A sensational mixture of iconic and brand new musicals, enthralling dramas and a landmark year for Scottish Ballet are just some of the highlights in a brand new season of shows headed for Aberdeen’s His Majesty’s Theatre, announced by Aberdeen Performing Arts yesterday.
The bumper line up at the city theatre includes a colourful array of musical treats including Madagascar the Musical, June 12-16, 2019 adapted from the smash hit Dreamworks animated movie, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, September 10-14, 2019 the show-stopping Cabaret, November 12-16, 2019 and a brand new musical adaptation of the Oscar-winning motion picture Little Miss Sunshine, September 17-21, 2019.
Fans of drama will be spoiled for choice with stage productions including To Kill A Mockingbird, June 3-8, 2019 and The Lady Vanishes, June 24-29, 2019, Lost at Sea, May 9-11, 2019, a powerful insight into the lives of Scottish fishermen by North-east writer Morna Young, and a tribute to the comedic greats Morecambe and Wise in An Evening of Eric and Ern, May 24, 2019.
Younger theatre-goers will be treated to Julia Donaldson favourite Zog, July 15-17, 2019 as well as Scottish Ballet’s Wee Hansel and Gretel, July 27-28, 2019 and a host of favourite TV characters with Milkshake Live, August 13-14, 2019. Everyone’s family favourite, the HMT pantomime, will next year be the godmother of all pantos Cinderella opening on November 30 2019 through to January 5 2020.
Aberdeen Performing Arts chief executive, Jane Spiers, said: “We are proud to present such a colourful, interesting and broad range of work to our audiences in the North-east. What better Christmas present is there than theatre tickets, or why not treat a loved one to an APA gift voucher so they can choose their own?
“I love a thriller so I’m really looking forward to The Lady Vanishes, I adored the movie Little Miss Sunshine so can’t wait to see it on stage, as a Green Day fan I’ll be in the front row for American Idiot and I’m pleased to be bringing Lost at Sea, the story of a North-east fishing family to HMT, which I’m sure will resonate with our audiences.”
Based on the Dreamworks animated motion picture, Madagascar the Musical follows all of your favourite crack-a-lackin’ friends as they escape from their home in New York’s Central Park Zoo and find themselves in an unexpected journey to the madcap world of King Julien’s Madagascar. Join Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe, Gloria the
Hippo and those hilarious, plotting penguins as they bound onto the stage in the musical adventure of a lifetime.
Seen by an estimated 26 million people worldwide, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat continues to enthral audiences across the world and returns to Aberdeen for the first time since 2013. Retelling the biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers and the coat of many colours, this magical musical is full of unforgettable songs by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice.
Directed by National Theatre artistic director Rufus Norris, Cabaret has won numerous stage and screen awards including eight Oscars, seven Baftas and 13 Tony Awards.
Tumble through Berlin of the 1920s! Dance on the edge of the volcano and look deep into its abyss. Welcome to the world of Sally Bowles, who night after night sings “Life is a Cabaret” in one of Berlin's infamous dance venues – the legendary "Kit Kat Klub".
Based on the Oscar-winning film by Michael Arndt, Little Miss Sunshine is a touching and hilarious musical comedy. It has been a smash-hit off-Broadway, and it now arrives in a brand new, European premiere production. Olive’s heart is set on winning the Little Miss Sunshine beauty pageant. But can the Hoover family’s creaky old camper van get their daughter to the contest on time? Join them on an 800-mile journey from New Mexico to California.
The critically acclaimed To Kill A Mockingbird returns to the stage in this utterly enchanting production. Set in the Deep South, Harper Lee’s Pulitzer prize-winning novel sees racial injustice divide a small-town community. With integrity and compassion, lawyer Atticus Finch seeks the truth. His courageous daughter, Scout, brings hope to a neighbourhood in turmoil.
Inspired by the classic Hitchcock thriller, The Lady Vanishes tells the story of socialite Iris. When her travelling companion disappears, she’s bewildered to find fellow passengers deny ever having seen her. But with the help of musician Max, she turns detective, and together they resolve to solve this perplexing mystery.
Scottish Ballet celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2019, and has curated a stunning selection of new productions to mark the occasion. Kicking off with Spring! from April 11-13, 2019, a double-bill which features a new work called Dextera by resident choreographer Sophie Laplane to the music of Mozart plus Sir Kenneth MacMillan’s iconic Elite Syncopations. The company returns in the Autumn with Helen Pickett’s dramatic adaptation of Arthur Miller’s masterpiece The Crucible, October 3-5, 2019. Followed in Winter by a sparkling new production of The Snow Queen, January 22-25, 2020 by Scottish Ballet’s Artistic Director Christopher Hampson.
The full menu of new productions also includes a Sing-a-long-a The Greatest Showman on Saturday, May 28, the Scottish amateur premiere of Shrek the Musical from the local AOC Productions, and a return to HMT for the West End hits Annie and We Will Rock You.
Tickets for all shows are on sale to APA Friends from today, Thursday, November 29 and for general sale next Tuesday, December 4. In addition to priority booking, APA Friends also receive discounts on all shows at His Majesty’s Theatre. To purchase a Friends membership and/or tickets go to aberdeenperformingarts.com, phone on 01224 641122 or visit the Box Office at HMT, the Music Hall and The Lemon Tree.
Aberdeen Performing Arts releases new Spring brochure for His Majesty's Theatre, Aberdeen