New season announced for Milton Keynes Theatre

Kicking off the spring season – or rather leaping, gloriously, into it, romance was never quite so Gothic or evocative as Matthew Bourne’s dazzling production of Sleeping Beauty. It runs from January 26-30.

Boogie beauties return to MKT, ready to give you the ride of your life, as Jason Donovan and the cast of Priscilla Queen of the Desert hop aboard the party bus again, back by overwhelming popular demand from February 1-6.

There’s more smash hit musical entertainment later in the season when the razzle-dazzle, double–trouble cell block chicks of Chicago hits the town from March 14-19. You can really let your hair down as the feel-good factor gets a mighty boost with the award-winning musical, Hairspray, returning to the stage from April 4-9.

And finally, rounding off an amazing season of smash-hit musicals, comes award-winning show, The Bodyguard starring former The X Factor winner Alexandra Burke from April 12-23.

Theatre wouldn’t be quite so entertaining without a certain amount of mystery and suspense. The National Theatre’s critically acclaimed production of An Inspector Calls is every dinner party host’s nightmare and is performed by February 23-27.

The mind-boggling bafflement you hanker after, you can’t get more provocative than Derren Brown’s new show Miracle running from February 15-20.

The world premiere of the stage production of David Walliams’ best-selling story for children, Gangsta Granny, is brought to the stage from February 9-13 by the acclaimed producers of Horrible Histories and then, barely three weeks later there’s another treat for kids when the Chichester Festival Theatre’s enchanting and award-winning production of Goodnight Mister Tom arrives between March 1 and 5.

And to introduce even the very smallest member of the family to dance Northern Ballet present a delightful child-friendly performance of Tortoise & the Hare on April 29.

There’s nowt as queer as folk. And definitely nowt as queer as Henry Horatio Hobson, the anti-hero of Harold Brighouse’s comedy drama, Hobson’s Choice starring Martin Shaw which comes to Milton Keynes from March 7-12 in advance of a transfer to the West End.

With a return visit from the wonderful Welsh National Opera, who bring a trio of works charting the life and loves and losses of one of opera’s most enduring creations, Figaro, and the legendary family favourite, Swan Lake, performed by Northern Ballet the spring season at Milton Keynes Theatre is going to be a sparkling start to the new year!

The treats aren’t limited to the spring as the summer will see the fantasmagorical musical Chitty, Chitty Bang Bang, cheeky irreverence from the Avenue Q puppets, summer holiday romance in Save the Last Dance for Me and one for ALL the family, Annie.

There is a whole raft of show-stopping numbers make Guys and Dolls one of the great Broadway musicals, while Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, starring X Factor winner Joe McElderry, is always a must-see for the kids. With the Rocky Horror Show to look forward to and outrage and dressing up is strcitly encouraged. Even the nuns are getting involved in the musical fun as a new production of Sister Act comes to Milton Keynes Theatre in the autumn directed and choreographed by Strictly Come Dancing judge Craig Revel Horwood.

Tickets for all these shows and many more are on sale now. To book call the box office, call 0844 871 7652 or visit www.atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes.