Footloose: The Musical is back on stage in at Manchester Palace Theatre March 14 to 19 2016 as part of a major new UK tour.
Based on the 1984 movie starring Kevin Bacon, it tells the story of city boy Ren who has to move to a rural backwater in America where dancing is banned.
Featuring classic 80s hits including "Holding Out for a Hero", "Almost Paradise", "Let's Hear it for the Boy" and the title track, the nusical first opened on Broadway in 1998, with a London production following in 2006.
Gareth Gates will play Willard. He rose to fame through the inaugural series of Pop Idol in 2001, but more recently has enjoyed a successful career on stage, with credits including Les Misérables, Legally Blonde and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.