A Renowned Live Music Venue in Milton Keynes
Milton Keynes has a lot of great live music venues but perhaps none as valued as The Stables for its personal feel and consistent level of quality in performances. The Stables was created in 1970 by two of the most well-known jazz musicians; Sir John Dankworth and Dame Cleo Laine, with an emphasis on presenting only great live music while starting out in converted stables.
Throughout its 50 years of providing great live music, The Stables has hosted hundreds of concerts and events every year, featuring a wide variety of musical artists, such as jazz, classical, folk, blues, pop and world music. Over time, The Stables has always provided a home for many of the world’s greatest artists, and continues to be a favourite venue for musicians and fans that value an intimate live performance experience.
Two Performance Spaces for Live Entertainment
There are two main performance areas at The Stables to provide extraordinary experiences for you as an audience member at live music events. The Jim Marshall Auditorium is the main hall, with a maximum seating capacity of close to 400 people, affording you an exceptionally close connection to all performers.
The other area is called Stage 2. This is the second performance area and has a studio style layout. This area can accommodate approximately 80 people and is where you will typically find the majority of in-house artists and new and experimental performances, thus providing great opportunities to see emerging artists in more of a relaxed setting.
The Stables, by utilising both performance spaces, is able to provide a wide variety of events and programming all year long, including headline concerts, comedy shows, poetry readings (spoken word) and movie screenings to name a few.
Music Education and Creative Opportunities
The Stables is also well known for their contribution to music education and participation. In addition to producing a variety of musical performance programs, the Stables hosts a number of popular music making opportunities through workshops, courses, and other creative projects; this makes it easy for everyone to get involved with music regardless of age.
The Stables will host many different types of music educational activities; these include masterclasses, interactive workshops for schools, and the very well known National Youth Music Camps. For young musicians looking to develop their talents, The Stables provides a great opportunity for them to learn alongside professional musicians.
Location & Contact
Address: Stockwell Lane, Wavendon, Milton Keynes, MK17 8LU
Box Office: 01908 280800
Website: stables.org
What's On
Check out our list of what's on at The Stables Theatre.
How To Book
Telephone: 01908 280800
Email: boxoffice@stables.org
Online: stables.org/whats-on
FAQs
Tickets can be booked online through The Stables website or by contacting the venue’s box office.
Yes, a booking fee may apply to each ticket. The amount varies depending on the ticket price.
Yes, tickets can usually be reserved for up to three days before payment is required. Friends of The Stables may be able to reserve tickets for longer.
If a show is cancelled, customers who have booked tickets will be contacted directly and offered a refund, excluding any booking fees.
Last Update: March 2026
Information on this page was correct at time of publishing. Please notify us of any discrepancies.
