To Sir, With Love musical to tour – with initial casting confirmed

Exclusive: Matt Henry will lead the cast of To Sir, With Love – A New Musical, which will begin a UK tour at Leeds Grand Theatre on 15 April 2027.

The production, marking 60 years since the release of the 1967 film starring Sidney Poitier, will open with a gala performance in support of the Ben Kinsella Trust on 21 April, before visiting Hull New Theatre, Manchester Palace Theatre and the New Wimbledon Theatre in London.

The story follows Rick Braithwaite, a Cambridge-educated engineer and former RAF fighter pilot who takes a teaching job and encounters prejudice from both colleagues and pupils. Rather than treating his students as troublesome youths, he approaches them as young adults preparing to enter the world.

Henry, who won an Olivier Award for Kinky Boots, will play Braithwaite. He is joined by Amy Di Bartolomeo as Ms Blanchard, Lucy Benjamin as Ms Dale-Evans, Ben Richards as Mr Florian and Georgia May Foote as Pamela Dare.

The musical is based on E R Braithwaite’s memoir and features the title song, made famous by Lulu and written by Don Black and Mark London, alongside new music and lyrics by John Farrar and Kara DioGuardi. The book is by Kris Lythgoe.

Sheldon Epps directs, with choreography by Kieran Donovan, orchestrations by Joseph Joubert, set and costume design by Andy Walmsley, video design by Aaron Rhyne, sound design by Paul Smith, dramaturgy by Shereen Jasmin Phillips, production management by Phil McCandlish and casting by Debbie O’Brien.

The production follows two sold-out concert performances at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in November 2025, featuring Lulu and Wayne Brady.

Epps said: “This moving and wonderful story is personally meaningful to me for so many reasons. It is a joy and an honour to bring it to the stage, through the expressive power of musical theatre. Along with my wonderful collaborators we have found ways to let the story ‘Sing’ in an organic way, heightening the emotion that has always been there. Rarely do we have the chance to bring to life a story so rooted in its time, yet still so vitally relevant today. I know audiences will celebrate our ‘Sir’ with every performance.”

Lythgoe added: “We are so excited to bring this iconic story to a new generation, and in doing so, celebrate teachers. We all remember a teacher who made a difference in our lives, and we want this musical to encourage people to show them how much they are appreciated.”

To Sir, With Love is produced by Lythgoe, with Willette and Manny Klausner, Jennifer Yaek, and Chris and Viv Day as co-producers. QUBE Theatricals is the general manager. The production was developed through the Ogunquit Playhouse New Works Program.

Further casting and creative team members are to be announced.