West End LIVE is a unique place where shows old and new to come together in one epic weekend. This makes it the perfect opportunity to discover your next favourite musical with a showcase like no other. With 50 shows performing across the weekend the line-up is the biggest yet so let’s take a look at those West End LIVE newbies.
Back To The Future: The Musical
Our first show on the list has been long awaited as Back To The Future: The Musical‘s debut West End LIVE performance was supposed to be in 2021. Since then the show has gone on to win the Olivier-Award for Mastercard Best New Musical and built up quite the loyal fan base. Get ready to keep hold of your existence as Doc, played by Roger Bart and Marty played by Olly Dobson take us Back In Time.
Disney’s Beauty and the Beast
25 years after the original Olivier Award-winning production, we can’t wait to welcome the utterly charming Disney’s Beauty and the Beast to the West End LIVE stage. Starring Courtney Stapleton and Shaq Taylor, the Disney classic has captured hearts up and down the country on its recent nationwide tour, and now it’s settling into the London Palladium on 24 June 2022 (yes, that’s the day before West End LIVE!). Be our guest and enjoy the most enchanted musical of all time!
Bonnie & Clyde
If you’re craving a little adventure, you’ll be thrilled to know that London’s most wanted musical, Bonnie & Clyde will be Raising A Little Hell at West End LIVE 2022. Starring Frances Mayli McCann and Jordan Luke Gage as the small-town kids and biggest folk heroes in America, Bonnie & Clyde, this musical is a true story of love and crime that captured the imaginations of an entire nation. The brand new production of the cult musical can currently be found at the Arts Theatre for a limited run until 10 July 2022.
Cabaret
This year, West End LIVE is saying a warm willkommen, bienvenue and welcome to Cabaret! Picking up a remarkable 7 Olivier Awards at this year’s ceremony, including Best Musical Revival, the new production currently starring Fra Fee and Amy Lennox is nothing short of sensational. Relax, loosen up and be yourself, as we take a special trip to Berlin’s Kit Kat Club.
The Drifters Girl
The Drifters Girl tells the story of the hit group The Drifters, and the truth about the woman who made them. Faye Treadwell was the world’s first African American, female music manager who refused to give up on the group she loved. Packed full of show-stopping Drifters hits, this new musical has audiences at the Garrick Theatre dancing night after night and it is sure to give West End LIVE a performance to remember too!
Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical
Don’t worry about a thing… this year, Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical will be Jamming at West End LIVE. The Olivier Award-winning musical explores the moving story of Bob Marley’s extraordinary life, and his battle to spread positive messages of peace, love and unity around the world. Expect an energetic and electrifying performance showcasing the best of reggae.
Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show
If you have an eye for fashion this is the one for you. In this extraordinary production, actors, dancers and circus artists take to the stage and play outlandish, larger than life characters, set against a giant video wall and a sensational soundtrack of hits that have inspired Jean Paul Gaultier throughout his life. Enjoy this explosive combination of a cabaret and fashion show.
Lady M
It doesn’t get any more exciting than this… West End LIVE is about to mark the live debut of brand-new musical Lady M. Based on the Shakespeare classic, Lady M tells the untold story of Lady Macbeth, revealing an original backstory to her villainy and downfall. With a modern score and original music and lyrics, Lady M is currently in development and has been workshopped by some of the biggest names in the West End. It is bound to be a hit and if you come along to West End LIVE, you’ll be able to say you were the first to see it in action.
Legally Blonde
Omigod you guys, Legally Blonde is totally performing at West End LIVE this year! The 90th anniversary of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre had to be celebrated with something spectacular and pink. Obviously it had to be a brand-new production of Legally Blonde, directed by Lucy Moss, co-writer and co-director of smash-hit musical Six. Courtney Bowman stars as fashion merchandising major Elle Woods who realises there’s more to love – and to herself – than meets the eye. Get ready to bend and snap, people!
London Musical Theatre Orchestra: Chess, Kinky Boots, Treason
Thanks to London Musical Theatre Orchestra three incredible musicals will be brought to life through concerts at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. However, West End LIVE is in for a real treat, as you’re going to get exclusive early access to all three. Firstly, Chess in Concert depicts a cold-war era chess tournament, with music by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus of everyone’s favourite super-trouping group, ABBA. Although Kinky Boots is a West End LIVE favourite, Kinky Boots in Concert brings the Olivier and Tony Award winning musical back to the West End for the first time since 2019 starring Matt Willis and Courtney Bowman. And finally, Treason in Concert is an explosive new musical about the infamous gunpowder plot, get ready for fireworks!
Moulin Rouge! The Musical
Whether you’re a fan of the sensational Baz Luhrmann film or simply fancy some glitz and glamour, look no further, as Moulin Rouge! The Musical is turning up the heat. Celebrating truth, beauty, freedom and – above all – love, the glamour of 1900 Parisian nightlife is about to be remixed with modern pop hits that we all can’t help but sing along to. It’s going to be a spectacular spectacular.
South Pacific
If you’re a fan of a powerful love story, you are going to love South Pacific. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s classic musical set on – yep, you guessed it – a South Pacific island during World War II was revived at the Chichester Festival Theatre last summer as a critically acclaimed, landmark production. Along with its memorable score, the show is transferring to Sadler’s Wells this July for a strictly limited season.
The Turbine Theatre
The Turbine Theatre is bringing some fantastic productions to West End LIVE this year! DIVA: Live From Hell stars Luke Bayer as Desmond Channing who finds himself in the seventh circle, hell’s most squalid cabaret venue. My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) is the wonderfully chaotic autobiographical story of writer and performer Rob Madge, who has appeared in hit shows from Mary Poppins to Matilda the Musical. Celebrating the joy that can be found when parents embrace the creativity and absurdity of their child.
Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch
Think you know the Little Mermaid? Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch is about to give you a brand-new perspective! With an original hot pop soundtrack and trademark filthy humour, West End LIVE is about to welcome the hottest body-positive, LGBTQ+ icon under the sea. Get ready for Disney diva Ursula to take to the stage in this critically acclaimed musical parody!
La Voix
We can’t wait to welcome a global superstar to Trafalgar Square, La Voix will be combining music, comedy and the most gorgeous dresses you have ever seen. Direct from Queen of the Universe and soon to be starring in ITV’s Queen for the Night, come along to witness side-splitting comedy and buckets of energy from one of the world’s biggest divas.
The Welsh of the West End
It doesn’t get any more super than this theatre super-group! You may have recently watched them reach the live semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent, or perhaps you’re one of their 16 million online views. Featuring performers from shows such as Les Miserables, Wicked and many more, Welsh of the West End became an online viral sensation during the pandemic lockdowns, entertaining audiences with their show-stopping versions of musical theatre classics.
This year West End LIVE is also delighted to showcase some of the best musicals currently touring the UK. World famous musical Bugsy Malone will transport West End LIVE to prohibition era New York where you’ll find mobsters, showgirls and dreamers. Based on the novel The Parent Trap by Erich Kästner, Identical is the twin-sational brand-new musical taking to the West End LIVE stage ahead of its world premiere at Nottingham’s Playhouse! Starring musical theatre favourite Darren Day and Jake Quickenden, Footloose the Musical is based on the classic 80s film. Celebrating the freedom of dance. And a jukebox fan-favourite currently celebrating its 20th anniversary, We Will Rock You tells the story of a globalised future without musical instruments and the bohemians that rebel in the name of freedom, set to 24 of Queen’s biggest hits. West End LIVE, get ready to rock!