Musical revivals confirmed for 2026

The new year may be for fresh starts, but how about reviving older gems?

There are plenty of musical revivals set to take to stages up and down the UK throughout 2026, with many more surely to be announced.

Now is a fantastic chance to map out a few future theatre trips and see new takes on familiar favourites.

Legally Blonde

Omigod, you guys! Class is in session, and Elle Woods is back in a brand new production of Legally Blonde. Amber Davies will hop from the Strictly ballroom to Harvard Law to play Elle Woods on tour. What? Like it’s hard?

Tour opens at Curve, Leicester on 7 February

The Secret Garden

A major revival of The Secret Garden will play in its native York. The rarely staged but adored musical will be directed by Tony Award winner John Doyle, who returns to York Theatre Royal, where he served as artistic director from 1993 to 1997. We can’t wait to discover more!

Plays at York Theatre Royal on 19 March until 4 April

Avenue Q

The original Broadway puppets and members of the creative team behind the musical’s debut will reunite for the 20th anniversary – we can’t wait to see the naughty updates!

Plays at Shaftesbury Theatre from 20 March to 29 August 2026

Kiss of the Spider Woman

WhatsOnStage Award winner Layton Williams, Anna-Jane Casey and George Blagden are set to star in a rare revival of Kander and Ebb’s hit Broadway musical Kiss of the Spider Woman. It’s the first major revival since 1992 and will be staged in an intimate setting directed by Paul Foster.

Plays at Curve’s Studio Theatre from 3 to 25 April 2026 before touring

Little Shop of Horrors

There are plenty of opportunities to go “Somewhere That’s Green” in 2026, with a couple of productions of Little Shop of Horrors confirmed. First up is Derby Theatre and Northern Stage’s collaboration, directed by Sarah Brigham. It’s set to feature a company of actor-musicians and integrate creative captions throughout every performance.

Plays at Northern Stage from 8 to 23 May 2026 before transferring to Derby Theatre from 30 May to 20 June 2026

High Society

Cole Porter and Arthur Kopit’s High Society is receiving a glitzy revival to spend a summer at the Barbican! The story follows preparations for a society wedding that begin to unravel as past relationships resurface and an intrusive reporter arrives…  It’ll have you saying: “You’re Sensational”!

Plays at the Barbican from 19 May to 11 July before touring

Once

The original creative team are reuniting to revive Once as part of Alan Cumming‘s inaugural season as artistic director of Pitlochry Festival Theatre. It follows Guy, a Dublin street musician on the verge of giving up his craft, and Girl, a Czech immigrant who persuades him to keep going. Together, they form an unlikely partnership with a group of musicians as they set out to record an album.

Plays at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 23 May to 27 June

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang

An actor-musician production of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang sounds “Truly Scrumptious” and after what they’ve accomplished with The Lord of the Rings, Barnum and Jesus Christ Superstar in recent years, we can’t see what Paul Hart and the Watermill team have planned for this ride!

Plays at Watermill Theatre from 26 May to 13 September

Jesus Christ Superstar

A holy revival will take place in the West End next summer! Sam Ryder will be making his stage debut in Tim Sheader’s Jesus Christ Superstar at The London Palladium. Also previously seen outside at Regent’s Park, perhaps this production could follow the footsteps of another Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice revival that had audiences flocking to a balcony last summer?

Plays at The London Palladium from 20 June to 5 September

Summer Holiday

Under the new artistic director, Elizabeth Newman, Sheffield Crucible will have a summer holiday! Based on the 1960s film, the piece will be directed by Newman with Ben Occhipinti, and the venue promises that the whole city will get to enjoy the beach.

Plays at Sheffield Crucible from 20 June to 18 July

Anything Goes

If you were to set sail to Leicestershire, you’d find an open-air revival of Anything Goes tapping under the stars! Cole Porter’s musical features his classic songs and follows the comedic misunderstandings of nightclub singer Reno Sweeney and a cast of passengers set aboard the SS American.

