From West End debuts to regional tours, here are some of the plays and musicals to have on your radar this summer
From West End transfers to bold regional tours, the UK and Irish stages are in for a massive summer season. Whether you’re tracking work for future casting research, keeping tabs on what the top casting teams are putting together, or looking to support your peers, the upcoming lineup has something for everyone.
Actors looking to keep their fingers on the pulse of the industry will feast on delights from legendary classics like Oliver! to highly-anticipated writing like The Jonathan Larson Project and 1536. Here is our curated selection of the essential productions treading the boards over the next few months:
Article Highlights:
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Map out who is casting what: Find out the casting directors attached to each production, giving you a ready-made list of the industry decision-makers putting work together this summer.
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Treat theatre trips as tailored masterclasses: Whether it’s studying how a massive spectacle like Moulin Rouge! scales down for a regional tour, or analysing the brilliant non-traditional casting and physical comedy of Oh, Mary!, the article tells you what to look out for to hone your own craft.
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Claim your exclusive member discounts: Spotlight members can secure exclusive ticket discounts through our partnership with London Theatre Direct – helping you keep your finger on the pulse without breaking the bank.
Shows Touring This Summer
‘Legally Blonde The Musical’
Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster spearheads this major, high-energy revival of the Broadway and West End smash hit, Legally Blonde The Musical. With choreography by Leah Hill, the production offers a fresh, physically demanding spin on the iconic material. The musical is a prime example of a commercial production designed to let triple-threat performers showcase vocal stamina and precise comic timing.
Cast: Amber Davies*, Hannah Lowther*, George Crawford*, Karen Mavundukure* and Adam Cooper*
Casting: Harry Blumenau CDG
Director: Nikolai Foster
Book by: Heather Hach
Music and Lyrics: Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin
Dates: 7 February 2026 to 2 January 2027
Locations: UK and Ireland tour including stops at Dublin, Belfast, Edinburgh, Manchester, Sunderland and Brighton.
‘The Car Man’
The Car Man. Image credit: London Theatre Direct
Matthew Bourne’s multi-award-winning dance-thriller, The Car Man, returns for its first UK tour in over 10 years. Loosely based on Bizet’s Carmen and James M. Cain’s The Postman Always Rings Twice, this non-verbal production is set in a steamy 1950s American garage-diner.
For actors and dancers alike, this is a masterclass in pure physical theatre, film-noir intensity, and character-driven choreography.
Cast: Will Bozier*, Harrison Dowzell, Cordelia Braithwaite*, Ashley Shaw, Leonardo McCorkindale, Harry Ondrak-Wright, Anna Maria de Freitas, Kurumi Kamayachi, Danny Reubens and Alan Vincent
Casting: New Adventures (in-house)
Director and Choreographer: Matthew Bourne
Music: Terry Davies
Dates: 15 June to 14 November 2026
Locations: UK tour including stops at Sheffield, London, Bristol, Nottingham, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Eastbourne.
‘Moulin Rouge! The Musical’
Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Image Credit: Mark Senior / London Theatre Direct
Based on Baz Luhrmann’s film, Moulin Rouge! The Musical follows the star-crossed romance between cabaret star ‘Satine’ and penniless writer ‘Christian’. Alex Timbers’ Tony-winning production demands massive vocal ranges and flawless ensemble precision and is now embarking on a worldwide tour after hit runs on Broadway and in the West End.
For performers, seeing how this structurally complex, prop-heavy spectacle scales down for the road offers invaluable research for any performer interested in commercial touring.
Cast: Verity Thompson*, Nate Landskroner*, Cameron Blakely*, Kurt Kansley* and German Santiago
Casting: Natalie Gallacher CDG
Director: Alex Timbers
Show Dates: June 2026 to February 2027
Location: UK and Worldwide tour including stops at Liverpool, Southampton and Plymouth.
What’s On Stage in London
‘1536’
1536. Image Credit: Helen Murray / London Theatre Direct
Following a sell-out run at the Almeida Theatre, Ava Pickett’s 1536 transfers to the West End this summer. This sharp, darkly comic feminist drama explores female friendship in the Tudor era. As ‘Henry VIII’ turns on ‘Anne Boleyn’ and violence threatens the countryside, three childhood friends in Essex unite as the rules of survival in their quiet village shift under the shadow of royal paranoia.
For performers, it’s a stellar piece of contemporary, dialect-rich writing that beautifully highlights the power of female-led ensembles.
Cast: Liv Hill*, Siena Kelly*, Tanya Reynolds*, Harry Bradley*, Oliver Johnstone*, George Kemp*, Saroja-Lily Ratnavel* and Sydney Spencer*
Casting: Amy Ball CDG
Director: Lynsey Turner
Writer: Ava Pickett
Show Dates: 2 May to 1 August 2026
Location: The Ambassadors Theatre, London
‘Death Note: The Musical’
Based on the wildly popular manga written by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, Frank Wildhorn’s adaptation of Death Note: The Musical tells the story of ‘Light Yagami’, who discovers a notebook that was left by the ‘Death God Shinigami’ that holds the power over life or death.
Following its huge success in Asia and a sold-out concert at the Palladium in 2023, the show comes to The Barbican with a revised script and newly written material for a limited run this summer. This production shows how pop culture can be successfully reimagined and theatricalised for musical audiences.
