Craig Revel Horwood to direct and choreograph World Premiere of NOW That’s What I Call A Musical

NEW BRITISH MUSICAL

NOW THAT’S WHAT I CALL A MUSICAL

DIRECTED & CHOREOGRAPHED BY

CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD

TO EMBARK ON UK & IRELAND TOUR

ROYO, UNIVERSAL MUSIC UK, SONY MUSIC ENTERTAINMENT & MIGHTY VILLAGE are delighted to announce the world premiere of NOW That’s What I Call A Musical, a brand-new British musical written by award-winning comedian Pippa Evans and directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood. NOW That’s What I Call A Musical will begin performances on 6 September 2024 at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre before commencing a major U.K. and Ireland tour.

Get ready to relive the playlist of your life by celebrating 40 years of the iconic and chart-topping compilations brand NOWThat’s What I Call Music, which has sold an estimated 200 million copies worldwide. This fun-filled evening is bursting with hits from Whitney Houston, Wham! Blondie, Tears For Fears, Spandau Ballet and so many more.

It’s Birmingham, 1989. Two school friends, Gemma and April, are busy with very important business – planning their lives based on Number One Magazine quizzes and dreaming of snogging Rick Astley. Cut to Birmingham 2009 and it’s the most dreaded event of their lives– the school reunion. Drama, old flames and receding hairlines come together as friends reunite and everything from the past starts to slot into place. The biggest question is: what was with all that hairspray?

Craig Revel Horwood said “This is a beautiful and funny story about two schoolgirls navigating life through their shared love of music. Pippa has written a script that takes you right back to sharing your Walkman headphones with your best friend, escaping the boring day to day and dancing like nobody is watching. Everybody remembers getting the latest NOW That’s What I Call Music Album!  Our show is packed full of the biggest hits of the era and I cannot wait to get started and you will love it.”

Pippa Evans said “Writing NOW That’s What I Call A Musical! has been an absolute delight, weaving this funny, heart-warming story around such a fantastic collection of songs. September 2024 can’t come soon enough!”

Jamii Layton, Managing Director of NOW That’s What I Call Music said, “Now That’s What I Call Music will be 40 years old in November, and with our albums having become such an integral part of the soundtrack of peoples’ lives over that time, it is thrilling for the brand to be headlining such a warm and fun-packed show. NOW has always celebrated the creative diversity and all-round magic of pop music. This combination of a life-affirming story and fantastic music selection will make such a strong connection with the audience. It’s a great way for NOW to salute our legacy and also look forward to the future, continuing to celebrate the best in past and present hits.”

The creative team will include Set and Costume Design by Tom Rogers & Toots Butcher, Musical Supervision and Arrangements by Mark Crossland, Lighting Design by Ben Cracknell, Sound Design by Adam Fisher, Wigs & Hair Design by Sam Cox, Associate Choreography by Aaron Renfree and Casting by Annelie Powell CDG.

NOW is produced by ROYO, Universal Music UK, SONY Music Entertainment and Mighty Village.

Website: thenowmusical.com

Facebook: theNOWmusical

Twitter: @theNOWmusical

Instagram: @theNOWmusical

2024 / 2025 TOUR SCHEDULE

6 – 7 September                                Aylesbury Waterside Theatre                 

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Aylesbury                on sale 9 October

10 – 14 September                            Sheffield Lyceum                                     0114 249 6000

                                                           www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk                    on sale 14 October

17 – 21 September                            Canterbury Marlowe Theatre                  01227 787787

                                                           www.marlowetheatre.com

24 – 28 September                            Nottingham Theatre Royal                      0115 989 5555

                                                           trch.co.uk                                                  on sale 13 October

1 – 5 October                                     Norwich Theatre Royal                            01603 630 000

                                                           www.norwichtheatre.org                           on sale 27 October

8 – 12 October                                   Newcastle Theatre Royal                         0191 232 7010

                                                           www.theatreroyal.co.uk                             on sale soon

15 – 19 October                                 Bradford Alhambra Theatre                      01274 432000

                                                           www.bradford-theatres.co.uk                     on sale soon

22 – 26 October                                 Dartford Orchard Theatre                         01322 220000

                                                           www.orchardtheatre.co.uk                         on sale 8 October

29 October – 2 November                 Cardiff New Theatre                                  0343 310 0041

                                                           newtheatrecardiff.co.uk                              on sale 8 October

5 – 9 November                                 Truro Hall For Cornwall                               01872 262466

                                                           www.hallforcornwall.co.uk                             

12 – 16 November                             Milton Keynes Theatre

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/milton-keynes-theatre on sale 9 October

19 – 23 November                             Belfast Grand Opera House                   

                                                           www.goh.co.uk                                           on sale 9 October

14 – 18 January                                 Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre           02380 711811

                                                           www.mayflower.org.uk

21 – 25 January                                 Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre              0818719 377 (ROI)

                                                           bordgaisenergytheatre.ie                            08442485101 (UK)

                                                                                                                               on sale soon

28 January – 1 February                   Manchester Opera House

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Manchester                on sale 9 October

4 – 8 February                                   Hull New Theatre                                        01482 300 306

                                                           www.hulltheatres.co.uk

11 – 15 February                               Southend Cliffs Pavilion

                                                           www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk                        on sale 8 October

18 – 22 February                               Glasgow Kings Theatre

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/glasgow                    on sale 9 October

25 February – 1 March                      Edinburgh Playhouse

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Edinburgh                on sale 9 October

4 – 8 March                                        Liverpool Empire Theatre

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Liverpool                  on sale 9 October

11 – 15 March                                    Birmingham Alexandra

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Birmingham             on sale 9 October

18 – 22 March                                    York Grand Opera House

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/York                         on sale 9 October

25 – 29 March                                    Oxford New Theatre

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/oxford                      on sale 9 October

1 – 5 April                                           Bristol Hippodrome

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Bristol                      on sale 9 October

8 – 12 April                                         London New Wimbledon Theatre

                                                           www.atgtickets.com/Wimbledon              on sale 9 October