte-Luce... The theater pays particular attention to programming for young audiences! Ligeria is also the perfect venue for general assemblies, meetings, conferences, receptions, weddings, shows, family celebrations..

The Théâtre de la Rue de Belleville, a remarkably restored former Renault garage, has been designed as a place of exchange. In the entrance hall, the tall light-wood structures, the second-hand furniture and the small bar where you can wait before the show with a drink quickly transport us into the charming living room of a country house. At the same time, the intimate auditorium has all the hallmarks of a professional venue, thanks to its real orchestra chairs salvaged from a hall in the south of France, its large stage and its imposing ramp. The program features contemporary and classic texts, often with a subtle comic tone, that speak to us about human nature. It is renewed regularly, so don't hesitate to consult the website or contact the theater to find out about current shows. For 2023-2024: La nuit du théâtre and Knock in September, Les Reprisettes to open the season, J'ai perdu mon mari, a Quebec comedy, Matthieu Bouchet, etc. Once the curtain falls, you can meet the actors at the theater bar! As generous on stage as over a drink!

On the edge of the city centre, with its glass facade with its ultra-modern look, an architectural party facing the imposing castle, it is the city's cultural place. The programming is consensual but bold, corresponding to the spirit of this city of entrepreneurs. Throughout the year, all kinds of shows are programmed, at least three times a month. Concerts, classical or contemporary theatre or scenes for young audiences.

L'Embarcadère, located in Saint-Sébastien-sur-Loire, is a municipal theater with an eclectic program. With 440 seats, it offers a varied range of concerts, plays and dance performances throughout the year. L'Embarcadère stands out for its willingness to showcase emerging artists alongside established names, all at affordable prices. Whether you're a fan of music, theater or dance, this venue is sure to satisfy your desires thanks to its rich programming. Visit saintsebastien.fr for the full program.

Located in the heart of Nantes, between Place Royale and Place du Cirque, the Fabrique à Impros is, as its name suggests, a cultural and artistic venue dedicated to the practice of improvisation. The small theater opened its doors in September 2019 with the aim of bringing together the many improvisation companies, facilitating public access to this discipline and legitimizing it. Since its creation, it has served as a federating distribution space and a resource center for improvisation in the Nantes region. The theater is a convivial space organized around three areas: a bar, designed as a meeting point for Nantes residents, to share good times before shows and do improv again afterwards; a 90 m² auditorium, equipped with sound and light (and a 15 m² stage), seen as a space for discovery and pleasure, where innovative creations are proposed, mainly performed by Nantes-based troupes; and upstairs, the actors' offices and dressing rooms (in other words, the theater's backstage area). Companies wishing to use the Fabrique à Impros for rehearsals or artist residencies are welcome to do so. The venue can also be made available to companies wishing to use it privately for a seminar or performance, or even for training purposes. Throughout the year, shows for all kinds of audiences are produced and programmed. One-off courses and annual workshops are organized for children, teenagers and adults of all levels. Alongside its theater activities, the company also organizes major off-site events in and around Nantes (special dates, festivals, etc.). La Fabrique à Impros is also a team of professionals working all over Nantes (and beyond!) to share their passion and skills with you. Their interventions are as diverse and varied as the people who call on them: schools, works councils, local authorities, hospitals... As their aim is to spread improvisation to all types of audiences, they want to pass on their know-how through unique, high-quality experiences. And whether they're entertaining, training or animating, their watchword will always be: fun!