NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL ANNOUNCES
SPRING / SUMMER ’17 SEASON
HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
Running Wild 9 – 13 May ‘17
The Railway Children 26 Jun – 1 Jul ‘17
Young Frankenstein 26 Aug – 9 Sep ‘17
Shirley Valentine 23 – 28 Oct ‘17
Beautiful 14 – 18 Nov ‘17
There’s something to suit every taste with spellbinding dance, madcap comedy and scintillating drama amongst the world-class productions announced by Newcastle Theatre Royal for the Spring / Summer 2017 season.
Comedy musical Young Frankenstein (Sat 26 Aug – Sat 9 Sep ‘17) will get its UK premiere when Hollywood legend Mel Brooks brings his classic movie to life on stage in an all singing, all dancing musical collaboration with Broadway director and choreographer Susan Stroman. Based on the 1974 Oscar-nominated smash hit movie, Young Frankenstein is coming to Newcastle for a pre-West End season and will be co-produced by Michael Harrison, the man behind the Theatre Royal’s record-breaking pantomime and hugely popular musicals including The Bodyguard and Annie.
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| Photo: Birgit & Ralf Brinkhoff |
Harrison then returns with Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Tue 14 – Sat 18 Nov ’17), the Olivier award-winning West End show that tells the inspiring story of an ordinary girl with an extraordinary talent. Discover the remarkable rise to stardom of the chart-topping music legend who wrote the soundtrack to a generation with classics including (You Make Me Feel) Like a Natural Woman, You’ve Got a Friend and Locomotion.
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| Photo: Johan Persson |
In Running Wild (Tue 9 – Sat 13 May ’17), going to Indonesia with her mum isn’t just a holiday for Lilly, it’s a new start and the chance to ride an elephant called Oona. But then the tsunami hit – and Oona charges into the jungle, with her young rider desperately clinging on. Directed by Dale Rooks and Timothy Sheader with puppetry design and direction by Finn Caldwell and Toby Olie (War Horse), this epic and spectacular production tells an emotional and moving story of love, loss, loyalty and of living for the moment.
Hot on the heels of The Great British Bake Off, comedy genius Sue Perkins Live! In Spectacles (Sun 12 Feb ’17) will be entertaining audiences with an evening full of sparkling wit, tall tales and a user’s guide to Mary Berry.
And the fun continues with a stellar line up including Shaun Williamson (EastEnders, Extras); Sue Holderness (Only Fools & Horses, Green Green Grass); Andrew Hall (Butterflies, Coronation Street); Susie Amy (Footballers’ Wives) and James Homes (Miranda) guaranteeing that audiences have plenty to laugh about in Ray Cooney’s Olivier Award-winning comedy Out of Order (Mon 22 – Sat 27 May ’17).
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| Babe, The Sheep-Pig |
Younger audiences will be delighted by the lovable Babe in a heart-warming tale of friendship, adventure and bravery. Babe, The Sheep-Pig (Mon 12 – Wed 14 Jun ’17) tells the story of the little pig with big dreams in an enchanting family favourite as the classic novel which inspired the Oscar-winning film comes alive with plenty of laughter, thrills, stunning puppetry and original music.
E.Nesbit’s classic novel The Railway Children (Mon 26 Jun – Sat 1 Jul ’17) is brought thrillingly to life in a stunning new stage production. This best-loved tale, made famous by the iconic 1970 movie starring jenny Agutter and Bernard Cribbens, delivers a coming of age story and a fascinating insight into Edwardian rural life. Following a smash-hit West End season, the tea-guzzling tiger is back in The Tiger Who Came To Tea (Thu 29 Jun – Sat 1 Jul 2017); packed with oodles of magic, sing-a-long songs and clumsy chaos, this delightful family show is sure to put a smile on our young audiences’ faces.
For perfectly feel-good entertainment, look no further than Thoroughly Modern Millie (Mon 10 – Sat 15 Jul ’17) starring Strictly Come Dancing’s Joanne Clifton. Based on the 1976 Academy Award-winning movie and the winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, this brilliantly funny and entertaining show for all the family will take you back to the height of the Jazz age in New York City when ‘moderns’, including a flapper named Millie Dillmount, were bobbing their hair, raising their hemlines and rewriting the rules of love.
Follow the yellow brick road in a magical journey from Kansas all the way to the Emerald City with Newcastle Upon Tyne Musical Theatre Company (NMTC) in a dazzling and energetic performance of the beloved The Wizard of Oz (Tue 25 – Sat 29 Jul ’17). And the high energy glamour continues in Crazy for You (Tue 12 – Sat 16 Sep ’17) with Tom Chambers (Top Hat and Strictly Come Dancing) and a wealth of memorable tunes including I Got Rhythm, They Can’t Take That Away From Me and Nice Work If You Can Get It.
Audiences will be on the edge of their seats as Ruth Rendell’s brilliant plot unravels a lifetime of deceit, which, when revealed, brings a shocking revelation in A Judgement in Stone (Mon 31 Jul – Sat 5 Aug ’17.
