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Nationwide
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26 December 2025
The new year is bringing plenty of new musicals up and down the UK!
From world premieres to overseas imports, telling the tales of pirate radio stations, witches, showmen, and even a Burnley businessman, it’s an exciting time for musical theatre fans.
To caveat, the listed shows have not been staged professionally in the UK before now, and will enjoy full productions. We haven’t included concert productions – of which there are many we hope to see develop further down the line!
Beautiful Little Fool
This piece explores the lives of Zelda and F Scott Fitzgerald through the eyes of their daughter, Scottie, as she revisits her parents’ legacy. David Hunter, Lauren Ward and Hannah Corneau are directed by Michael Greif in this new musical by Corneau and Mona Mansour. Eager to hear more? Check out the concept album, which features the lovely voices of Jessie Mueller and Ryan Vasquez.
Plays at Southwark Playhouse Borough from 15 January to 28 February
Ballad Lines
This new folk musical (developed under its old name A Mother’s Song), co-created by Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo, weaves together original songs with reimagined traditional Scottish, Irish and Appalachian ballads, performed by an all-female band. It follows Sarah, a queer woman living in New York, who has turned her back on the folk traditions of her childhood. Rediscovering these songs leads her on a journey across time, connecting her with Cait, a minister’s wife in 17th-century Scotland, and Jean, a teenager navigating 18th-century Ireland. Casting has been confirmed, and you can listen to a concept album now!
Plays at Southwark Playhouse Elephant from 23 January to 21 March
Weird
Continuing the wickedly fun trend of retelling tales through another character’s lens, it’s the turn of the three witches from Macbeth! Accompanied by a soundtrack of new pop anthems, an impressive creative team is responsible for this one – and we expect there to be a long future life planned.
Plays at Newcastle Theatre Royal from 28 to 31 January
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind
Based on the true story of William Kamkwamba, this is the first new musical from the RSC’s co-artistic directors Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey. Directed by Lynette Linton, it tells the story of the Malawian teenager who, during a time of famine and poverty, built a wind turbine from scrap materials to bring electricity and water to his village. His ingenuity and determination became a symbol of resourcefulness and the power of education.
Plays at the Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from 14 February to 21 March before transferring to @sohoplace from 25 April to 18 July
One Day
Meet Dexter (played by Jamie Muscato) and Emma (Sharon Rose) as each day on St Swithin’s Day, we see them grow from students into adults. It’s based on David Nicholls’ 2009 novel, which has enjoyed a solid film adaptation and a more recent Netflix series. Bring tissues.
Plays at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh from 27 February
The Ballad of Johnny & June
Featuring tunes including “I Walk the Line”, “Ring of Fire”, “Hey Porter”, “Jackson” and “I’ve Been Everywhere,” learn everything you could have ever wanted about the two musicians from the perspective of their son, John Carter Cash. This new musical is directed by the King of jukebox musicals, Des McAnuff, whose previous credits include Jersey Boys, The Who’s Tommy and Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, and will star Christopher Ryan Grant and Christina Bianco.
Tour opens at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre on 2 March
I’m Every Woman – The Chaka Khan Musical
Alexandra Burke will “reveal the woman behind the diva, and her rise to stardom,” in a new bio-musical featuring Chaka Khan’s hits and those from her famous friends, too! It will be directed by Racky Plews, choreographed by Jade Hackett and written by Nia T. Hill.
Plays at the Peacock Theatre from 5 to 28 March before touring
The Greatest Showman
An all-star cast has assembled for the highly anticipated world premiere stage adaptation of The Greatest Showman! Pasek and Paul’s award-winning songs, including “The Greatest Show”, “A Million Dreams”, “Come Alive”, “Rewrite the Stars”, “Never Enough” and “This Is Me”, will all feature alongside new material written for the stage. This major new musical has already sold out its run in Bristol, but it’s worth keeping an eye out for any returns or its future life. Could this be the greatest show?!
Plays at Bristol Hippodrome from 15 March to 10 May
Ruth
A new musical dramatising the life of the last woman executed in Britain, Ruth Ellis, arrives in 2026. The peroxide blonde nightclub hostess shot and killed her violent upper-class lover, and this piece will mark 70 years since her death. Reimagining her story as a noir-inspired piece about class and gender, it’ll feature a score by John Cameron, Francis Rockliff and James Reader, and lyrics by Caroline Slocock and Cameron.
Plays at Wilton’s Music Hall from 18 to 28 March
The High Life
Alan Cumming and Forbes Masson‘s 1990s sitcom followed the antics of Air Scotia flight attendants Steve, Sebastian and Shona, as well as their captain, Hilary Duff. The new musical picks up with the characters several decades later as they face new challenges in a changing world – and sees the original cast reunite!