Cast: Xander Pang*, Colin Ryan*, Stephanie Zaharis, Telly Leung* and Grace Mouat*
Casting: Natalie Gallacher CDG
Director: Stephen Whitson
Book: Ivan Menchell
Music: Frank Wildhorn
Lyrics: Jack Murphy
Show Dates: 30 July to 12 September 2026
Location: Barbican Theatre, London
‘Oh, Mary!’
This Tony Award-winning dark comedy, written by Cole Escola and directed by Sam Pinkleton, transferred from Broadway to London’s Trafalgar Theatre. Oh, Mary! reimagines ‘Mary Todd Lincoln’s’ final weeks before the assassination of ‘Abraham Lincoln’ as an absurd, highly physical melodrama.
For performers, the casting progression of this show is a fascinating study in drag, non-traditional casting, and high-style comedic acting.
Cast: Mason Alexander Park, Cole Escola, Jinkx Monsoon, Kate O’Donnell*, Oliver Stockley*, Dino Fetscher* and Scott Karim*
Casting: Stuart Burt CDG
Director: Sam Pinkleton
Writer: Cole Escola
Music: Daniel Kluger
Dates: Playing until 2 January 2027
Locations: Trafalgar Theatre, London
‘Oliver!’
Oliver! Image credit: Johan Persson / London Theatre Direct
Cameron Mackintosh and Matthew Bourne’s reimagining of Lionel Bart’s classic Oliver! is now playing its second triumphant year in the West End. Telling the story of orphan ‘Oliver Twist’, who winds up in London’s dark underbelly upon meeting ‘Fagin’ and the pickpocket gang led by ‘Artful Dodger’, the production breathes a darker and dangerous new energy into Charles Dickens’ classic tale.
For any actors interested in large-scale ensemble dynamics and the integration of children’s casting, this show is a must-see.
Cast: Simon Lipkin*, Ava Brennan*, Oscar Conlon-Morrey*, Aaron Sidwell*, Aaron MacGregor*, Philip Franks*, Katy Secombe, Jamie Birkett*, Stephen Matthews* with ‘Oliver Twist’ being played by Isaac Hackett*, James Miller*, Thomas Newman* and Jacob Sanders-Jones
Casting: Felicity French CDG, Paul Wooller CDG and Verity Naughton CDG
Director and Choreographer: Matthew Bourne
Show Dates: Playing until 4 October 2026
Location: Gielgud Theatre, London
‘Sinatra the Musical’
Sinatra The Musical. Image Credit: Birgit and Ralf Brinkhoff
Sinatra the Musical follows ‘Frank Sinatra’ from the day he makes his debut performance on New Year’s Eve in 1942 as he climbs the heights of superstardom. The production features all of Sinatra’s hit records from throughout his career while delving into the personal struggles of the world’s most famous crooner.
Under the direction of Olivier winner Kathleen Marshall, this show is a great example of classic book-musical storytelling executed with top-tier West End precision.
Cast: Joel Harper-Jackson*, Ana Villafañe, Phoebe Panaretos*, Jenna Russell*, Marty Maguire* and Lee Zarrett
Casting: David Grindrod CDG and Will Burton
Director: Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes)
Show Dates: Playing until April 2027.
Location: Aldwych Theatre
‘The Jonathan Larson Project’
This highly anticipated musical makes its European premiere in London, commemorating 30 years since the passing of the visionary creator behind Rent and tick, tick… BOOM!. The Jonathan Larson Project offers an intimate, electrifying window into Larson’s creative world, featuring rare and previously unheard songs from his personal archives.
The musical is an excellent study for actors on how raw, early-career archival material can be curated into a polished, contemporary West End revue.
Cast: Max Harwood*, Natalie Kassanga*, Michael Mather*, Imelda Warren-Green* and Marcus Collins*
Casting: Rob Kelly
Director: John Simpkins
Conceived By: Jennifer Ashley Tepper
Music and Lyrics: Jonathan Larson
Dates: 9 July to 22 August 2026
Location: Southwark Playhouse
‘Cats’
Artistic Director Drew McOnie directs and choreographs a brand-new, physical reimagining of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s feline classic. With modern, high-intensity street and contemporary dance styles, this production is an incredible showcase for athletic triple-threats.
Cast: Melanie La Barrie*, Rachael Wooding*, Gary Wilmot* and Jaydon Vijn*
Casting: Will Burton CDG
Director and Choreographer: Drew McOnie
Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber
Lyrics: T.S. Eliot
Dates: 25 July to 19 September 2026
Location: Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
*Performer is a Spotlight member.
Save on Your Summer Stage Research
Seeing live theatre is a crucial part of keeping your fingers on the pulse of the industry, but ticket costs can add up fast. Luckily, as a Spotlight member, you can save money while supporting your peers.
Thanks to our partnership with London Theatre Direct and Parliament Hill, Spotlight members can unlock exclusive discounts and savings on theatre tickets across an ever-changing selection of top West End and touring productions.
How to claim your discounts:
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- Sign in to your Spotlight account
- On your account homepage, either click the link found under the Spotlight x London Theatre Direct header, or navigate to Discounts in the quicklinks section
- Browse the live offers to secure your discounted seats
With these world-class productions treading the boards across the UK and Ireland, there’s never been a better time to be a part of the industry.
Join Spotlight or sign in to your account today to ensure your profile is casting-ready and get discovered by the casting professionals bringing these incredible stage stories to life.