The heart-warming and life-changing comedy Shirley Valentine (Mon 23 – Sat 28 Oct ’17) will see Jodie Prenger star in the title role as the Liverpool housewife who heads off to the sun and starts to see the world, herself and the life she let behind very differently. This, the first major revival of the national treasure, is a must-see for anyone who adored the 1986 Oscar-nominated film by Willy Russell.
Dance fans will be captivated by Milonga (Fri 16 – Sat 17 Jun ’17) which unites Argentinean tango dancers, contemporary dancers and live musicians to create a show that captures the unique style of celebrated choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui. Local sisters and Mercury-nominated mavericks of British folk music The Unthanks (Sun 14 May ’17) showcase the extraordinary songs of Molly Drake in a mesmerising performance of her charming and bittersweet works.
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| Funny Girl |
And there are plenty of great shows to suit all tastes already on sale in the current season. Star of stage and screen Sheridan Smith will be reprising her role as Fanny Brice when Funny Girl (Tue 16 – Sat 20 May) comes to Newcastle hot on the heels of a record breaking, sold out West End run. The new production is set to delight fans of musical theatre - don’t miss your chance to see it when Funny Girl comes to the Theatre Royal for 1 week only.
A jam-packed line up of top-class musicals includes the record breaking international sensation Dirty Dancing (Mon 23 – Sat 28 Jan ‘17), the hugely enjoyable The Commitments (Mon 6 – Sat 11 Feb ‘17), the ever-popular Blood Brothers (Mon 13 – Sat 18 Mar ‘17), the feel-good spectacular Mamma Mia! (Tue 28 Mar – Sat 15 Apr ‘17) and the critically acclaimed Sister Act (Mon 19 – Sat 24 June ‘17) starring Alexandra Burke and directed by Craig Revel Horwood.
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| Danza Contemporana de Cuba |
Dance fans will be spoilt for choice: unwrap a tasty winter treat with Scottish Ballet’s magical Hansel & Gretel (Wed 1 – Sat 4 Feb ‘17) and younger ballet fans will be delighted with a special performance of Wee Hansel & Gretel (Fri 3 Feb ’17). Afro Caribbean rhythms, jazzy American modernism and inflections from European ballet come together in Danza Contemporana de Cuba (Tue 21 – Wed 22 Feb ’17), the magic of Ballroom and Latin dance is celebrated in Keep Dancing (Tue 18 – Sat 22 Apr ’17) and the eagerly-awaited Matthew Bourne’sThe Red Shoes (Tue 2 – Sat 6 May ‘17) is set to dazzle audiences in an intoxicating drama where life imitates art with fateful consequences.
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| Cinderella - Photo: Carliol Photography |
There will be laughs a plenty when our show-stopping 16/17 Pantomime Cinderella takes to the stage (Tue 22 Nov ’16 – Sun 15 Jan ’17) bringing fun and adventure for all the family. Comedy fans can enjoy the multi award-winning West End smash hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong (Tue 17 – Sat 21 Jan ’17) and a night with Al Murray (Sun 19 Feb ’17).
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| The Play That Goes Wrong |
Opera fans will be mesmerised with a host of fairytale performances from Opera North including Hansel and Gretel (Wed 1 & Sat 4 Mar ’17), Cinderella (Tue 2 & Sat 4 Mar ’17) and The Snow Maiden (Fri 3 Mar ’17).
The story of rock ‘n’ roll legends Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis and Carl Perkins coming together is brought to life in Million Dollar Quartet (Mon 6 – Sat 11 Mar ‘17) starring Jason Donovan.
Jane Austen’s most beloved novel is reborn in Pride and Prejudice (Tue 14 – Sat 18 Feb ’17) and Hadaway Harry (Fri 24 – Sat 25 Feb ’17) tells the story of local sporting hero Harry Clasper. Spine-tingling drama comes by way of Peter James’ Not Dead Enough (Mon 20 – Sat 25 Mar ’17) starring Shane Richie and Laura Whitmore and the chilling The Woman in Black (Mon 24 – Sat 29 Apr ’17) returns to Newcastle having continued to captivate audiences in a record breaking run in London’s West End.
The innovative drama based on Mark Haddon’s award-winning novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time (Tue 30 – Sat 10 June ’17) returns to Newcastle after a sell-out run in 2015, and Jane Eyre (Mon 3 – Sat 8 July ’17) plays following a critically acclaimed season at the National Theatre.
Tickets:
Tickets for all new shows in the Spring / Summer ‘17 season go on sale to the general public at 9am on Fri 11 Nov 2016 and can be purchased online at www.theatreroyal.co.ukor from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge).
Friends of the Theatre Royal can book new season shows on Mon 7 Nov, before the general public on Fri 11 Nov, and receive discounted tickets as well as other benefits – visit www.theatreroyal.co.uk/support/become-a-friendfor more information.
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