The Karate Kid – The Musical will embark on a major UK tour in 2026 ahead of an expected West End premiere.
The tour starts at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 28 April 2026, before playing dates in Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Oxford, Milton Keynes, Glasgow, Sheffield, Sunderland, Birmingham and Cardiff. See all dates and tour info.
Further dates – and West End dates and venue – are to be announced.
Based on the classic 1984 Columbia Pictures film, the new stage adaptation reimagines Daniel LaRusso’s journey of friendship, discipline and self-belief through the power of music and movement.
The musical features a book by Robert Mark Kamen, who wrote the original screenplay inspired by his own life, and music and lyrics by Drew Gasparini (We Aren’t Kids Anymore). The Karate Kid is directed by Amon Miyamoto.
The show promises to bring the beloved story to life with innovative staging, emotionally charged performances and dazzling choreography.
Audiences across the UK will experience Daniel’s coming-of-age story as he learns from his mentor Mr. Miyagi that karate isn’t about fighting—it’s about balance, respect and perseverance. Expect iconic moments from the film, including the “wax on, wax off” lessons and thrilling tournament sequences, brought to the stage with cinematic flair.
The hugely successful The Karate Kid franchise includes five movies, plus Karate Kid: Legends earlier this year, and the current hit Netflix show Cobra Kai.
A workshop in New York back in 2023 in preparation for a possible Broadway run featured Kate Baldwin, Alan H. Green, Jake Bentley Young, Jetta Juriansz, Abby Matsusaka and Sydney Jones – who were all in the STAGES St Louis tryout production of the show.
They were joined by Jon Jon Briones as Mr. Miyagi, Daniel Marconi as Daniel and Mateus Leite Cardoso as Freddie.
Last year marked the 40th anniversary of The Karate Kid.
The wider creative team for the show includes choreography by Keone and Mari Madrid, set design by Derek McLane, costume design by Ayako Maeda, lighting design by Bradley King, sound design by Kai Harada, projection design by Peter Nigrini, orchestrations by John Clancy, music supervisor and arrangements by Andrew Resnick, wigs and hair design by Tommy Kurzman.
The Karate Kid The Musical is produced by Naoya Kinoshita, Kumiko Yoshii, John Gore and Kenny Wax.
The Karate Kid writer and creator Robert Mark Kamen said in a statement: “William Goldman said about Hollywood “No one knows anything.” He was right. Who knew that 43 years after I wrote the original script for The Karate Kid, we would see these very same characters acting and singing on the British stage in a story that is as fresh and universally relevant as it was four decades ago.”
Book tickets to The Karate Kid The Musical – UK Tour
Screen to stage adaptations
The Karate Kid – The Musical follows in the footsteps of a growing number of film-to-stage adaptations currently playing in the West End, including The Devil Wears Prada, The Lion King, Back to the Future The Musical, Elf The Musical, 50 First Dates The Musical, Hercules, The Producers, Moulin Rouge! The Musical, Come Alive The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular and the upcoming productions Paddington The Musical, Kinky Boots The Musical and The Greatest Showman The Musical.
Stage adaptations of screen stories also include plays such as Stranger Things: The First Shadow, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Shadowlands, and the festive favourite The Snowman.
- Browse more shows based on film & TV shows here
The Karate Kid The Musical – UK Tour Dates 2026
Tue 28 Apr – Sat 9 May — WIMBLEDON, New Wimbledon Theatre
Tue 12 – Sat 23 May — MANCHESTER, Palace Theatre
Tue 26 – Sat 30 May — LEEDS, Grand Theatre
Tue 2 – Sat 6 June — LIVERPOOL, Empire Theatre
Tue 9 – Sat 13 June — OXFORD, New Theatre
Tue 16 – Sat 20 June — MILTON KEYNES, Milton Keynes Theatre
Tue 30 Jun – Sat 4 July — GLASGOW, Theatre Royal
Tue 7 – Sat 11 July — SHEFFIELD, Lyceum Theatre
Tue 14 – Sat 18 July — SUNDERLAND, Empire Theatre
Tue 21 – Sat 25 July — BIRMINGHAM, The Alexandra
Tue 28 July – Sat 1 Aug — CARDIFF, Wales Millennium Centre
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