In addition to the visit from the National Gilbert and Sullivan Company already announced, Darlington has announced the other shows which will form its season from April to October.
First up is the classic Agatha Christie murder mystery, The Mousetrap, which stars Gwyneth Strong, from 29 April to 4 May.
In complete contrast on 17 to 19 May is the children’s show Zog, based on the book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler about the young dragon who is so eager to win a golden star at Madam Dragon’s school, where dragons learn all the things that dragons need to know. He tries so very hard, perhaps too hard, as he bumps, burns and roars his way through years one, two and three.
In yet another contrast, Jaymi Hensley (UnionJ) stars in the new tour of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat from 21 to 25 May.
May’s last show is Dear Zoo, another children’s show, on 30 and 31.
June brings the return of The Horrible Histories with The Terrible Tudors and The Awful Egyptians (20 to 23) and from 15 to 20 July the touring production of Marie Jones’s 1996 hit Stones in His Pockets arrives in Darlington.
August (1 to 3) sees The National Gilbert & Sullivan Opera Company presenting three G&S classics—The Gondoliers, The Pirates of Penzance and The Mikado—and it is followed by Puttin’ On The Ritz, bringing to life the music of Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and George Gershwin (6 to 8).
In total contrast, Stephen Tompkinson and Sunderland-born Jessica Johnson star in Willie Russell's Educating Rita, a new production directed by Max Roberts of Newcastle's Live Theatre, produced by Keswick’s Theatre By The Lake (12 to 17 August).
The classic Miss Marple story A Murder is Announced brings murder and mystery back to the Hippodrome from 10 to 14 September and from 17 to 21 Buddy—The Buddy Holly Story returns. Then, on 28 and 29, the children’s show In the Night Garden—Igglepiggle's Busy Day arrives.
October sees the arrival of the family musical Madagascar the Musical from 9 to 13, followed (15 to 19) by another mystery, a new stage adaptation of The Lady Vanishes. The last show of the month, Curtains starring Jason Manford, unites the two genres, being a musical comedy and a murder mystery (23 October to 2 November).
Finally, David Walliams’s Billionaire Boy comes to the Hippodrome from 6 to 10 November.