From much-loved classics to sparkly modern hits, it looks like it’s going to be a bumper year for musical theatre in Kent.
Whether you love jukebox tunes, epic tear-jerkers, or seeing TV stars take a turn on the stage, this year’s line-up has something for everyone. Here’s just some of the must-see shows heading to the county in 2026…
BLOOD BROTHERS
Kicking things off with a classic, Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers has been captivating audiences since 1983. The cast includes Vivienne Carlyle, who performed in the show on the West End, and Sean Jones and Joe Sleight as brothers Mickey and Eddie. The story follows twins who, separated at birth, experience very different lives and meet again as adults with devastating consequences.
Details: Wednesday, January 14 to Saturday, January 17 at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley. Book online here.
FRIENDS! THE MUSICAL PARODY
It’s one for the millennials – ‘90s sitcom Friends has been turned into a hilarious musical. This new stage adaptation is a loving parody of the record-breaking TV comedy, which ran from 1994 to 2004. The cast packs iconic moments from all 10 seasons into one show, with the producers of Hairspray and the director of The Full Monty at the helm and an entirely original musical score.
Details: Monday, April 20 to Saturday, April 25 at the Assembly Hall Theatre in Tunbridge Wells. Book online here.
JERSEY BOYS
To celebrate its 20th anniversary, Jersey Boys is heading out on a nationwide tour. The musical, which features music by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, has racked up numerous Olivier and Tony Awards over the past two decades. It follows the band’s formation, success and break-up and includes hits such as Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry and December 1963 (Oh, What a Night).
Details: Monday, November 2 at Saturday, November 7 at the Orchard Theatre in Dartford. Book online here.
LEGALLY BLONDE
Strictly finalist Amber Davies is stepping into the pink high heels of Elle Woods in the UK tour of Legally Blonde. Based on the 2001 film, starring Reece Witherspoon and Selma Blair, it’s a feel-good rom-com full of fabulous fashion and original songs. This production has been directed by Nikolai Foster, who has also worked on spectacular shows such as A Chorus Line, Evita and Billy Elliot.
Details: Tuesday, March 24 to Saturday, March 28 at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. Book online here.
MEAN GIRLS
Former Saturday Night Live star and creator of 30 Rock, Tina Fey, is the woman behind the original 2004 film, Mean Girls. In more recent years, the multi-Emmy-award-winner adapted the coming-of-age blockbuster into a stage show, and it’s now heading out on its first UK tour, after a successful West End run, with Steps singer Faye Tozer. If you want to know what to expect, the show was also turned into a musical film in 2024.
Details: Monday, August 3 to Saturday, August 8 at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. Book online here.
MISS SAIGON
The stunning new production of Miss Saigon, produced by Cameron Mackintosh, known for the West End’s long-running Les Misérables, is touring the country this year. The gripping musical, created by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, is set in the final days of the Vietnam War and includes numbers such as I’d Give My Life for You and the Movie in My Mind.
Details: Tuesday, July 7 to Saturday, July 18 at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. Book online here.
PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT
This show has been dazzling fans across the world since it first opened in Sydney in 2006. The jukebox musical features dancefloor anthems such as It’s Raining Men, I Will Survive and Go West and follows three friends as they travel across the Australian desert to perform in a drag show. The touring production stars former Strictly pro Kevin Clifton, Fascinating Aïda’s Adèle Anderson and TV presenter Peter Duncan.
Details: Monday, May 25 to Saturday, May 30 at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury. Book online here.
THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW
It’s no stranger to Kent theatres, but Richard O’Brien’s raucous rock ‘n’ roll musical keeps coming back for more. The Rocky Horror Show, based on the horror B-movies and sci-fi cult classics of the 1930s to the 1960s, is filled with saucy jokes, fabulous costumes and hit songs like Time Warp and Dammit Janet. Book online here.
Details: Monday, February 9 to Saturday, February 14 at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley.
