Civic Theatre

Description

Are you trying to find an entertaining and cultural venue to keep your children engaged during the weekend? Situated right in Tallaght, this vibrant community arts destination offers some of the best things to do with kids in South Dublin. As a premier live entertainment venue and local theatre, it hosts an impressive, year-round schedule of children's plays, musical performances, festive pantomimes, and interactive storytelling workshops.

Planning your budget for an afternoon of live entertainment is simple, as the venue offers great value ticket tiers across its main auditoriums. Entry prices start from just £8 (€10) for selected children's morning story sessions and family workshops, while main auditorium show tickets typically range up to £18 (€22). The venue provides family bundle discounts for most seasonal productions, making it affordable to introduce young minds to the magic of live performance.

If you are looking for the best place for a day out with family and kids that sparks imagination and builds a love for the arts, this theater hub is a fantastic choice. It pairs high-quality independent touring productions with a deeply welcoming, neighborhood atmosphere. The venue guarantees an escape from rainy weather while delivering an engaging cultural afternoon out for all generations.

Features

  • Paid
  • Host birthday parties: No

Features

Key Features

  • Sensory Play & Early Years Drama: The studio space regularly hosts gentle, sensory-rich theatrical performances created specifically for babies and toddlers.
  • Interactive Exhibits & Workshops: Children can actively participate in seasonal post-show discussions, creative writing groups, and youth drama camps.
  • Educational Day Out: School-age kids can experience classic literature, history, and seasonal themes brought to life by professional stage actors.
  • Diverse Performance Spaces: The modern complex contains both a large Main Auditorium and an intimate Studio Theatre to suit different performance styles.

Deep-Dive Highlights

  • The Main Stage Auditorium: This large, 300-seat performance hall offers exceptional sightlines and crisp acoustics from every single row. Kids will feel completely immersed in the stage action during large-scale musical numbers and magic shows.
  • The Loose End Studio: This intimate, 60-seat flexible studio space is ideal for close-up storytelling and minimalist youth theatre. It gives younger toddlers a calm, non-intimidating environment to experience live performance up close.
  • The Betwixt Festival Hub: As a standout addition to the regional calendar, this dedicated multi-arts festival for young audiences showcases innovative visual performance. It is a brilliant way for kids to experience cutting-edge international puppet theatre.
  • The Civic Theatre Summer Camp: Run by experienced drama facilitators, this active holiday program allows creative kids to learn performance skills. Children will love the thrill of building confidence and staging their own mini-play at the end of the week.
  • The Annual Christmas Pantomime: This spectacular festive tradition features energetic choreography, bright costumes, and heaps of laugh-out-loud audience interaction. A child will love booing the villains and singing along with the heroes.

Beyond the Main Attraction

  • Tallaght Central Amenities: If you want to stretch your theater trip into a full family day out, the surrounding town center is packed with secondary spots. Right next door, The Square Tallaght shopping hub houses a large multi-screen cinema, popular family restaurants, and high-street shops. For a run around in nature after sitting quietly for a show, the vast open green fields and playgrounds of Sean Walsh Memorial Park are just a short walk away.

Facilities

  • The Civic Café & Bistro: A welcoming foyer café serving a family-friendly selection of hot drinks, light lunch bites, and intermission treats.
  • Buggy Parking & Cloakroom: Safe, designated storage areas are managed in the main foyer to park pushchairs securely during performances.
  • Accessible Restrooms: Clean, accessible toilets and dedicated baby-changing spaces are situated on both public levels of the complex.
  • Booster Seats: Complimentary booster cushions are available at the auditorium doors to help smaller kids get a perfect view of the stage.

What to see

What Visitors Love

  • The intimate layout means that children always get a clear, unobstructed view of the stage actors.
  • Front-of-house staff are incredibly patient, warm, and accommodating with rowdy or nervous young audiences.
  • Ticket pricing remains highly competitive compared to large commercial city-centre venues.
  • The immediate proximity to public transport links makes family transit incredibly stress-free.

What Visitors Don't Like

  • The main foyer space can become heavily congested and loud during the 20 minutes before a major show.
  • On-site parking slots can fill up fast when theater shows overlap with peak shopping mall hours.
  • Popular seasonal children's shows sell out their weekend afternoon slots weeks in advance.

Pro-Tips for Visiting Parents

  • Arrive 30 Minutes Early: Give your family plenty of time to check in at the box office, use the restrooms, and settle into auditorium seats without rushing.
  • Check the Age Suitability Guide: Every listed youth production features a specific recommended age bracket, helping parents pick the perfect show style.
  • Pre-Book Intermission Snacks: Avoid the busy mid-show queues by ordering your family’s café drinks and ice creams before the curtain goes up.
  • Watch for Height Restrictions: While there are no physical restrictions, certain balcony seating rows have steep steps that might be tricky for small toddlers.

Price

Price: Paid

Price Details

Tickets, seasonal festival passes, and group reservation slots must be secured directly via the official Civic Theatre Ticket Booking Portal.

Birthday Parties

Offer Birthday Parties: No

Box Office Hours: Monday to Saturday from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. (On performance Sundays, the box office opens two hours prior to the scheduled curtain time).

Address: Civic Theatre, Belgard Road, Tallaght, Dublin, Ireland

Post Code: D24 TC98

Council: South Dublin County

County:

  • By Tram (Luas): Take the Luas Red Line directly to the Tallaght terminus stop. The theater entrance is just a 2-minute walk from the platform.
  • By Bus: Multiple Dublin Bus routes, including the 27, 49, 56a, 65, and 77a, stop directly at the adjacent Tallaght Hospital and Square Mall stops.
  • By Car: Drive along the N7 or M50 motorway, exiting at the Tallaght junction. Follow the signs for Tallaght Central/The Square to reach the theatre.
  • Car Parking: While the venue does not have a private car park, ample paid parking is available at the adjacent Square Shopping Centre multi-story car parks, located just a short walk from the entrance doors.

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