All the world’s a stage – so sit back and enjoy the greatest musicals Leeds has to offer.
Musicals – we can’t get enough of them. With singing, dancing and uplifting stories, what’s not to like? Whether you prefer sensations hot off the West End or jukebox indies, if you love musicals, Leeds is the place to scratch your night at the theatre itch. So, go on, check them out – which of these will have you dancing in the aisles over the next 12 months? And if you want to find out what else is on in Leeds’ theatres, we’ve got all of this month’s highlights ready and waiting.
Annie
Rare Productions presents a fantastic adaptation of one of the world’s most iconic musicals. The whole family will be entertained as you follow Annie’s plight to escape her hard knock life at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage– will her charm and determination be enough to see her through?
This particular show features an incredible cast of local young actors, who will bring their all to the stage as they perform the songs you know and love from this all-time classic family favourite.
Annie is on at The Carriageworks Theatre from Thursday 29th to Saturday 31st January 2026.
Sunny Afternoon: The Kinks Musical
Credit: Manuel Harlan
The multi-award winning hit musical, Sunny Afternoon is coming to Leeds this year. Leave your worries at home and lose yourself in the story of Brit-rock icons, The Kinks.
Watch, sing and tap along to the story of a group of mouthy lads from Muswell Hill who conquer the 60s British music scene and take America by storm. You’ll hear spruced up versions of all their biggest hits, from ‘You Really Got Me’ to ‘All Day All Night’.
Sunny Afternoon: The Kinks Musical is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Thursday 24th February to Saturday 28th February 2026.
Pied Piper: A Hip-Hop Family Musical
Experience a classic Medieval fairy tale like never before. This modern retelling of the Pied Piper is a high-energy electrifying production that will leave the whole family grinning from ear to ear.
Expect beat-boxing, break dancing and special guest appearances from the local community as you watch the kids of Hamelin seek out a mysterious hero who could help them get their joy back.
Pied Piper: A Hip-Hop Family Musical is on at Leeds Playhouse from Thursday 12th to Saturday 14th March 2026.
TINA: The Tina Turner Musical
Credit: Johan Persson
Don your finest 80s threads and get ready to boogie in your seat with TINA: The Tina Turner Musical. A love letter to the global superstar, it chronicles Tina’s inspiring story, from her humble beginnings in Tennessee all the way through to her multiple Grammy Award winning career.
With a superb soundtrack including ‘River Deep, Mountain High’, ‘What’s Love Got to Do With it?’ and ‘Private Dancer’, this show is ‘simply the best’.
TINA: The Tina Turner Musical will be at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 17th March to Saturday 4th April 2026.
Frankie Goes to Bollywood
Prepare to be blown away by this culture-blending musical comedy that’s made big waves on its smash-hit UK tour. Bollywood glamour, infectious music and a punchy protagonist trying to take charge of her destiny– Frankie Goes to Bollywood has it all.
You’ll be instantly enraptured by this bold and ambitious story, as a young British woman tries to find her footing in the male dominated world of Bollywood. Can Frankie become a star without losing herself in the process?
Frankie Goes to Bollywood is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Friday 24th to Saturday 25th April 2026.
Black is the Color of my Voice
If you’re a fan of Nina Simone, you won’t want to miss this one. The acclaimed show by playwright Apphia Campbell takes inspiration from the iconic singer’s life as it follows a young performer and civil rights activist reflecting on her life after her father’s untimely death.
Featuring many of Simone’s most beloved songs, from ‘I Put a Spell on You’ to the fabulous ‘Feelin’ Good’, Black is the Colour of my Voice is sure to hit you with emotion and rouse you to your feet by the final curtain.
Black is the Color of my Voice is on at Leeds Playhouse from Friday 24th to Saturday 25th April 2026.
The Karate Kid: The Musical
New to Japan, Daniel LaRusso embarks on a journey of self-discovery with the help of his Karate instructor Mr Miyagi, who shows him that Karate is as much about discipline, dignity and respect as it is about fighting.
The coming of age story that is loved by many across generations is brought to life on stage, through incredible set design, innovative choreography and a musical soundtrack that makes it all the more powerful.
The Karate Kid: The Musical is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 26th to Saturday 30th May 2026.
Legally Blonde: The Musical
Another iconic movie-musical adaptation, Legally Blonde: The Musical makes for the perfect feel-good theatre trip to bend and snap your spirits back up. Amber Davies of Pretty Woman and 9-5 fame will play Elle Woods, the underestimated legal student who brings killer fashion to the courtroom.
Perfect for a date night or an outing with the friends, Legally Blonde: The Musical will have you laughing and lip syncing along as you watch Elle defy expectations and prove to everyone that authenticity is the greatest accessory of all.
Legally Blonde: The Musical is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 9th to Saturday 13th June 2026.
MAMMA MIA!
Credit: Brinkhoff Moegenburg
Here we go again – the smash-hit musical will be coming to Leeds for two weeks only in June 2026. A tale of love, friendship and self-discovery, the hilarious production is set on a Greek island and follows Sophie, as she attempts to meet her father on the eve of an unforgettable wedding.
Backed by a timeless soundtrack of ABBA anthems, it’ll whisk you away to a sun-drenched paradise full of laughs and sing-a-long tunes you won’t be able to resist.
