The Stage

Monkees musical announces Manchester 2012 premiere

Published Thursday 3 November 2011 at 17:04 by Alistair Smith

Monkee Business, the new stage musical featuring the songs of The Monkees, is to premiere at the Manchester Opera House in March next year.

The show is produced by Michael Rose Ltd and the Ambassador Theatre Group, which also operates the Manchester Opera House. The show will run in Manchester from March 29 to April 14, before touring to two of ATG’s other regional venues - Glasgow Kings Theatre and the Sunderland Empire. There are also plans to bring the show into the West End.

Michael Rose said: “Monkee Business the Musical is a real feel-good night out for all the family and I am so pleased we are getting to share it with Manchester first, having seen what great audiences the city has when we brought Chitty Chitty Bang Bang there in 2006 and 2010. It is a real privilege that EMI have given the production musical access to some of the greatest songs of the 20th century. I can’t wait to hear the Manchester response.”

The show will feature many of the boy band’s hits including I’m A Believer, Last Train to Clarksville, My Boy Lollipop, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, Hey, Hey We’re The Monkees and Daydream Believer.

Howard Panter, ATG’s joint chief executive & creative director, said: “Following the incredible success of the world premiere of Ghost the Musical at the Opera House earlier in the year, we’re delighted to be premiering yet another landmark new musical, Monkee Business, as part of our Manchester Gets It First campaign. This major new stage musical will be packed with iconic hit songs from the sixties, Austin Powers-style zany humour, romance and adventure, which Manchester audiences will get to enjoy before anywhere else in the world.”