Storyhouse celebrates New Year by announcing new 2019 headline shows

As the new spring season for Storyhouse fast approaches, the award-winning Chester venue has added four new shows to its programme – revealing its first three shows for autumn.

Audiences can look forward to headline shows including West End musicals, comedy giants, beautiful dance, and captivating opera.

Spring highlights include Wise Children; Annie; Ghost – The Musical; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; Avenue Q; Brian Blessed; Collabro; Brendan Cole; Julian Clary; Moscow City Ballet; The Noise Next Door; Nick Sharratt; and English Touring Opera.

But before the new season starts, four new shows have been added to the line-up for 2019.

Author Matt Haig has been added to the spring season and comes to Storyhouse this April. Followed by Cabaret in September and Calendar Girls The Musical in October, then comedian Ed Byrne in December – this hat-trick of new shows are the first to be announced for the autumn 2019 programme.

Author Matt Haig comes to Storyhouse on Sunday 14 April with Notes on a Nervous Planet, a personal and vital look at how to feel happy, human and whole in the 21st Century and the follow-up to his bestseller Reasons To Stay Alive.

Join the author for an evening of positive and insightful discussion about the modern world, offering a closer look at the challenges posed by our ever-changing technological landscape and his advice on how best to navigate it.

Cabaret comes to Storyhouse between Tuesday 24 September and Saturday 28 September for eight performances only, including three matinees.

Bill Kenwright presents the multi award-winning production of Kander and Ebb’s landmark musical, Cabaret. Directed by National Theatre Artistic Director Rufus Norris, the production has enjoyed two smash-hit West End runs at The Lyric and The Savoy theatres.

Since its Broadway premiere and the movie version starring Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, Cabaret has won numerous stage and screen awards including eight Oscars, seven BAFTAs and 13 Tonys.

Cabaret features show-stopping choreography, dazzling costumes and iconic songs Money Makes The World Go Round, Maybe This Time and, of course, the title song Cabaret.

Make a date with the Calendar Girls between Tuesday 29 October and Saturday 2 November, with matinee performances on the Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday.

Calendar Girls The Musical by Gary Barlow and Tim Firth is the award-winning production based on the true story of the calendar girls – a group of ordinary women from Yorkshire who achieved something extraordinary.

This marvellous musical comedy, based on the smash-hit film of the same name, received fantastic five-star reviews in London’s West End. The Times described Calendar Girls The Musical as “pure gold”.

Comedian Ed Byrne makes his first trip to Storyhouse on Monday 9 December with his new show If I’m Honest.

Join Ed as he takes a long hard look at himself and tries to decide if he has any traits that are worth passing on to his children. A masterclass in observational comedy, the show comes hot on the heels of his 2017/2018 hit tour, Spoiler Alert!

In the past year Ed has appeared on Live At The Apollo, Mock The Week, The Pilgrimage, QI, and Top Gear.

The spring season starts with The Comedy About a Bank Robbery from Tuesday 29 January to Saturday 2 February. Mischief Theatre return to Storyhouse with their latest West End smash hit, which follows the hugely successful The Play That Goes Wrong.

Musicals fare strong throughout spring and Storyhouse audiences can look forward to Avenue Q, Ghost – The Musical, Annie, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Avenue Q runs from Monday 25 February and Saturday 2 March. This Tony Award-winning musical is hilarious and cheeky, and full of mischief, bad behaviour and political incorrectness.

With a cast of 11 hugely talented performers and puppets, it’s a musical like no other.

Based on the blockbuster 1990 film starring Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore and Whoopi Goldberg, Ghost – The Musical will pull on the heartstrings. It runs from Tuesday 5 March to Saturday 9 March, and includes songs co-written by Eurythmics’ Dave Stewart.

West End smash hit Annie stars actress Anita Dobson (EastEnders, Wicked, Chicago) as Miss Hannigan. With songs including Hard-Knock Life, Easy Street, and Tomorrow, the show runs from Monday 25 March to Saturday 30 March.

The Biblical story of Joseph, his 11 brothers and coat of many colours is portrayed through Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from Tuesday 16 April to Saturday 20 April.

Visionary director Emma Rice presents the new theatrical production of novelist Angela Carter’s Wise Children direct from the West End from Tuesday 19 March to Saturday 23 March. The carnivalesque tale of the tangled fortunes of two theatrical families is inspired by Shakespeare’s greatest comedies.

There are appearances from a whole host of comedy giants starting with An Evening with Brian Blessed is on Wednesday 6 February; Jason Manford returns to Storyhouse and brings his show Muddle Class for two nights on Wednesday 13 February and Thursday 14 February; risqué comedian Julian Clary presents Born To Mince on Sunday 31 March; while Dara O’Briain is the Voice of Reason from Monday 1 April to Wednesday 3 April.

The Noise Next Door present a double bill on Wednesday 20 February. The improv comedy troupe present new family show The Noise Next Door At Sea in the afternoon, followed that evening by Remix, a brand new full-length show for the grown-ups.

Music and dance are high on the programme with Collabro performing on Monday 11 February as part of their UK tour Road To The Royal Albert Hall; and Moscow City Ballet present a double bill of The Nutcracker on Thursday 21 February and Friday 22 February, followed by Sleeping Beauty on Saturday 23 February.

Star of BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing Brendan Cole is back with new stage production Show Man on Sunday 24 February; and English Touring Opera return to present a season of Kings and Queens in the battle for love, loyalty and power with a double bill of Verdi’s Macbeth on Friday 15 March and Mozart’s Idomeneo on Saturday 16 March, both will feature a large chorus and live orchestra. BalletBoyz also return with two new works, Them & Us on Thursday 4 April.

Acclaimed children’s writer and illustrator Nick Sharratt presents his Right Royal Drawalong on Saturday 16 February, showing audiences how to sketch their favourite characters. Nick has illustrated close to 260 books including Tracy Beaker.

Young dragon Zog flies into Storyhouse from Friday 5 April to Sunday 7 April. The stage adaptation is based on the book by Julia Donaldson with illustrations by Axel Scheffler. Large in size and keen in nature, Zog has promises plenty of adventures and fun for all ages.

Storyhouse Artistic Director Alex Clifton said: “What an exciting and diverse season we have this spring. Showstopping musicals, West End productions, and household comedy names – this is just a taster of the fantastic line-up we have heading to Storyhouse.

“It may only be January, but we’re also thrilled to announce our first shows for autumn – Cabaret, Calendar Girls The Musical, and comedian Ed Byrne. We’re looking forward to a colourful, exciting and entertaining 2019, we hope you can join us.”

Tickets for all spring season shows at Storyhouse are now on sale. Storyhouse has a dynamic pricing policy on the majority of shows, ensuring the earlier you book your tickets, guarantees the best seats at the lowest price.

The online version of the Storyhouse spring season 2019 brochure can be viewed by visiting https://issuu.com/storyhouselive/docs/storyhouse_spring_19, or you can check avaliblity of tickets on www.storyhouse.com