Chichester Festival Theatre opens

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Chichester Festival Theatre opened in 1962, founded by Leslie Evershed-Martin with Laurence Olivier as its first artistic director. The theatre was built in Oaklands Park and became one of the leading producing theatres in Britain, premiering plays that went on to the West End and Broadway. The theatre's thrust stage design was innovative for its time, and the building was the model for the National Theatre's Olivier auditorium. Under successive artistic directors including Keith Michell, Patrick Garland, and Daniel Evans, the theatre has maintained its reputation for excellence and continues to draw audiences from across the south of England.