The Greatest Showman musical announces world premiere on UK shores

The Greatest Showman, a new stage musical based on the 2017 film, will have its world premiere next year.

With a score written by Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, The Greatest Showman has a book by Tim Federle (High School Musical: The Musical: The Series) and direction and choreography by Casey Nicholaw (Mean Girls).

Pasek and Paul have written additional musical material for the production alongside their songs from the movie, including “The Greatest Show,” “A Million Dreams,” “Come Alive,” “Rewrite the Stars” and the Golden Globe-winning “This Is Me.”

The show will now open next spring, 2026, at the Bristol Hippodrome – with specific dates, creatives, casting and more to be revealed. As Paul discussed with WhatsOnStage last year, the show will feature new numbers for the stage production, alongside all the numbers from the original.

This is the first 20th Century Studios property to be adapted for the stage by Disney Theatrical Group and the Seelig Group, a producer of the original film. The production continues Disney Theatrical’s long-held relationship with the ATG Entertainment’s Bristol Hippodrome, which is where Mary Poppins made its world premiere, and the UK tours of The Lion King and Beauty and the Beast began their journeys.

The musical film, directed by Michael Gracey from a screenplay by Jenny Bicks and Bill Condon, starred Hugh Jackman, Zendaya, Zac Efron, and Keala Settle. It explores the life and fortunes of the circus entertainer P T Barnum, and became a box office smash, making $435 million worldwide.

The soundtrack became the biggest-selling album of 2018 and the first number one album of 2019. 

The show has also announced an open call for auditions – you can find out more here.