Paddington The Musical, the record-breaking, seven-time Olivier Award-winning West End sensation, is heading to Broadway. The smash-hit production will begin performances at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre on 30 March 2027, with an official opening on 18 April.
The most awarded new musical in West End history, Paddington won seven 2026 Olivier Awards: tying the record for the most wins for any musical in the awards’ history including Best New Musical, Best Director for Luke Sheppard, and Best Costume Design for Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar, the latter of whom designed the bear himself. The production also took home a record nine WhatsOnStage Awards and the Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical. It continues to play to sold-out houses at the Savoy Theatre in London.
View live availability for Paddington The Musical in London here
A small bear, a big journey
Based on Michael Bond’s beloved “A Bear Called Paddington” and the award-winning STUDIOCANAL films, the musical follows a small, lost bear from Peru who arrives in London in search of a place to call home. A chance encounter with the Brown family leads him into an unexpected world of adventure, where kindness has the power to change lives and strangers can become family. But when a mysterious and vengeful villain sets her sights on Paddington, the Browns embark on a thrilling rescue mission, realising they need this special bear as much as he needs them.
Filled with laughter, wonder, spectacular songs, dazzling choreography and a generous helping of marmalade, the production has been hailed as a “marmalade-flavoured masterpiece” by the Daily Mail and “the most wonderful theatrical creation in years” by The Standard, both awarding it five stars.
The creative team
Paddington The Musical features music and lyrics by Olivier Award winner and McFly founding member Tom Fletcher, a book by two-time Olivier Award winner Jessica Swale (Nell Gwynn, Blue Stockings), and direction by Olivier Award winner Luke Sheppard (& Juliet, The Little Big Things).
Fletcher described bringing Paddington to the stage as “the greatest adventure of my career,” adding that he was “absolutely thrilled at the opportunity for this very rare and special bear to be on Broadway.” The wider creative team includes musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Matt Brind, choreography by Ellen Kane, scenic design by Tom Pye, costume design by Gabriella Slade, Paddington and puppet design by Tahra Zafar, lighting design by Neil Austin, sound design by Gareth Owen, and video design and animation by Ash J Woodward.
The production is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK. Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said Paddington “has endured for generations because he reminds us of the best of ourselves: kindness, curiosity, empathy and the belief that everyone deserves to belong,” adding that there was “no more exciting place to produce new work than New York.”
A runaway success story
The Broadway transfer caps an extraordinary first year for the production. Beyond its record-breaking awards haul, the Paddington The Musical Original Cast Recording, written by Tom Fletcher and produced by Matt Brind, became the fastest-selling physical West End cast recording of the 21st century in the UK, topping the Official UK Compilation Chart less than six months after the show opened. The bear himself even graced the cover of Rolling Stone UK after being spotted on the famous Abbey Road crossing.
The London production continues at the Savoy Theatre. The musical joins a wider Paddington phenomenon: Michael Bond’s books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide, while the film franchise, which is the highest-grossing independent family franchise of all time, has taken more than $800 million at the global box office.
Plan your visit (Broadway)
- Theatre: Al Hirschfeld Theatre, 302 West 45th Street, New York
- Previews from: 30 March 2027
- Opening night: 18 April 2027
Savoy Theatre, London
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