The artistic director of Edinburgh's Royal Lyceum Theatre, Mark Thomson (pictured) is to step down at the end of the company's 50th anniversary season in May of next year.

Thomson, who had previously run Musselburgh's Brunton theatre, came to the Lyceum in 2003. Under his leadership the company will have produced over 90 productions, 28 of them world premieres.

He said: "It is difficult to leave a place like this with its incredible, dedicated and skillful team, creative buzz and intelligent audiences. However, it's absolutely time for a new adventure for me."

The theatre will now begin recruiting his successor and expects to announce that appointment in the autumn. The Lyceum's new artistic director will have to cope with the fact the company was one of the biggest losers in the Creative Sccotland's funding announcement of last year, with a cut in its grant of 17.5%.

lyceum.org.uk

Shakespeare's Globe theatre company is to make its first appearance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe this year with two lunchtime shows designed to be an introduction to the Bard's work for a family audience. Romeo and Juliet (The Party Planner's Tale) tells the story of the star-crossed lovers through the eyes of the Capulet's party planner and Titus Andronicus (The Piemaker's Tale) is the famously bloody drama told from the kitchen.

The plays have been written by Harper Ray and Adam Sibbald for the Globe's education arm and will run back to back at the Pleasance Courtyard from August 5 to 31.

ShakespeareUntold.com

This year's programme of Magners Summer Nights concerts at Kelvingrove Bandstand in Glasgow, whcih begins with performances by King Creosote, Roddy Frame and Glasvegas on August 6, 7 and 8 now has an additional concert on August 9 co-promoted with Glasgow Kelvin College and Electric Honey Records, which has been described as "the most successful student-run label in the world." The concert will be run by the students themselves and its line-up will feature sets by We Were Promised Jetpacks, Fatherson, YoungASviators, Woodenbox, Finn Lemarinel, Harry & the Hendersons and Mayor Stubbs. Tickets are on sale now, priced £14.

magnerssummernights.com

Bearsden Choir's next concert, a performance of Mozart's Requiem in Glasgow Cathedral on May 16, will be the chorus's first under the baton of new musical director Andrew Nunn. Still just 27, Nunn is a masters graduate of the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland, a former conducting fellow at the National Youth Choir of Scotland and founded the award-winning Les Sirenes female chamber choir. He also conducts Paisley's Thomas Coats Memorial Choral Society, Hutchesons' Choral Socierty and Carlisle Community Choir, is assistant conductor of Yorkshire Youth Choir and directs the choirs of the Junior Department of RCS.

Saturday's programme which will also feature Haydn's Insanae et Vanae Curae, Handel's Zadok the Priest and Mozart's Exsultate Jubilate. The concert features the RCS orchestra and soloists who are current students and recent graduates of the RCS.

bearsdenchoir.co.uk