Belgrade Theatre's Spring 2017 Lineup Full of Music, Drama and Fun

The Belgrade Theatre has revealed its new season of shows coming to Coventry in spring 2017. Packed full of music, drama and fun for families, the Spring 2017 Season at the Belgrade will see some of the best touring shows take to the stage. The theatre will also be producing a selection of world-class shows in partnership with some of the UK's leading theatre companies, writers and directors.

Playing in the B2 auditorium from Sat 18 Feb to Sat 4 Mar is The Quite Remarkable Adventures of the Owl and the Pussycat, based on the book by Eric Idle and adapted for the stage in a new musical version by Dougal Irvine. Inspired by the Edward Lear poem, this surreal and brilliantly chaotic new musical for families follows the Owl and the Pussycat on their mission to save the world and defeat the dastardly Firelord, his imaginary dragon, Pyron, and his henchmen, Flicker and Brimstone.

Referencing the fact that Monty Python staged their first ever live show at the Belgrade in 1970, Eric Idle said, "I love the Belgrade Theatre Coventry because it's where we first performed Monty Python live on stage in January 1970 for three sold out midnight shows. It's very close to where we opened my play Pass The Butler in 1982, and it is totally where Dougal Irvine is launching The Quite Remarkable Adventures of The Owl and The Pussycat which will be sailing into the spotlight shortly to bring more Nonsense to Coventry."

This fantastically imaginative new musical adaptation will be directed by the Belgrade's own Artistic Director, Hamish Glen and is the latest co-production between the Belgrade Theatre and Sell A Door Theatre Company whose previous productions include Kidnapped, The Silver Sword and James and the Giant Peach. Aimed at families with children aged 6+, it's set to be a celebration of nonsense, and is sure to enthral anyone with a sense of fun and wonder.

Also playing in B2 next spring, is the thrilling new drama Made in India from Tues 24 Jan to Sat 4 Feb. Made in India tells the story of Eva, whose trip to a surrogacy clinic in Gujarat is her last hope of becoming a mother. For village girl Aditi, surrogacy is a lifeline out of poverty. Written by Satinder Chohan, Made in India is a play about birth and motherhood in a brave new world, and is produced by the Belgrade Theatre and Tamasha Theatre Company.

Hitting the Main Stage in February, is a new musical adaptation inspired by Federico Fellini's Oscar-winning masterpiece, La Strada from Sat 11 to Sat 18 Feb. Premiering in Coventry before embarking on a UK tour and West End run, La Strada or 'The Road', is a deeply impassioned tale of love and loss, set against the backdrop of a country still reeling from the devastating effects of the second world war. This spectacular new production is directed by the Olivier Award nominee Sally Cookson (Jane Eyre & Peter Pan National Theatre, Hetty Feather West End) and boasts a beautiful new score by Benji Bower with songs performed by an international cast of actor musicians.

Later in the season, the wonderfully funny and life-affirming coming-of-age story, The Bubbly Black Girl Sheds Her Chameleon Skin runs from Weds 5 to Sat 15 Apr. This musical by Kirsten Childs started life off-Broadway and features an original score of jazz, Motown, pop and R&B - think Sondheim meets Beyoncé! The story follows Viveca, a bright young African American girl from a middle class family in LA, who dreams of becoming a dancer. This new production by the Belgrade Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East, will take a satirical look at how women have been defined by others and themselves from the 1960s to the modern day.

Following its phenomenal success last year, Bring on the Bollywood returns to the B2 stage from Sat 6 - Sat 13 May. Back by popular demand, this glitzy and theatrical love story will be brought back to life by Phizzical in association with the Belgrade in a colourful celebration of music, dance and Bollywood!

