The news that Disney was adapting The Greatest Showman into a stage production has generated a lot of buzz in the theatre world. The production had a limited run in Bristol earlier this year, but details on the West End debut are scarce. One rumour has resurfaced again recently: The Greatest Showman has found a West End venue at long last.
While there has been no official confirmation of when or where The Greatest Showman will play in London, speculation about the venue has been buzzing online for months. The top contender? Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
The West End venue next to Covent Garden is currently the home of another Disney production, Hercules, which ends its West End run on 5 September. The venue will then be home to Sting’s musical The Last Ship from 22 September until 3 October, followed by Jesus Christ Superstar until January 2027.
So far, nothing has been announced beyond that date, so it remains to be seen if the next production to make its home at Theatre Royal Drury Lane will indeed be The Greatest Showman.
The Greatest Showman in the West End: What we know
When Disney announced a stage adaptation in the works, the theatre world was set abuzz – the film has been popular since it arrived on the scene back in 2017 and a stage adaptation felt like a natural progression.
Earlier this year, the production had a sold-out trial run in Bristol, and since it ended in May there have been no updates on what’s next. Speculation has been high since the announcement that the musical will play the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, in part because it’s been the home of past Disney Theatrical Productions musicals including Frozen and Hercules.
The Bristol production is directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, who also directed Disney’s Hercules.
The all-star cast of the production caused plenty of excitement too, with Oliver Tompsett (& Juliet) starring as P.T. Barnum, played by Hugh Jackman in the movie alongside Samantha Barks (Frozen) as Charity Barnum, played by Michelle Williams in the film.
The principal cast also included Ben Joyce (Back to the Future) as Phillip Carlyle and Lorna Courtney (Heathers) as Anne Wheeler, played in the film by Zac Efron and Zendaya respectively. Vajèn van den Bosch (Wicked) starred as Jenny Lind and Malinda Parris (Disney’s Hercules) as Lettie Lutz.
Can’t wait for the West End production? Here are 5 shows to see if you loved The Greatest Showman
From Screen to Stage
The Greatest Showman the Musical is based on the box-office smash hit film starring Hugh Jackman, Zac Efron, Michelle Williams, Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.
The music from the film that captivated audiences worldwide will be included in the stage adaptation. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, the duo behind the Oscar-nominated soundtrack, have also written new songs for the musical, including the new number ‘Show Goes On.’
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