Have you listened to the Dear Evan Hansen cast album enough times to star in the musical? Obsessed over photos of Jake Gyllenhaal in Sunday in the Park with George? Or maybe you’re currently rocking out to the recently released Moulin Rouge! songs.
We get it. That’s why we made this handy list of all the Broadway shows currently planning West End runs: from Falsettos to Moulin Rouge! If you can’t make it across the Pond, your favorite Broadway production may just be coming to you!
Now playing: Falsettos
Falsettos isn’t exactly a direct-from-Broadway transfer: it opened on the Great White Way in 1992, when it won the Tony Awards for Best Book of a Musical and Best Original Score. But it was revived in 2016, when it was nominated for five Tony Awards.
Falsettos is about a dysfunctional Jewish family living in New York in 1979. Marvin, the father, leaves his wife for a man, and his wife (Trina) falls in love with the family psychiatrist (Mendel). Their son, Jason, is caught in the middle, and the family’s lesbian neighbors also feature. Meanwhile, Marvin’s lover, Whizzer, is diagnosed with AIDS.
Cast:
- Daniel Boys as Marvin
- Laura Pitt-Pulford as Trina
- Joel Montague as Mendel
- Oliver Savile as Whizzer
- Natasha J. Barnes as Cordelia
- Gemma Knight Jones as Charlotte
Where: The Other Palace
When: 30 August to 23 November
29 October: Dear Evan Hansen
Dear Evan Hansen may just be the most popular new musical of the decade. It won six Tony Awards on Broadway in 2017, including Best Musical, Best Book of a Musical, Best Original Score, and Best Orchestrations. Plus, the cast recording won the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theatre Album in 2018.
Dear Evan Hansen takes place at a high school in New Jersey, where a student named Connor has committed suicide. In a communication mix-up, a socially anxious teen named Evan Hansen tells everyone that he and Connor were best friends. Soon Evan, who never had any friends before, is the school’s hero and a viral sensation. Things get even more complicated when Connor’s sister falls in love with Evan.
Cast:
- Sam Tutty as Evan Hansen
- Rebecca McKinnis as Heidi Hansen
- Lucy Anderson as Zoe Murphy
- Doug Colling as Connor Murphy
- Lauren Ward as Cynthia Murphy
- Rupert Young as Larry Murphy
- Jack Loxton as Jared Kleinman
- Nicole Raquel Dennis as Alana Beck
Where: Noël Coward Theatre
When: First preview 29 October, opens 19 November
Get tickets for Dear Evan Hansen
29 November: Amélie
Based on the classic French film about everyone’s favorite shy waitress, Amélie had a limited Broadway run in 2017, but it’s done very well for itself since then: with a UK tour and now an upcoming run at The Other Palace.
If you haven’t seen the movie (and why haven’t you?), Amélie is the story of a quiet, quirky girl with a big imagination and a desire to do good. When Amélie moves to Paris, she finds herself getting involved in the lives of her neighbors: a lonely painter, a woman still pining over her unfaithful husband, and a hypochondriac waitress. But when Amélie meets a quirky young photographer, she has to find the courage to pursue her own happy ending.
Cast:
- Audrey Brisson as Amélie
- Chris Jared as Nino
- Oliver Grant as Lucien/Mysterious Man
- Samuel Morgan-Grahame as Joseph/Fluffy
- Sioned Saunders as Gina
- Johnson Willis as Collignon/Dufayel
- Caolan McCarthy as Hippolito/Elton John
- Faoileann Cunningham as Georgette/Sylvia
- Kate Robson-Stuart as Suzanne
- Josh Sneesby as Blind Beggar/Gnome
- Jez Unwin as Raphael/Bretodeau
- Rachel Dawson as Andamine/Philomene
Where: The Other Palace
When: 29 November 2019 to 1 February 2020
12 February 2020: Be More Chill
Be More Chill just ended its Broadway run in August. Joe Iconis’ Tony-nominated score was what got the show to Broadway in the first place: when, long after its production at a regional theatre in New Jersey ended, fans gave the album more than a million streams per month, the producers realized Be More Chill would live again. The Broadway run starred Will Roland, George Salazar, Jason Tam and Stephanie Hsu, but casting for the London run has yet to be announced.
