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.
Featured Image – Matthew Murphy (via Dear Evan Hansen UK)
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A candlelit Queen tribute concert is returning to Manchester
Danny Jones
Yes, you read that right: a candlelit tribute concert to the one and only Queen is coming to Manchester city centre.
In fact, it’s coming home, as this wonderful event started right here in 0161 back in 2021.
Concerts by Candlelight themselves host concerts up and down the country at various points throughout the year, but their much-loved ‘Queen by Candlelight‘ special knows all about lighting up Manc venues.
Having since gone on to become an internationally acclaimed live concert experience, we’re glad we still get to see the ‘Princes of the Universe’ on our doorstep.
Credit: Concerts by Candlelight (supplied)
With the likes of Bridgewater Hall and the magical Manchester Monastery all having played host to the promotion on many ocassions, this time Queen by Candlelight is coming to the legendary Manchester Opera House in the new year.
One of our most historic and legendary theatres, it’s only fitting, really, that they be chosen to welcome a night of equally iconic tunes.
But it’s worth reminding more casual fans that these aren’t just British rock and pop anthems; Queen‘s discography is one that still has global recognition to this day.
That’s why this specific show has been taken to virtually every corner of the world, with the incredibly talented cast of singers and musicians delighting audiences in Dubai, Australia, New Zealand and New York, to domestic crowds here in town and down in London’s West End.
‘Queenies’ or ‘Darlings’, as Freddie Mercury used to call them, can expect all the big hits, from ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘We Are The Champions’, to ‘It’s a Kind of Magic’ and ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’ and plenty more from the back catalogue.
Here’s a glimpse of what’s in store this coming January:
With tickets already flying out fast, we really would recommend securing your seats early before they inevitably sell out.
To quote the promoters themselves, “this spectacular celebration of Queen’s biggest hits is guaranteed to rock you.”
Coming to the Manchester Opera House on Tuesday, 6 January, you can book your tickets for Queen by Candlelight right HERE.
And if you’ve never been to one of their candlelit events before, you only need to see how much of a ball we had at their country event earlier this year to find out how much fun they are…
Featured Images — Concerts by Candlelight (supplied)
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An ‘extraordinary’ new Live Aid musical is coming to Manchester on its UK tour
Emily Sergeant
An ‘extraordinary’ new musical based on Live Aid is coming to Manchester as part of an upcoming UK and Ireland tour.
Producers Jamie Wilson Productions say they’re ‘thrilled’ to announce that Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical will head out on a big UK and Ireland tour starting out in March 2027, and visiting loads of major cities along the way – including Manchester, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Nottingham, and plenty more.
The production take us back to 13 July 1985 – the day music united the world.
Live Aid was an unprecedented global music event that brought 1.5 billion people together, and they all have a story to tell about ‘the day rock ‘n’ roll changed the world’.
Now, more than 40 years on from that famous day, audiences in Manchester will get to discover the behind-the-scenes story of Live Aid in a whole new way, as Just For One Day – The Live Aid Musical is the story behind the greatest gig in music history.
What makes Just For One Day special? Nostalgia, relevance to today and a message for the new generation 🤘 pic.twitter.com/wRBV4Ar1Hv
— Just For One Day | The Live Aid Musical (@liveaidmusical) June 9, 2025
With hit songs by Bob Dylan, David Bowie, The Who, U2, Queen, Madonna, The Police, Elton John, Paul McCartney, Diana Ross, and more all featuring, these iconic artists made history at simultaneous charitable concerts in London and Philadelphia.
The musical is written by John O’Farrell and directed by Luke Sheppard, with musical supervision, arrangements and orchestration by Matthew Brind, choreography by Ebony Molina, and casting by Stuart Burt.
“Just For One Day brilliantly reimagines why Live Aid worked then and why the humanity of that day still matters now,” commented Bob Geldoff.
“I’m delighted that more of the UK and Ireland will finally get to see this extraordinary and compelling musical. The reaction the show gets continually surprises and amazes me, standing ovations and people come back time and again, introducing the Live Aid story to new generations.”
Emily Sergeant -
13th November 2023 
