Independent theatre studio China Plate and Birmingham Hippodrome have revealed that their new concert musical To The Streets! will be performed in Birmingham, Coventry and Wolverhampton in summer 2022.
The musical by Roy Williams and Tim Sutton is inspired by the 1963 Bristol bus boycott, a “pivotal moment in the UK’s civil rights history”. It follows Paul Stephenson, an idealistic youth worker who takes to the streets to stand up for equality in Bristol where tensions are running high as the Omnibus Company refuses to employ black or Asian drivers or conductors.
The performances will take place at Handsworth Park, Birmingham on Friday 19 and Saturday 20 August, Windmill Hill, Warwick Arts Centre, Coventry on Wednesday 24 and Thursday 25 August, and West Park, Wolverhampton on Sunday 28 August.
Paul Warwick, director at China Plate, said, “the music at the centre of To The Streets! is truly uplifting, bursting with ska, calypso and rock ‘n’ roll—absolutely perfect for a summer outdoor performance.”
Chris Sudworth, director of artistic programme at Birmingham Hippodrome, added, “To The Streets! will give audiences an opportunity to hear all the songs and enjoy the vibrant choreography from the show ahead of a proposed national tour of the full stage musical, premièring at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2024.”