The Wind in The Willows will be racing to the stage next year! The Lowry is set to stage the World Premiere of this brand new musical.

Kenneth Grahame’s wild tale about the thrill-seeking, lovable menace Mr Toad comes to life in a brand new stage musical with a book by Oscar-winning screenwriter and Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes and Olivier Award-winning composer and lyricist team George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

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Fresh from her success on BBC One’s The Voice, Lucy O'Byrne joins the company of Bill Kenwright’s spectacular five-star production of The Sound of Music as Maria von Trapp.

Lucy, who hails from Dublin, became a household name earlier this year when she shot to success as a finalist in the live shows of the TV talent show. With chart-topper Will.i.am as her mentor, and biggest fan, Lucy made history as the first classical singer to reach the final, impressing the nation with her stunning vocal range. Now, having recently performed at the BBC Proms, she makes her debut as the young postulant at The Broadway, Peterborough this December.

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Worldwide smash hit musical Footloose: The Musical will burst back onto the stage in 2016, playing at Manchester Palace Theatre 14 – 19 Mar as part of a major new UK Tour.

Based on the 1984 screen sensation starring Kevin Bacon, Footloose: The Musical tells the story of city boy Ren, who has to move to a rural backwater in America where dancing is banned. All hell breaks out as Ren breaks loose and soon has the whole town up on its feet. Featuring classic 80s hits including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let's Hear it for the Boy and the unforgettable title track, Footloose: The Musical is set to take the world by storm once again in this brand new production, bursting with youthful spirit, dazzling dance and electrifying music.

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Universal Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions are delighted to announce the complete list of dates for the first ever UK and Ireland tour of Billy Elliot the Musical.

Billy Elliot the Musical will open at the Theatre Royal Plymouth where it will play from Wednesday 24 February to Saturday 2 April 2016 before visiting Sunderland Empire (6 – 30 April 2016), Bradford Alhambra (10 May – 11 June 2016), Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff (14 June – 16 July 2016), Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre (26 July – 3 September 2016), Edinburgh Playhouse (20 September – 22 October 2016), Bristol Hippodrome (25 October – 26 November 2016), Manchester Palace Theatre (29 November 2016 – 28 January 2017), Southampton Mayflower (7 February – 4 March 2017 ), finishing at Birmingham Hippodrome (7 March – 6 May 2017).

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Four boys have successfully landed parts in Wolverhampton Grand Theatre’s pantomime PETER PAN. The roles of Wendy’s brothers, Michael and John, will be played by local boys who join a full professional cast for the festive season.

Archie Turner, aged 8 from Rowley Regis will play Michael alongside James Shaw, aged 11 from Bishopswood as John. On alternate dates, George Passalacqua, aged 8 from Bromsgrove will play Michael alongside Liam Hewitt, aged 10 from Kingswinford as John.

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Inspired by the smash hit multi-million selling albums

This summer, Dreamboats and Miniskirts swings into Blackpool’s Grand Theatre to showcase the greatest hit songs of the 60s!

It is the sequel to Dreamboats and Petticoats, which premiered in Bromley in 2009, and became a musical phenomenon having played to more than two million people across the UK. Inspired by Universal’s multi-million selling album series which now boasts seven double compilation albums and a myriad of one off special releases!

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FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR SHEFFIELD THEATRES’ NEW PRODUCTION OF SHOW BOAT

Artistic Director Daniel Evans today announces the full company for his new production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s musical Show Boat, which sails onto the Crucible stage from Thursday 10 December 2015 until Saturday 16 January 2016.

Spanning 40 pivotal years in American history, this epic musical follows the lives and loves of three generations aboard a show boat as it plies the Mississippi River. One of the most romantic musicals of all time, this lavish new production is directed by Daniel Evans and features classics of musical theatre including Make Believe, Can’t Help Lovin’ Dat Man, and the landmark Ol’ Man River.

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After playing many a summer season in the seaside resort, the legendary Tommy Cooper returns to town in The Tommy Cooper Show.

West End star Daniel Taylor stars as Tommy Cooper in this knockout performance of the year and will be joined by a fabulous supporting cast including Gareth Jones (formerly known as Gaz Top) along and British actress Sharon Byatt.

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Annie the world’s favourite family musical comes to Manchester Opera House for 2 weeks only 15 – 26 Sep, starring Craig Revel Horwood and Lesley Joseph as Miss Hannigan.

Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage Determined to find her real parents, her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search…

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To commemorate the centenary of World War I, following the success of sell-out preview performances in 2014, the local duo behind this truly touching piece have been hard at work to adapt and improve the masterpiece that is The Tree of War.

Staged to the public in the same venue that it was previewed - St Nicholas’ Church in Burnage, Manchester - Oliver Mills and Rachel Mann’s creation follows the journey of Anna who, fearing the loss of her ‘story tree’ and the news that war has broken out in the Falklands, questions her Grandpa Bert about his time in the Great War. Through their eyes we meet a young Bert and his best pal Greville as they make their triumphant journey into the trenches. We also gain insight from the comrades they meet along the way, and the trials the war presents then with, each character becoming a root in The Tree of War - the very same tree that, 60 years on, Anna is trying to save.

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Beloved ogre Shrek and the beautiful Princess Fiona will ‘swamp’ Southport Flower Show’s opening day on Thursday 20 August.  

The characters of SHREK THE MUSICAL® will be making appearances throughout the day as part of the celebrations of the opening of Southport’s annual flower show, ahead of the production’s triumphant return to the North West.

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