Smash-hit musical Dear Evan Hansen is heading out on a UK tour for the first time ever, and it’ll be making a stop off here Manchester.
Known for being one of the most beloved new musicals of the last decade, having scooped up dozens of coveted awards after it first debuted on Broadway back in 2016 and then went on to take the West End by storm in 2019, a new production of Dear Evan Hansen is about to embark on its first ever tour of the UK from next autumn onwards.
And luckily for musical fans in Manchester, the show will be capturing the hearts of audiences in our city as part of that long-awaited tour.
The multi-award-winning production will be gracing the Palace Theatre stage in February 2025.
It’s official. 💙 #DearEvanHansen will embark on our first ever UK tour from Autumn 2024 – with tickets on sale in most venues this week. YES, REALLY!!!
Unfamiliar with the show? Dear Evan Hansen tells the story of Evan – an anxious high school kid who wants nothing more than to fit in, but the only thing is, on his way to fitting in, he didn’t tell the whole truth, and now must give up on a life he never dreamt he’d have.
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As events spiral and the truth comes out, Evan faces a reckoning with himself and everyone around him.
Packed with some of the biggest musical theatre songs of this century from a score by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul – who are the Oscar-winning composers for The Greatest Showman – the original production of Dear Evan Hansen took home the Tony Award for Best Musical, the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Score.
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And this new touring iteration sounds set to be just as successful, as it’s directed by Adam Penford with a book by Steven Levenson.
Dear Evan Hansen is coming to Manchester on its first ever UK tour / Credit: Matthew Murphy (via Dear Evan Hansen UK)
“Dear Evan Hansen has thrilled audiences on both sides of the Atlantic since it first premiered in 2015,” commented director Adam Penford on the announcement that the production is heading out on a tour of the UK and Ireland.
“Evan’s powerful story grips and moves people, told through a captivating script and musical score, and this first new and exciting UK production offers the opportunity to reexamine some of its contemporary themes.
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“I’m excited to begin the search for our Evan very soon.”
The beloved musical will take to the Palace Theatre stage in February 2025 / Credit: Supplied
Dear Evan Hansen will take to the stage at the Palace Theatre Manchester from Tuesday 18 – Saturday 22 February 2025, with tickets set to go on general sale this Friday (17 November) at 10am.
Given how popular the production has been in the past, how well-loved it is among musical theatre fans, and the fact this is the first UK tour, it’s expected that tickets will be snapped up quick, so you’ll want to make sure you act fast to get your hands on them.
The very special homecoming show will be New Order‘s first full headline performance in the city since 2021.
The group are widely accepted to be one of the most influential bands of all time and this year celebrated 40 years of their hit Blue Monday.
They were founded in 1980 by vocalist and guitarist Bernard Sumner, bassist Peter Hook and drummer Stephen Morris, who had all been together in Joy Division, which disbanded after the suicide of lead singer Ian Curtis.
This year, the band announced reissued editions of their classic compilation ‘Substance 1987’, the band’s biggest-selling album to date.
They also headlined Barcelona’s Primavera Sound before they commenced their UK and European tour this autumn.
New Order will be supported by Johnny Marr, good friend of the band and legendary guitarist of The Smiths.
Marr and Sumner previously worked on synth-dance act Electronic together, and released three albums.
Johnny Marr announced a new album earlier this year – ‘Spirit Power: The Best of Johnny Marr’ will celebrate the first ten years of his solo career, featuring songs from across his four solo albums.
Fans can expect to hear Johnny’s greatest hits alongside the brand new track ‘The Answer’ as he takes to the stage at Wythenshawe Park next August.
Also supporting New Order at Wythenshawe Park will be adopted Manc Roisin Murphy, known in the 1990s as one half of pop duo Moloko.
The Irish singer and songwriter recently released her universally acclaimed sixth studio album, Hit Parade.
Presale tickets will go on sale from Monday 4 December at 10am, while general sale tickets go on sale on Tuesday 5 December at 10am, and you can grab yours here.
The National named as next act on lineup for Sounds of the City 2024 at Castlefield Bowl
Danny Jones
American rockers The National have been confirmed as the latest act on the Sounds of the City 2024 lineup at Castelfield Bowlin July.
The legendary alt-dad-rockers, as we like to think of them, have officially been named as the next artist for the annual summer festival right here in Manchester city centre, joining the likes of Tom Grennan, Manic Street Preachers, Jungle, Suede and more.
With a Grammy award win and countless other nominations to their name down the years, The National has become one of the best-loved contemporary rock and indie outfits around the globe and now they’re making their Sounds of the City debut in front of roughly 8,000 Mancs.
These lads have been around for over two decades now and have just released their 10th studio album this past September. They show no signs of slowing down and will no doubt light up Manchester’s iconic Castlefield Bowl as they have done countless other arenas and amphitheatres.
We are pleased to announce some additional tour dates for Summer 2024.
Tickets for all shows go on sale Friday, 17th November at 10AM GMT, except Milan and Rome which go on sale Thursday, 16th November at 10AM GMT. pic.twitter.com/FqG58cMVpf
The National confirm Castlefield Bowl and Sounds of the City debut in 2024.
Announcing the show as part of their current tour which kicked off this November at home in the States, this latest leg is promoting the new record, Laugh Track: a surprise release which comes just a couple of couple of months after their previous project, First Two Pages of Frankenstein, which dropped in July.
While the band confirmed the songs were all written at the same time, the five-piece has insisted that if the last album “represented a rebuilding of trust between us after 20+ years together, Laugh Track is both the product of that faith and a new statement of intent.”
In a continued sea change for the group, the new record features some seriously cool feature artists including Phoebe Bridgers and Rosanne Cash (daughter of country legend, Johnny) — two very exciting names to follow up the equally surprising collaboration with Taylor Swift.
All that being said, these lads will be putting on anything but a ‘Slow Show’ and it’s safe to say that if you miss out, everybody else will be there.
General sale for The National at Manchester’s Castlefield Bowl for Sounds of the City 2024 goes live at 10am on Friday, 17 November, adding to an already stacked month of mega live music here in 0161.
Emily Sergeant -
13th November 2023 
