One of the best-loved musicals of all time is kicking off its UK tour here in Manchester next year, and tickets are going on sale very soon.
That’s right, you can’t stop the beat… or Hairspray The Musical from heading back to our city.
There’s no denying that Hairspray is known and loved by millions worldwide since it first opened on Broadway all way back in 2002, and has had audiences tapping their feet on the West End and in countless other cities and countries across the globe ever since.
The eight Tony Award wins and the record-breaking 11 Olivier Award nominations prove that all to well, as does the smash-hit success of the 2007 film adaptation too.
But it’s been quite a while now since theatre lovers have been treated to the musical live on stage, and have been anticipating its return since 2017 – but luckily, the long wait is now over, as it’s just been confirmed this week that a new production of Hairspray The Musical is heading out on a major national tour of the UK and Ireland in 2024.
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And what better way to kick things off than right here in Manchester?
In case you’re unfamiliar with the timeless story of Hairspray centres around heroine Tracy Turnblad, who has “big hair, a big heart, and big dreams” and wants to dance her way onto national TV, and into the heart of teen idol Link Larkin.
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When Tracy becomes a local star, she is able to use her newfound fame to fight for liberation, tolerance, and interracial unity in Baltimore.
But the real question is, can she win equality – and Link’s heart -without denting her ’do?
Audiences in Manchester will be the first to hear some of musical theatre’s most well-known songs, including Welcome To The 60s, You Can’t Stop The Beat, and Good Morning Baltimore, before it heads out to other major cites across the country.
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Iconic musical Hairspray to kick-off UK tour in Manchester next year / Credit: Hairspray the Musical
Liverpool, Newcastle, Sheffield, and Bradford are just a few of the fellow Northern cites where the tour will stop off at in 2024.
The show’s original production team of Mark Goucher, Matthew Gale, and Laurence Myers will be joined by Brenda Edwards – who’s most famous for her appearances on ITV’s Loose Women, but also for having previously played “Motormouth” Maybelle in three tours of Hairspray – on the creative team as director for this new production, alongside Paul Kerryson too.
Choreography for the iconic show will come from Olivier Award winner Drew McOnie, while music is, of course, provided by the Academy Award, Tony, and Emmy-winning duo Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman.
The beloved production will take to the Palace Theatre stage next summer / Credit: Hairspray The Musical
Hairspray The Musical will take to the stage at Manchester’s Palace Theatre from 16 – 27 July 2024.
Tickets are going on general sale today at 10am, and although prices haven’t been revealed yet, it’s expected they’ll be available in a range of prices so it’s affordable for everyone looking to make the most of the all-singing-all-dancing experience.
New stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House to arrive in Manchester this Halloween
Emily Sergeant
A brand-new stage adaptation of a bestselling horror novel and TV series is coming to Manchester this Halloween.
Following the critically acclaimed Netflix hit series that introduced a new generation to the eerie masterpiece, author Shirley Jackson’s famous The Haunting of Hill House is being turned into a brand-new stage adaptation later this year, and will be taking to one of Manchester’s most iconic stages at the spookiest season of all.
Written by Olivier and BAFTA award-winner Stef Smith, and directed by Martin Constantine, the new production is set to conjure the iconic supernatural thriller on stage.
It will be making its world premiere with a UK tour this autumn, stopping off in several major towns and cities along the way.
If you’re unfamiliar with the story, The Haunting of Hill House follows a group of daring investigators who take on the mystery of Hill House, before their curiosity quickly descends into fear.
A new stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House is coming to Manchester this Halloween / Credit: Supplied
“The Haunting of Hill House is one of the greatest supernatural novels of the last hundred years and to have the chance to adapt it for the stage is a true privilege,” explained writer Stef Smith, as the UK tour was announced this week.
“I find Shirley Jackson’s world intoxicating, thrilling and gut-wrenching.
“I believe there is something so deeply theatrical at the heart of Hill House. From the spooky, to the surreal, through heartache and hope. I hope that our cast of characters will take the audience along for a ride quite unlike anything else. Above all we will examine that the biggest horrors are usually human.”
The brand-new stage adaptation of The Haunting of Hill House will arrive in Manchester and take to the stage at Manchester Palace Theatre from Tuesday 27 October right through to Halloween itself (Saturday 31 October 2026).
The full cast and creative team for the new production is set to be announced shortly, so keep your eyes peeled.
Tickets go on pre-sale tomorrow at 10am, before general sale begins on Friday (20 February), again at 10am, and you book your place here.
Featured Image – Supplied
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Multi award-winning musical Back to the Future returns to Manchester next summer
Emily Sergeant
Nearly six years after making its world premiere here in Manchester, Back to The Future The Musical is returning to our city next summer.
The multi award-winning musical – based off the beloved 1985 film of the same name – held its world premiere at the Manchester Opera House back 2020, but unfortunately, as you can probably guess, its run was cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but now, flash forward to 2027, the production is returning to ‘settle some unfinished business’.
Lead producer Colin Ingram, together with Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the creators of the Back To The Future film trilogy, have announced that the musical will return to Manchester as part of its first-ever UK tour.
Directed by Tony Award-winning director John Rando, alongside a multi Tony and Olivier Award-winning design team, Back to the Future The Musical has a book by Bob Gale, and new music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard.
Multi award-winning musical Back to the Future is returning to Manchester / Credit: Supplied
Additional hit songs from the film, including ‘The Power of Love’ and ‘Johnny B. Goode’, are also included in the production, making it a real trip down memory lane for fans.
The show will run at Manchester Opera House from 13 July through to 21 August 2027, following its run in the West End at the Adelphi Theatre, where it’s currently in its fifth year, having broken box office records and being seen by more than 2.3 million people.
“Speaking for the entire creative team, we are beyond thrilled to be returning to the Manchester Opera House, which we consider the birthplace of Back to the Future The Musical and one of the UK’s best venues,” commented co-creator Bob Gale.
“No city has ever given us a better reception and the incredible audience response we received in 2020 helped shape the show creatively in myriad ways.”
Back to the Future The Musical will take to the Manchester Opera House stage from 13 July – 21 August 2027, and tickets officially go on general sale tomorrow (18 February) at 10am.
Emily Sergeant -
4th October 2023 
