NEW YORK, PLEASE LOOK AFTER THIS BEAR.
“★★★★★ IT WILL FILL YOU WITH JOY AND MELT YOUR HEART.” – Guardian
THE OLIVIER AWARD-WINNING, RECORD-BREAKING SENSATION
WILL OPEN ON BROADWAY IN SPRING 2027
Performances Begin Tuesday, March 30, 2027
Officially Opens Sunday, April 18, 2027
At Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre
Tickets Now On Sale at www.PaddingtonTheMusical.com
“★★★★★ THE MOST WONDERFUL THEATRICAL CREATION IN YEARS.” – The Standard
“★★★★★ A MARMALADE-FLAVORED MASTERPIECE.” – The Daily Mail
“★★★★★ A TRIUMPH. A LOVE LETTER TO KINDNESS, INCLUSION AND FAMILY.” – Daily Express
Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK are thrilled to announce that the record-breaking, smash hit, seven-time Olivier Award-winning Best New Musical PADDINGTON The Musical will begin performances Tuesday, March 30, 2027 and officially open Sunday, April 18, 2027 at Broadway’s Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street). Tickets start at $69 and are now on sale at www.PaddingtonTheMusical.com.
Based on the beloved “A Bear Called Paddington”written by Michael Bond and the award-winning film ‘PADDINGTON,’ by special arrangement with STUDIOCANAL, PADDINGTON The Musical features music and lyrics by Olivier Award winner Tom Fletcher, a book by Olivier Award winner Jessica Swale anddirection by Olivier Award winner Luke Sheppard.
PADDINGTON The Musical is the most awarded new musical in the history of London’s West End. The show won seven 2026 Olivier Awards, tying the record for the most the number of wins for any musical in Olivier Award history – including winning Best New Musical, Best Director for Luke Sheppard, Best Set Design for Tom Pye and Ash J Woodward, and Best Costume Design for Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar – the latter, who designed the bear. The production also received a record nine WhatsOnStage Awards – the most for any new musical – including winning Best New Musical, Best Direction for Luke Sheppard, Best Set Design for Tom Pye, Best Costume Design for Gabriella Slade and Tahra Zafar, Best Sound Design for Gareth Owen, Best Wigs, Hair and Make-Up Design for Campbell Young Associates; Best Musical Supervision/Direction for Matt Brind and Best Casting Direction for Natalie Gallacher, for Pippa Ailion & Natalie Gallacher Casting, Nick Hockaday and Annabelle Davis. The production also recently won the Critics’ Circle Award for Best New Musical.
Composer Tom Fletcher said: “It has been the greatest adventure of my career to be entrusted with bringing Paddington’s story to life on stage alongside my brilliant creative collaborators Jessica, Luke and our producers Sonia and Eliza. The response from West End audiences of all ages has been unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. It’s a great privilege to welcome New York audiences into Paddington’s world of curiosity and I am absolutely thrilled at the opportunity for this very rare and special bear to be on Broadway.”
Book Writer Jessica Swale said, “I couldn’t be more excited to bring Paddington to New York. As a city that breathes theatre, storytelling and imagination, Broadway is the perfect place to celebrate this exuberant and heart-filled story. I can’t wait. Let’s just hope Paddington loves Big Apples as much as he loves oranges.”
Director Luke Sheppard said, “Paddington approaches life with curiosity, kindness and an unwavering sense of adventure, and what an adventure Broadway will be. It’s a dream come true to be bringing this joyful show to New York and I can’t wait for audiences to meet this very special bear that we all hold so close to our hearts.”
Producers Sonia Friedman and Eliza Lumley said, “Producing Paddington The Musical with our extraordinary writing and creative team has been an immense privilege. Paddington Bear has endured for generations because he reminds us of the best of ourselves: kindness, curiosity, empathy and the belief that everyone deserves to belong. Wrapped inside a joyful theatrical adventure, with Tom Fletcher’s exceptional score at its heart, is a story about finding home, family and community in unexpected places. We have been genuinely blown away by the response to the production so far and are thrilled to be bringing it to Broadway. As the home of so many of the world’s great musicals, there is no more exciting place to produce new work than New York, and we cannot wait to share Paddington’s world with Broadway audiences.”
Anna Marsh, CEO of STUDIOCANAL, Chief Content Officer of CANAL+, expands “It is an immeasurable privilege to bring Paddington the Musical to Broadway with Sonia, Eliza and the exceptional team they have assembled. To witness their collective gift in bringing Paddington to life on stage has been a masterclass in production. Over the past 12 years we have put such genuine care into honoring Michael Bond’s legacy with our films, series and as proud owners of the IP. We cannot wait for a new audience to delight in the heart, humor, wonder and magic of Paddington’s Broadway debut.”
