Award-winning choreographer and director Sir Matthew Bourne has been announced as a patron of the Friends of the Theatre Royal, a scheme which promotes Newcastle's Theatre Royal by giving its members food and drink discounts, priority bookings and reduced booking fees.

Bourne, best known for his versions of classic ballets Swan Lake and The Nutcracker, commented 'Over the years of touring the country with my company New Adventures, I, along with many of our dancers, have incredibly fond memories of our time at the Theatre Royal'. He added 'the Friends scheme does stirling work at encouraging audiences to support their regional theatre'.