MAMMA MIA! will be at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 16th to Saturday 27th June 2026.
Here & Now: The Steps Musical
Credit: Pamela Raith
If you’re looking for a feel-good jukebox hit, book your tickets for Here & Now: The Steps Musical. The brand-new production will be toe-tapping its way into Leeds Grand Theatre, with an array of pop anthems like ‘One for Sorrow’, ‘Deeper Shade of Blue’ and ‘5, 6, 7, 8’. You’ll follow Caz and her crew as she discovers her summer love isn’t the happy ever after she thought it was – but will she take a chance on a happy ending or will it end up as a tragedy?
Here & Now: The Steps Musical will be at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 5th to Sunday 10th May 2026.
We Will Rock You
The award-winning, Leeds-based LIDOS theatre company is back with another musical production that will have you glued to your seat. We Will Rock You is an energetic homage to pop-rock sensations Queen, set in a post-apocalyptic future where music is controlled by algorithms.
It follows two young revolutionaries striving for uninhibited musical expression as they join a rebel group in search of the lost instruments of rock legends. You’ll hear all of Queen’s biggest hits from ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ to ‘I Want to Break Free’, ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ and of course, ‘We Will Rock You.’
We Will Rock You is on at the Carriageworks Theatre from Wednesday 24th to Saturday 27th June 2026.
The Sound of Music
The hills of Leeds will be alive with the sound of music this summer, as the timeless musical rolls into town. Whether you’ve seen it before or are experiencing it for the first time, you’re sure to be blown away by novice nun Maria’s plight to keep the Von Trapp children safe and happy in tumultuous times.
It’s a stirring story of family, romance and resistance featuring beloved classics including ‘My Favourite Things’, ‘Do-Re-Mi’ and ‘Edelweiss.’ This gem in Roger and Hammerstein’s crown is musical theatre at its best.
The Sound of Music is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Thursday 9th July to Saturday 1st August 2026.
Cole Porter’s High Society
Credit: Michael Wharley
Coming straight to Leeds from the West End, Cole Porter’s High Society is dripping in drama, opulence and Golden Age nostalgia, making it essential summertime escapism.
It follows glamorous socialite Tracy Lord (played by Call the Midwife’s Helen George) and an ensemble cast of 28 as chaos descends on the Long Island upper class when plans for the society wedding of the year start to unravel. With scintillating scandal and a songbook of Porter’s greatest hits, you’ll fall in love with this lavish production.
Cole Porter’s High Society is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 25th to Saturday 29th August 2026.
Heathers: The Musical
Ready to hang with the popular kids? Now’s your chance as Heathers: The Musical brings high school drama to die for (literally) to the Leeds stage. You can see for yourself why this darkly funny musical has stolen the hearts of audiences all over the world as you watch Veronica Sawyer in her quest to rise the ranks of popularity.
Based on the original movie starring Winona Ryder and Christian Slater, Heathers is the blueprint for every popular teen flick, from Mean Girls to High School Musical. Prepare for giggles and gasps in equal measure– it won’t disappoint.
Heathers: The Musical is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 1st to Saturday 5th September 2026.
Operation Mincemeat
Only two years into its run, Operation Mincemeat has won all the big theatre awards and is currently the best-reviewed show in West End history. It’s as quirky as it sounds, a wartime narrative packed with comedy and chaos, where a stolen corpse might be the key to saving the day.
Described as Singin’ in the Rain meets Strangers on a Train, it’s a rambunctious production that will leave you in stitches. The cherry on top? It’s based on a true-story from WWII that’s stranger and more engrossing than fiction.
Operation Mincemeat is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Monday 7th to Saturday 12th September 2026.
The Ballad of Johnny and June
Get lost in the rollercoaster love story of Johnny Cash and June Carter in this semi-biographical musical that chronicles one of the greatest romances in the history of country music.
You’ll see the star-crossed couple fight to maintain their relationship as they deal with challenges from the beginning of Johnny’s career as a small-town musician to the heights of their combined fame. The show is tragic and touching all at once, proving that enduring devotion is the strongest force of them all.
The Ballad of Johnny and June is on at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 15th to Saturday 19th September 2026.
SIX
History buffs and lovers of musical theatre are in for a treat with this tricked-out retelling of the tales of history’s most well-known wives. Multi-award winning musical, SIX, is the time-warped extravaganza that takes audiences back to Tudor England.
It follows the famous wives of Henry VIII, as they sing their stories on modern pop tracks. Don’t miss your chance to see this celebration of girl power, which sold out the last four times it came to Leeds.
SIX will be at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 3rd to Saturday 7th November 2026.
Mrs. Doubtfire
When out-of-work actor Daniel goes through a messy divorce and loses custody of his beloved kids, he takes the desperate measure of creating an alter ego to try and stay in their lives – Mrs. Doubtfire.
The Scottish nanny takes on a life of her own, teaching Daniel about love, sacrifice and fathership. This West End hit comedy musical will have you laughing out loud and shuffling in your seat to some fabulous new ditties. We’ll see you there, poppets.
Mrs. Doubtfire will be at Leeds Grand Theatre from Tuesday 10th to Sunday 29th November 2026.
Cover image credit: Brinkhoff Mögenburg