Based on Ned Vizzini’s novel (Joe Tracz wrote the show’s book), Be More Chill tells the story of Jeremy Heere: a socially anxious high-schooler who takes a pill in order to “be more chill.” The pill implants a supercomputer in his head, and at first, things seem to be going well. Jeremy gets to be the popular kid, and even gets the attention of the girl he likes. But the computer has more sinister plans for Jeremy–and for his whole school.
Cast: TBA
When: 12 February to 3 May 2020 (possibility to extend)
Where: The Other Palace
14 February 2020: Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman the Musical just wrapped up its Broadway run. The production starred Samantha Barks and Andy Karl, with music by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. Casting for the West End run has yet to be announced.
When businessman Edward Lewis hires Vivian Ward–a plucky prostitute–as an escort for a series of social events, he gets much more than he bargained for. The two quickly fall in love, only to discover that there are vast hurtles to overcome if they truly want to be together. Based on the 1990 film starring Julia Roberts, Pretty Woman is a comedic, modern take on the Cinderella story.
Cast: TBA
When: First preview 14 February 2020, limited engagement of 46 weeks
Where: Piccadilly Theatre
11 June 2020: Sunday in the Park with George
Sunday in the Park with George opened on Broadway in 1984 and won the 1985 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, but the production coming to London next year is the Broadway revival from 2017. And, you lucky people, Jake Gyllenhaal and Annaleigh Ashford will be reprising their roles from that revival when the musical comes to the Savoy Theatre next year.
Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George is about the pointillist painter Georges Seurat, with the title taking its name from his famous Sunday on La Grand Jatte. The musical hones in on Seurat’s struggle to balance art and love, then jumps into the future to Seurat’s descendant: an artist who finds himself caught in the same dilemma his famous ancestor faced generations ago.
Cast:
- Jake Gyllenhaal as Georges Seurat
- Annaleigh Ashford as Dot/Marie
Further casting has yet to be announced.
Where: Savoy Theatre
When: 11 June 2020 to 5 September 2020
Get tickets for Sunday in the Park with George
October 2020: Frozen
Frozen just finished its first year on Broadway, starring Caissie Levy and Patti Murin, and is still going strong. The show is coming to London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane next fall starring Samantha Barks. Tickets go on sale in March.
Based on the popular Disney film, Frozen is inspired by Hans Christian Andersen’s The Snow Queen. Queen Elsa of Arendelle was born with magical powers, but if she can’t learn how to control her powers, she may end up destroying her kingdom instead of ruling it. Meanwhile, her sister Anna is determined to help Elsa and bring spring back to Arendelle.
Cast:
- Samantha Barks as Elsa
Further casting has yet to be announced.
Where: Theatre Royal Drury Lane
When: October 2020
March 2021: Moulin Rouge!
It’s official! After opening to wide critical acclaim on Broadway, Moulin Rouge! is heading to the West End’s Piccadilly Theatre under the direction of Alex Timbers. Casting has yet to be announced.
Based on Baz Luhrmann’s ground-breaking musical film, Moulin Rouge! tells the story of a beautiful courtesan named Satine and a poor songwriter named Christian who fall head over heels for each other. But Satine, engaged by the Duke of Monroth, isn’t free to follow her heart, and Christian soon learns that playing with fire is dangerous. It all takes place amid the glittering backdrop of Paris’ most famous night club: the Moulin Rouge.
Cast: TBA
Where: Piccadilly Theatre
When: March 2021
Which Broadway shows do you want to come to London? Let us know in the comments!
I am dying to see Frozen- ever since it opened on Broadway, I wanted to see the stage show, but knew I had to wait until there was a tour across the US for Frozen. Next Fall in October, Blumenthal Performing Arts is bringing Frozen to Charlotte, my hometown.
I may live in the states, but at some point- I want Newsies to be in the West End. It is a successful, but underrated Disney musical. I have seen it twice- and wish more audiences could experience this musical.
Agree! Newsies in the West End would be awesome.
Enjoy Frozen! That’s so exciting!
I know the success of Newsies- aware it has been on Broadway for two years and toured for two years. Now, am noticing it is playing at regional, local, community and school production. So, why hasn’t it made it to the West End?
I have seen Newsies on tour and at Central Piedmont Community College
This upcoming season with Blumenthal (2019-2020) is a strong one for musicals (usually, the main musicals I want to see total to two: this time four): it has Les Mis, Jersey Boys, Once on This Island, Come From Away, My Fair Lady, Anastasia, Jesus Christ Superstar, Spongebob, Frozen, and Wicked- all in one season
Wow! That is a great season. So excited for you!