Chichester marks its first full season following its major redevelopment with ambitious large-scale productions.
Young Chekhov, a major season of the dramatist's early work, offers the chance to see his first three plays together in versions by David Hare, directed by Jonathan Kent and featuring Anna Chancellor, James McArdle and Samuel West.
Two major musicals feature in the Festival Theatre: Michael Ball returns in Mack and Mabel directed by Jonathan Church with choreography by Stephen Mear and a new stage version of A Damsel in Distress will be directed and choreographed by Rob Ashford.
Lenny Henry makes his Chichester debut in Educating Rita. The Festival Theatre stage will be transformed into a river for Alan Ayckbourn's Way Upstream featuring Sarah Parish, directed by Nadia Fall. A revival of Jean Anouilh's The Rehearsal will be directed by Jeremy Sams.
The themes of war, conflict and freedom of speech are explored in two productions: Frank McGuinness's award-winning drama Someone Who'll Watch Over Me with David Haig and directed by Michael Attenborough and W Somerset Maugham's For Services Rendered directed by Howard Davies.
Chichester Festival Youth Theatre marks its 30th anniversary with the world première of Michael Morpurgo's Running Wild at Cass Sculpture Foundation with life-sized puppetry by Finn Caldwell and Toby Olie.
Online booking opens on 11 March.