The beloved body-swapping tale Freaky Friday is set to make its UK stage premiere at HOME Manchester this festive season, running from 27 November 2025 to 10 January 2026.
Directed by Andy Fickman, with a book by Bridget Carpenter, music by Tom Kitt, and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, Freaky Friday brings a fresh, contemporary twist to the classic story.
Leading the cast are Rebecca Lock (Here and Now, Heathers The Musical) as Katherine, and Jena Pandya (Come Fall In Love, Bhangra Nation) as Ellie.
Joining them are Ian Virgo (Jesus Christ Superstar) as Mike, Samantha Ho (Cabaret) as Gretchen, Beth Savill (Hamlet) as Hannah, Jessica Butterworth and Ellie Gilbert-Grey making their professional stage debuts as Savannah and Laurel respectively.
Also featured are Max Mirza (Clueless The Musical) as Adam, Morgan Gregory (The Lightning Thief) as Parker, Dylan Gordon-Jones (Back To The Future) as Wells, Waylon Jacobs (Hamilton) as Dr Ehrin, and Tori Scott (The Cher Show) as Torrey.
The cast is completed by Katharine Pearson (Heathers The Musical) as Danielle, James Stirling (The Three Musketeers) as Grampa Jo, and Catherine Millsom (Sister Act) as Grandma Helene.
Freaky Friday is a heartfelt, comedic, and unexpectedly emotional update on Mary Rodgers’ 1972 novel and the hit Disney films, including the recent sequel Freakier Friday.
The musical follows Katherine and Ellie, a mother and daughter who magically swap bodies and must navigate each other’s lives for a day, learning empathy, self-acceptance, and the strength of their bond.
Presented by Paul Taylor-Mills (The Lightning Thief, Heathers The Musical), the production features choreography by Alexzandra Sarmiento (42 Balloons) with associate choreographer Sam Wilson-Freeman (&Juliet).
Set and costume design is by David Shields (Heathers The Musical), with associate costume design by Reuben Speed (Doctor Faustus), lighting design by Nick Richings (La Cage Aux Folles), and music supervision by Will Parker (Self Esteem presents A Complicated Woman).
Musical direction is by George Strickland (The Book Thief), with Ben Johnson (Nerds The Musical) serving as associate director.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
