Motown The Musical UK and Ireland tour announced

Berry Gordy's Motown the Musical will embark on a UK and Ireland tour at the end of the year and will continue into 2019.

The show, which premiered in 2013 in New York, tells the story of the Motown movement and its impact on the musical world, as well as the ascension of Motown founder Berry Gordy. The production features over 50 classic songs including "Ain’t No Mountain High Enough", "I’ll Be There", "Dancing In The Street", "Stop! In The Name Of Love", "My Girl" and "I Heard It Through the Grapevine".

The new tour will open in Birmingham on 11 October, before visiting Leeds, Edinburgh, Bristol, Dublin, Manchester and Cardiff. Further dates and casting are to be announced.

Gordy said: "The UK has always been the gateway for Motown to the rest of the world. While the West End production still continues to perform to great audiences, I’m thrilled that we are taking a second production of Motown the Musical to the rest of the UK."

The London production of Motown the Musical opened in the West End in February 2016, where it is about to enter its third year. It currently stars Cedric Neal as Gordy alongside Lucy St Louis as Diana Ross and David Albury as Smokey Robinson. is booking through until January 2019.

Motown the Musical UK and Ireland tour opens at Birmingham New Alexandra theatre on 11 October. The West End production continues at the Shaftesbury Theatre.

Buy tickets for the West End production of Motown

Tickets for the Motown tour available from 1 February