Tracie Bennett to star in Mame as part of Hope Mill Theatre's new season

Manchester's Hope Mill Theatre has announced its new season, with Tracie Bennett starring in a revival production of Mame.

The season opens on 2 March with the UK premiere of a new version of the Stephen Schwartz musical Rags. The show will run until 9 April.

Stephen Schwartz said: "I'm delighted that Katy Lipson and Hope Mill Theatre will be presenting our newly revised version of Rags in its first production. The show feels more timely than it ever has been, and my co-authors and I are enthusiastic about all the improvements we have made and excited to be sharing the show with the Manchester audience."

The piece has a book by Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof), lyrics by Schwartz (Wicked) and music by Charles Strouse (Annie), and tells the story of Russian immigrant Rebecca, who travels with her son David to America in search of a better life. The piece will be directed by Bronagh Lagan.

On 27 September, Bennett is to star in the revival production of Mame, which has a book by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E Lee and music and lyrics by Jerry Herman. This will be the first time the piece has been in the UK since the original West End production in 1969.

The musical is set in New York throughout the Great Depression and World War II and focuses on eccentric bohemian Mame Dennis. Ginger Rogers starred in the original 1969 production.

The venue's Christmas show next year will be The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit, a new musical with book by Allan Knee and music and lyrics by Andre Catrini. It is inspired by the characters from Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. The musical will be directed by Jonathan O'Boyle and runs between 22 November and 29 December.