Plays at Kilworth House Open Air Theatre from 23 June to 2 August

Fun Home

Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron’s coming-out and coming-of-age musical will receive its professional regional premiere in 2026, marking the 20th anniversary of Alison Bechdel’s own graphic novel on which the show is based.

Plays at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre from 3 July to 1 August

9 to 5

Tumble outta bed and get yourself to Peterborough! The much-loved musical is based on the equally loved 1980 film of the same name, featuring the tunes of Dolly Parton and telling the story of three office workers who decide to take revenge on their overbearing boss. Paul Jepson will direct Landmark Theatres’ first in-house production to tour nationally.

Plays at Peterborough New Theatre from 4 July before touring

Sweeney Todd

Fleet Street comes to Birmingham as a new revival of Sondheim and Wheeler’s Sweeney Todd will play at the Rep. It’ll be directed by the theatre’s artistic director Joe Murphy and feature design by Elin Steele – we can’t wait to attend the tale!

Plays at Birmingham Rep from 4 July to 9 August

Cats

The Jellicle ball is headed outside for a new revival under the stars. Drew McOnie will direct and choreograph Lloyd Webber’s landmark musical before it strays across the country on a tour.

Plays at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre from 25 July to 12 September before touring

Fame

Theatre Royal Plymouth has announced a “bold, new” production of Fame the Musical, marking 30 years of the show at the venue where it all started. It’s gonna live forever!

Plays at Theatre Royal Plymouth from 28 July to 15 August

Calendar Girls

Mark your calendars – the girls are back! Tim Firth and Gary Barlow’s musical is based on the true story of a group of women from a Yorkshire WI who decide to raise money for charity by posing for a nude calendar.

Plays at Theatre By The Lake from 6 August to 5 September before touring

High School Musical

Let’s go, Wildcats! The first-ever non-replica production of High School Musical will mark two decades since the release of the original Disney film. It’ll be co-directed by Hope Mill founders Joseph Houston and William Whelton, boasting an immersive basketball court setting that includes on-stage seating and an extended playing space. Here and now, it’s time for celebration!

Plays at the Lowry from 21 August to 13 September

Little Shop of Horrors

In 2025, the Hope Mill presented Young Frankenstein, and their next anti-Christmas offering will be Little Shop of Horrors! They sure are keeping us fed. Carrie-Anne Ingrouille will direct the new staging of Alan Menken and Howard Ashman’s musical comedy.

Plays at Hope Mill Theatre from 25 September to 29 November before transferring to Liverpool

Dirty Dancing

You could have the time of your life watching a new production of Dirty Dancing in an equally new theatre! The Capital Theatre in west London will open in October, and Dirty Dancing – The Classic Story on Stage is slated to be one of the first productions at the venue.

Plays at Capital Theatre from 16 October

Anything Goes

Can’t get enough of Anything Goes? You can sea (geddit?) another revival at the Mill at Sonning over the festive period!

Plays at the Mill at Sonning from 19 November 2026 to 17 January 2027

My Fair Lady

A loverly new chamber revival of My Fair Lady will play in Pitlochry! Alan Cumming will star as Professor Henry Higgins and be directed by Maria Friedman in the Lerner and Loewe musical.

Plays at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 21 November to 31 December

Honk!

George Stiles and Anthony Drewe’s musical Honk! is back! Based on Hans Christian Andersen’s The Ugly Duckling, the musical centres on Ugly, a duckling who embarks on a journey of self-discovery after being singled out for his appearance.

Plays at Cirencester’s Barn Theatre from 21 November to 3 January 2027

A Little Night Music

You can Night Waltz your way to Manchester next Christmas as Selina Cartmell will direct Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s musical comedy about mismatched couples. The piece features the musical theatre staple “Send in the Clowns” and will surely dazzle.

Plays at Manchester’s Royal Exchange Theatre from 5 December 2026 to 30 January 2027

Scrooge the Musical

Marti Pellow will play Ebenezer Scrooge in a new production of Scrooge The Musical next Christmas! The Wet Wet Wet musician will be directed by Thom Southerland.

Plays at Glasgow’s SEC Armadillo from 12 December 2026 to 10 January 2027