★★★★★
“PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL WILL CONQUER THE WORLD.” – The I
★★★★★
“ABSOLUTE PERFECTION.” – Sunday Mirror & Sunday Express
★★★★★
“IS IT POSSIBLE TO GIVE A SHOW SIX STARS?” – Metro
PADDINGTON The Musical features musical supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Olivier Award nominee Matt Brind; choreography by Tony and Olivier Award nominee Ellen Kane; scenic design by Olivier Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tom Pye; costume design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Gabriella Slade; Paddington and puppet design by Olivier Award winner Tahra Zafar; lighting design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Neil Austin; sound design by Tony and Olivier Award winner Gareth Owen; video design and animation by Olivier Award winner Ash J Woodward; hair, wig and makeup design by Campbell Young Associates; casting by Jim Carnahan Casting, Jim Carnahan, CSA. and Jason Thinger, CSA; and Paddington Casting Consultant Annabelle Davis.
The most award-winning new musical in West End history is playing to sold-out audiences and capturing the hearts of all ages. Now, Paddington is packing his suitcase and preparing for his next adventure: Broadway.
In PADDINGTON The Musical, a small, lost bear from Peru arrives in London in search of a place to call home. A chance encounter with the Browns leads him into an unexpected world of adventure, where kindness has the power to change lives and strangers can become family.
But London isn’t all afternoon tea and friendly faces—and even the seemingly happiest of families can have cracks beneath the surface. So, when a mysterious and vengeful villain sets her sights on Paddington, the Browns embark on a thrilling rescue mission, realizing they need this special bear as much as he needs them.
Filled with laughter, wonder, spectacular songs, dazzling choreography, and generous helping of marmalade, PADDINGTON The Musical is based on Michael Bond’s beloved characters, with a story inspired by the award-winning films developed and produced by STUDIOCANAL with Heyday films and distributed by STUDIOCANAL worldwide. It features original music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, a book by Jessica Swale, and direction by Luke Sheppard.
New York, please look after this bear.
‘PADDINGTON The Musical – Original Cast Recording’, written by Tom Fletcher and produced by Matt Brind, is out now on Decca Records and available to stream here. The album is the fastest-selling physical West End Original Cast Recording of the 21st Century in the UK. Less than 6 months since PADDINGTON The Musical opened in the West End, the Paddington album, recently released on vinyl, CD, cassette and Yoto, topped the Official UK Compilation Chart. Not since the 1990s has a recording of original music for a brand-new stage production reached this level of popularity so quickly. Passers-by stopped in their tracks when Paddington was spotted on the famous Abbey Road Studios crossing. This led to him gracing the cover of Rolling Stone UK Magazine, in another first for the unassuming bear.
Michael Bond’s “A Bear Called Paddington” was published in 1958 by Collins, later Harper Collins – the first of 29 Paddington books he wrote, with the final one “Paddington at St. Paul’s,” published posthumously in 2018. The books have sold over 35 million copies worldwide.
Paddington has been adapted for television several times – first by the BBC in 1976, voiced by Michael Hordern; and most recently by STUDIOCANAL who developed and produced three series of Emmy & Annie award-winning “The Adventures of Paddington” with Heyday Films, Simon Quinn and Karen Davidson. Paddington has enjoyed three successful big-screen outings released in cinemas to critical and commercial acclaim, developed and produced by STUDIOCANAL with Heyday films and distributed by STUDIOCANAL worldwide. A fourth feature film is in development with Armando Iannucci attached to the write the script with his co-writer Simon Blackwell. Also in development is a new animated Paddington feature film which will introduce Paddington to a new younger generation across all geographies and with an exciting new look for Paddington. As proud owners of the Paddington IP, STUDIOCANAL has grown Paddington into a globally recognized brand over the past 12 years. The Paddington films are the highest-grossing independent family franchise of all time, with over $800 million in box office worldwide, including Paddington in Peru, released through Sony Pictures in the US.
★★★★★
“AN ABSOLUTE TRIUMPH THAT YOU NEED TO SEE.” – Digital Spy
★★★★
“A FUNNY, FEEL-GOOD SENSATION.” – The Telegraph
“IRRESISTABLY JOYFUL.” – Observer
Follow PADDINGTON The Musical on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok at @PaddingtonOnBway.
For tickets and more information visit www.PaddingtonTheMusical.com.
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Sonia Friedman Productions, STUDIOCANAL and Eliza Lumley Productions on behalf of Universal Music UK present
PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL
Music and Lyrics by Tom Fletcher Book by Jessica Swale
Directed by Luke Sheppard
Based on “A Bear Called Paddington” written by Michael Bond and the film ‘Paddington’, by special arrangement with STUDIOCANAL