Plays at Dundee Rep Theatre from 28 March before touring Scotland
Pride
A long-awaited adaptation of Pride will finally hit stages in 2026! The show reunites director Matthew Warchus (who also directed the original film) and writer Stephen Beresford, who return to the true story of the miners’ strike of 1984 and the group of lesbian and gay activists who lent their support to the communities, which inspired the original screenplay.
Plays first at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre from 31 March to 18 April, before London’s National Theatre’s Dorfman Theatre from 11 June to 12 September
Caroline: A New Musical
Tune in to a wad of ’60s tunes in a new musical written by Vikki Stone and featuring a cast of actor-musicians! Caroline’s life changes when her boyfriend takes a job with Radio Caroline, the offshore station that broadcast pop and rock music from a ship off the Essex coast during the 1960s. Paying tribute to East Anglia, the “bold, loud and joyfully defiant show” will tour the region.
Plays at the New Wolsey Theatre from 17 April before touring
Disenchanted!
These princesses are no damsels in distress! See the real Snow White, Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty, Hua Mulan, the Princess (Who Kissed the Frog), the Little Mermaid, Pocahontas, Rapunzel, Belle, and Princess Badroulbadour, in this new piece written by Dennis T Giacino and Fiely Matias, which has already been performed on five continents!
Plays at Lichfield Garrick from 24 April to 2 May
The Karate Kid – The Musical
Four years after its world premiere in St Louis, the stage adaptation of the 1984 movie arrives in London, widening the much-loved franchise! This new production is written by the original film’s writer, Robert Mark Kamen, with music and lyrics by Drew Gasparini.
Plays at New Wimbledon Theatre from 28 April before touring
Fourteen Again
A new musical featuring tunes by Victoria Wood and a book by Everybody’s Talking About Jamie writer Tom MacRae? Sign us up! Exploring friendship and nostalgia, the show follows Peggy, who reconnects with her former best friend, Lou, at a local slimming club. It’ll play at a theatre newly rechristened in Wood’s honour.
Plays at the Victoria Wood Theatre (currently the Old Laundry Theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere) from 1 to 30 May
Bank of Dave
Dream duo Rob Madge and Pippa Cleary have penned the book and tunes for the world premiere of Bank of Dave. Self-made Burnley businessman Dave Fishwick and the subsequent documentary book and film about his Burnley Savings and Loans company are the inspiration for this new Nikolai Foster-directed musical, debuting up north!
Plays at the Lowry from 2 to 16 May before moving to Curve from 20 to 30 May
Thespians
A Mischief musical?! We can hardly believe our luck! Jonathan Sayer‘s latest work is set in 534 BC. It follows Greece’s smallest island as it competes in a nationwide prayer competition led by a tyrant, where the losing team faces execution. Things take a turn when Thespis accidentally invents acting, sparking the world’s first play and the birth of theatre.
Tour begins at Mercury Theatre Colchester on 9 May
Something Rotten!
It’s a musical! A musical! After its WhatsOnStage Award-winning concert, Something Rotten will receive its fully-staged UK premiere, with two cast members confirmed to be reviving their roles…
Plays at Manchester Opera House from 16 June to 19 July
The Singer
Okay. It might be difficult to internet search “KT Tunstall”, The Singer” and “musical” together, but there is a result in Dundee Rep’s newest season! With songs by the award-winning musician, this piece of gig-theatre follows Joe, a Deaf artist who performs with his hands and Andy, a washed-up musician hungry for a comeback.
Plays at Dundee Rep Theatre in late July, before visiting the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the Citizens Theatre Studio in Glasgow and the Lemon Tree in Aberdeen
Kimberly Akimbo
The Tony Award-winning Best Musical is heading to London for its European premiere! A new production, directed by Michael Longhurst, will have a “Great Adventure” at the Hampstead Theatre in the summer, so you can meet teen Kim, navigating her rare genetic disorder, which causes her to age rapidly, with her turbulent family life and new relationships.
Plays at Hampstead Theatre from 28 August to 7 November
Wallace: A Musical
A William Wallace hip hop musical aims Scotland’s most familiar national myth, interrogating whether William Wallace should be remembered as a hero, a rebel or a story shaped by the centuries that followed him. Expect a hip-hop score that fuses rap, folk, pop and rock while keeping a distinctly Scottish voice.
Tour opens at Beacon Arts Centre on 23 September before touring
Ceilidh
Sam Pinkleton (the director behind Oh, Mary!) will present the UK premiere of Scott Gilmour and Claire McKenzie’s Ceilidh. The immersive musical invites audiences into one of Scotland’s long-standing traditions, combining music, storytelling and dance. Guided by a caller and live folk band, the event unfolds as a family story of love, legacy and connection during a night that carries particular significance for those involved.
Plays at Pitlochry Festival Theatre from 25 September to 17 October
