You will be found: the biggest stage roles still to be filled in 2026

The lovely folk at Deadline have put out a big list of major TV and film roles for 2026 that have yet to be filled, which got us thinking – what about theatre? We’ve assembled a mighty list to help any theatregoers eager to find out more…

Beetlejuice
It’s showtime! After years of cult-like anticipation, the “Ghost with the Most” finally brings his chaotic brand of bio-exorcism to London. Made famous by the legendary Alex Brightman, the role demands a performer with manic comedic energy, a gravelly rock-tenor belt, and the ability to break the fourth wall into a thousand pieces. The show is currently going through the audition process, but may have already locked in a leading man.

Kimberly Levaco
A teenager in a 60-year-old’s body, Kimberly is a masterclass in “funny-sad” and now comes to the Hampstead Theatre for Kimberly Akimbo‘s eagerly anticipated UK premiere. The role requires a performer who can capture the luminous innocence of a 16-year-old while navigating the physical and emotional weight of a life lived in fast-forward.

Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovett
The Demon Barber and the purveyor of “the worst pies in London” return in an epic new revival at the Birmingham Rep. One requires a brooding, vengeful baritone; the other, a master of comic timing and maternal manipulation. Together, they are theatre’s most delicious, deadly double-act.

Grizabella
The Glamour Cat must find her way to the Heaviside Layer under the stars of Regent’s Park this summer. This is a role for a powerhouse vocalist who can turn “Memory” into a visceral, desperate plea for acceptance in the actual moonlight. Who could take on the role – and would they then tour with it?

Hannibal Lecter
The world’s most erudite cannibal finally takes the stage. In this new adaptation touring this year, the role of Lecter requires a chilling, intellectual magnetism – a predator who can command the room with nothing more than a whisper from behind the glass. Who could seize the top spot?

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
The world’s most famous “Fine Four-Fendered Friend” is being reimagined for the Watermill’s intimate, actor-musician stage. How will they fly a car in the space? Will they use their beautiful outdoors environment? Who knows…

Alison Bechdel
Navigating three stages of her life in the award-winning musical Fun Home, Alison is a cartoonist trying to draw the truth about her father. This role requires a quiet, observant delicacy and intensity – a performer who can lead a revolutionary queer narrative through the unique “in-the-round” intimacy of the Royal Exchange.

Desiree Armfeldt
Speaking of the Royal Exchange, the glamorous, world-weary actress at the centre of Sondheim’s sophisticated waltz A Little Night Music. This role delivers the iconic “Send in the Clowns” – imagine that in-the-round!

Nurse Ratched
Speaking of in-the-round, who will play the “iron fist” of the psychiatric ward? In the Old Vic’s 2026 “In The Round” revival of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, the role of Ratched has to face off against Aaron Pierre’s rebellious McMurphy.

The John Proctor is the Villain cast
The central performers in the UK premiere of John Proctor is the Villain are already causing a lot of conversation. Following the buzz of Sadie Sink’s performance on Broadway, the Royal Court production seeks a cast that can navigate the messy, contemporary intersection of high-school power dynamics and the legacy of The Crucible.

Mark Ashton and the LGSM (Pride)
The world premiere of the musical adaptation of the 2014 film arrives at Cardiff’s Sherman Theatre, before transferring to the National’s Dorfman. The search is on for the core group of activists – specifically the firebrand Mark Ashton – who can capture the “fierce, joyful solidarity” of the 1984 miners’ strike through a score of pop, disco, and Welsh choral traditions.

Marty McFly and Doc Brown
Great Scott! The DeLorean is hitting the road for the first-ever UK tour of Back to the Future the Musical. But who will take over the iconic roles of Marty and Doc Brown? We’re sure the casting directors have put their mind to it.

Troy and Gabriella
The basketball player and the brainiac at the centre of High School Musical are ready to unstick themselves from the status quo once again – this non-replica revival seeks a new generation to embody the quintessential Disney pairing, bringing a fresh, immersive energy to the hallowed halls of East High.

Eliza Doolittle
Maria Friedman will be helming a new chamber production that strips the classic back to its emotional bones – but who will be the Cockney flower girl that undergoes a linguistic transformation opposite Alan Cumming’s Henry Higgins?

Charlie Price
Who will be bringing heart and sole to this iconic musical, starring opposite Johannes Radebe for the lengthly London Coliseum run? We’ll find out soon enough…

Herod, Mary and Judas
The flamboyant, scene-stealing King, the headstrong other half and the conflicted, soul-searching revolutionary. As Sam Ryder’s Jesus faces his final days, these three roles are the key to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s iconic score, running at The London Palladium. Maybe there’s something fun in store for audiences this summer…

Christopher Boone
A 15-year-old with an extraordinary brain and a mystery to solve. Christopher Boone has been cast with neurodiverse performers in recent productions, so we’re hoping to see the trend continue this year with the first non-replica revival.

Avenue Q principals
Searching for a purpose (and affordable rent). These roles require a rare “double-threat” skill set: world-class puppetry and West End-calibre vocals, all while maintaining the subversive, adult wit that makes this neighbourhood so “special”. The internet is for casting speculation!

The Four Seasons
To celebrate 20 years since the show first shook Broadway, Frankie Valli and his band are “working their way back to you” on a major anniversary tour. These four roles require impeccable tight-knit harmonies and the raw, blue-collar grit of the streets of New Jersey – will they usher in new faces this time around?

Daniel LaRusso
The New Jersey underdog is heading to UK for Karate Kid the Musical! This role demands a performer with the physical discipline of a martial artist and the relatable charm of an 80s hero, as well as top-tier musical theatre instincts. Who has been found?

Mrs Wilkinson
While the search for a new Billy continues, the role of the chain-smoking, sharp-tongued dance teacher remains one of theatre’s best gifts. Mrs Wilkinson requires a performer with a “deadpan wit” and a huge heart, guiding a boy from the picket lines to the barre.