2019 season announced

It’s time to raise the curtain on a year of celebrations here at Birmingham Hippodrome as we announce our 2019 season! Tickets are on sale NOW to Friends and go on general on sale from 11am, Mon 3 Dec.

A year of dance…
Matthew Bourne’s sell-out sensation, Swan Lake returns plus his brand-new production of Romeo and Juliet comes to Birmingham for the first time. Newly announced world-class dance also includes ZooNation’s Some Like it Hip Hop and Carlos Acosta returns with Evolution from his own company, Acosta Danza. The Grand Final of BBC Young Dancer 2019 will also be broadcast live from Birmingham Hippodrome for the first time ever outside of London.

A year of mega-musicals…
Joining the line-up of Les Misérables, Kinky Boots, Grease and Annie, an exciting new production of Doctor Dolittle lights up the stage with a menagerie of animals and the endlessly popular Blood Brothers. Gary Barlow’s Calendar Girls the Musical plays Birmingham for the first time, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat bursts back on to stage and Birmingham Hippodrome co-produce their first ever production with The Color Purple.

A year of family fun…
Just announced for 2019, Matt Slack returns for his seventh consecutive pantomime in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (on sale to Friends from 10 Dec), magical mayhem comes in the form of The Worst Witch and children’s favourite, Dear Zoo plays the Patrick Studio.

A year of laugh out loud comedy…
Some of the biggest names in comedy take to the stage in 2019 including The Great British Bake-Off’s Sandi Toksvig, Ireland’s top comedy trio Foil, Arms and Hog, The Last Leg star, Josh Widdicombe, multi award-winning Russell Kane and a sold-out visit from Tim Minchin.

A year of intimate performances…
Birmingham Hippodrome’s intimate Patrick Studio brings audiences closer to the action with newly announced thrilling productions such as Shane Shambhu’s Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer, Seeta Patel’s Rite of Spring, National Youth Dance Company’s MADHEAD and the return of faaaaabulous comedy female-impersonator Ceri Dupree in The Ladies I Love. TEDxYouth will also be bringing the studio to life for a day of mindblowing ideas.

A year of celebration, 2019 marks Birmingham Hippodrome’s 120th Birthday with unforgettable performances for all.

Newly announced headline productions for the season include the timeless classic Blood Brothers, a striking new version of Romeo and Juliet from Matthew Bourne, the return of world-wide ballet icon Carlos Acosta with Acosta Danza and dance powerhouse, ZooNation’s Some Like it Hip Hop. In an exciting coup for the city, the Grand Final of BBC Young Dancer 2019 will also be broadcast live from Birmingham Hippodrome for the first time ever outside of London.

In the Patrick Studio, audiences continue to be treated to world class performance in a highly intimate setting. New announcements for the season are Shane Shambhu’s Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer, Seeta Patel’s Rite of Spring, National Youth Dance Company’s MADHEAD and the return of faaaaabulous comedy female-impersonator Ceri Depree in The Ladies I Love. Families with young children will also be able to experience the classic children’s book, Dear Zoo as it comes to life on stage.

Throughout 2019 the Hippodrome will also continue to welcome Birmingham and beyond with a host of free activities, projects and festivals including Chinese New Year celebrations, B-SIDE Hip Hop and the return of Summer in Southside. The excting new exhibitions programme and school holiday activities will also run throughout the year, alongside new Fresh Fridays – free evening performances in the theatre foyers.

Looking further ahead to 2020, two blockbuster musical hits have also announced a return to Birmingham as We Will Rock You and Mamma Mia! will have audiences dancing and singing along once again.

Fiona Allan, Artistic Director and Chief Executive at Birmingham Hippodrome said:

“It’s always been Birmingham Hippodrome’s intention to amaze and delight audiences with international spectacle since our foundation as a theatre 120 years ago. Over the next 12 months, we’ll be celebrating that history, reflecting on the journey we’ve made to our current success, and unveiling some ambitious future plans.

“Dance remains at the heart of it all, suitably enough, as we open our new fully-funded Dance Hub roof extension later in 2019. The choreographers of our new Associate Companies – Rosie Kay, Sonia Sabri and Kate Prince – will be challenging us with celebratory pieces, and there’s a welcome return from the Cuban star Carlos Acosta. Thanks to Matthew Bourne, we’re spoilt with two visits by New Adventures, and for the first time outside London, you can be present for the live televised finals of BBC Young Dancer.

“But that’s not all. Working with old friends and new, we’ll present our first mainstage co-production of The Color Purple, directed by the very exciting Tinuke Craig; and our first large-scale youth community musical, West Side Story comes to life in the summer – auditioning soon.

“Please join us as we celebrate 120 years, and share in the international spectaculars coming our way.

Then, now, always… from anywhere and everywhere, we welcome you.”