Earlier this year Sue Wilson, Sales and Marketing Manager at Darlington Hippodrome, took the decision to retire after 24 years working for the theatre. Sue has seen many changes during this time including the closure of the Arts Centre and the fabulous restoration of the theatre which re-opened last November. Sue will be working at the theatre until mid December. Taking over in the position of Sales and Marketing Manager is Rebecca Howarth who has been an integral member of the Hippodrome’s marketing team for over seven years. Rebecca officially started her new role on Monday 1 October.

Rebecca was born in Bishop Auckland, Co Durham and studied at Staindrop Comprehensive and Darlington’s Hummersknott School and Language College and Queen Elizabeth Sixth Form College before reading English literature at the University of Edinburgh. Darlington Civic Theatre had a formative influence on Rebecca as the location of some of her first theatre experiences; a visit to see Northern Ballet at the age of seven led to years of ballet lessons which continue to this day!

Whilst studying in Edinburgh, Rebecca began working in theatre as front of house staff at the Traverse, King’s and Festival theatres. After a summer spent working as founding assistant editor of The Shimmy Skinny – a specialist dance offshoot of cult magazine The Skinny – she took up the post of marketing assistant at Dance Base, Scotland’s National Centre for Dance, for the duration of her final year at university, whilst also continuing her front of house work. Following graduation, Rebecca started working as marketing assistant at the Brunton Theatre, Musselburgh, before moving on to Sunderland Empire.

In 2012, Rebecca joined the team at Darlington Arts Centre and Darlington Civic Theatre, where in particular she worked on developing digital marketing, and is thrilled to now be taking up the post of sales and marketing manager at Darlington Hippodrome.