There are also plenty of exciting shows for families visiting the Belgrade next spring. From the puppet directors of War Horse comes the stage adaptation of Michael Morpurgo's novel Running Wild from Weds 22 to Sat 25 Feb. This is followed by family friendly opera, with Ulla's Odyssey, a musical adventure for ages 7+ inspired by Homer's Odyssey from Tues 28 to Thurs 30 Mar. The family fun continues with Roald Dahl's Fantastic Mr Fox on the Main Stage from Tues 18 to Sat 22 Apr, in this production marking 100 years since the birth of the world-famous storyteller!

On Weds 19 Apr, families can join the hunt for the hidden chocolate factory in Easter Bunny's Eggs-ellent Adventure. Direct from a smash-hit West End and international tour, Michael Rosen's award-winning book, We're Going on a Bear Hunt is brought vividly to life from Tues 30 May to Sat 3 June. Also, there is songs, laughter and scary fun for ages 3+ in Room on the Broom from Mon 24 to Weds 26 July.

Several touring musicals will also be visiting the Belgrade next spring in addition to the previously announced titles, Dirty Dancing and Blood Brothers. The hugely successful mod musical All or Nothing comes to the Belgrade featuring the music of the Small Faces from Thurs 4 to Sat 6 May. A new 20th anniversary production of RENT follows from Tues 9 to Thurs 13 May. And finally, kick off your Sunday shoes and cut loose with the explosive 1980s musical Footloose from Tues 13 to Sat 17 Jun!

There are loads more great touring shows coming up next spring, including the previously announced West End comedy, The Play That Goes Wrong from Mon 23 to Sat 28 Jan, detective thriller Not Dead Enough from Mon 27 Mar to Sat 1 Apr, stand-up comedy with An Evening with Jasper Carrott and Alistair McGowan from Mon 13 to Thurs 16 Mar and Jodie Prenger stars in Shirley Valentine from Tues 6 to Sat 10 June. In B2 on Fri 24 and Sat 25 Mar, The Diary of a Hounslow Girl is a new play told through the eyes of a 16 year old Muslim girl growing up in West London. This is followed by sci-fi thriller, The Machine Stops from Tues 4 to Sat 8 Apr, set in a dystopian future where humans are dependent on technology. Also running in B2 on Fri 21 and Sat 22 Apr is The Underground Man, based on Mick Jackson's Booker Prize shortlisted novel.

The spring season continues with an incredible staged performance of award-winning jazz and hip hop star Soweto Kinch's album, The Legend of Mike Smith in B2 from Weds 26 to Sat 29 Apr. And returning to B2 from Tues 20 to Thurs 22 June, Oddsocks will be breathing new life into Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet by giving it a musical Mods & Rockers theme.

As ever, the Belgrade will also be hosting an eclectic mix of one night music shows including The Sensational 60s Experience on Tues 28 Feb, The King is Back on Weds 1 Mar, T Rextasy on Thurs 2 Mar, Roy Orbison and the Travelling Wilburys on Fri 3 Mar, An Evening with Hazel O'Connor on Sat 4 Mar, Money for Nothing on Fri 17 Mar, Seven Drunken Nights on Sat 18 Mar, The Johnny Cash Roadshow on Tues 20 June, Iconic on Tues 27 June, That's Life on Weds 28 June, The Simon and Garfunkel Story on Mon 17 July, Bye Bye Baby on Tues 18 July, The Music of Bob Marley on Weds 19 July, The Million Dollar Piano - A Tribute to Elton John on Thurs 20 July and ABBA Mania on Fri 21 July.

Looking ahead to the Autumn 2017 Season at the Belgrade, there are a handful of shows available to book now including Godiva Rocks, a new jukebox musical celebrating Coventry artists through the decades, from Alan Pollock, the writer of hit Coventry Blitz play One Night in November. The theatre has also announced family favourite, The Tiger Who Came to Tea from Weds 13 to Sat 16 Sept, the Madness musical Our House from Weds 8 to Sat 11 Nov and its pantomime for 2017-18, Cinderella.

Tickets for all of the shows listed above are available to book now by calling the Belgrade Theatre Box Office team on 024 7655 3055 or visit www.belgrade.co.uk for cheaper tickets online.

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