Becoming Nancy musical to have UK premiere this autumn

The highly anticipated UK premiere of the musical Becoming Nancy is set to run at Birmingham Rep

Based on the moving coming-of-age novel by Terry Ronald, Becoming Nancy is directed and choreographed by the Tony Award-winning Jerry Mitchell. The book is crafted by Elliot Davis, music by George Stiles, and lyrics by Anthony Drewe. Additional music and lyrics are contributed by Terry Ronald, Davis and Stiles.

Set in 1979, Becoming Nancy follows David Starr, a brilliant sixth former with a penchant for pop idols like Blondie, Sting, and Kate Bush. Despite his talent and imagination, he faces an unexpected twist when cast as the female lead in the school play. The unconventional choice stirs opinions among his parents, aunt, and classmates, prompting David to seek guidance from his no-nonsense best friend Frances and his unlikely co-star Maxie, the enigmatic football team captain.

Mitchell explained that he discovered the book at Heathrow Airport in 2013. Struck by the story’s potential, he decided to turn it into a musical, first seen in Atlanta in 2019. He said today: “Becoming Nancy is about finding love. Love of self, love of others and love of what matters most in life. As soon as I saw The Rep and visited Birmingham, I knew that it was the right place to open the show.  It’s been a privilege to turn Terry’s beautiful story into a musical, and we are all looking forward to working on  the show and sharing this beautiful musical with Birmingham and the rest of Great Britain and the world.”

The show will run from 2 October to 2 November 2024.