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theatre · Wednesday 29 July 2026 · Various 
EVITA
At Millennium Forum · 1 Newmarket Street, Derry, Co. Derry
At Millennium Forum · 1 Newmarket Street, Derry, Co. Derry
One of the most beloved musicals of the twentieth century comes to Derry this summer, performed by local young talent on one of the largest theatre stages in Ireland. The Millennium Forum’s annual Summer Youth Musical is a proper production - full staging, live orchestra, and a cast drawn from young performers across the city and surrounding area. It makes for an evening that is genuinely moving, partly because you know the people on stage are from here. Families, theatre fans, and anyone who has ever hummed “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” will find this worth the trip.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Evita tells the true story of Eva Perón - the woman who rose from poverty in rural Argentina to become First Lady and one of the most controversial political figures of the twentieth century. It is a big show: sweeping orchestral numbers, sharp political satire wrapped in spectacle, and one of the most recognisable song catalogues in musical theatre.
This production is the Millennium Forum’s Summer Youth Musical, led by Willow McIntyre in the title role, with Aidan McLaughlin as Perón and Aaron McAteer as Che - the narrator who shadows Eva’s rise with sharp-eyed commentary. The cast is local, aged in their teens and early twenties, but the production values are those of a professional house. The Millennium Forum opened in 2001 as the first purpose-built theatre in Derry, and its main auditorium seats over 1,000 across stalls and circle, with warm acoustics and clear sightlines from every level.
Performances run Wednesday 29 July through Saturday 1 August 2026, with evening shows at 7:30pm.
Derry city centre is straightforward to reach. From Belfast, the A6 dual carriageway gets you there in around an hour and a quarter. From Dublin, the M1 to Monaghan and then the A5 is the usual route - allow two and a half to three hours depending on traffic. Translink operates regular Bus Éireann and Goldline coach services from Belfast and Dublin. The Millennium Forum sits at 1 Newmarket Street, close to the Guildhall, with multi-storey car parks nearby on Foyle Street and Harbour Square. The city centre is compact enough to walk from most parking.
A summer evening performance gives you time to eat before the show along Shipquay Street or in the Craft Village before the curtain goes up - both are a short walk from the Forum. There is more to see in Derry and across Co. Derry.
Heading to Millennium Forum in Derry? Derry has plenty more to see. Read the Derry area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.