Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre today announce Drew McOnie’s inaugural season, opening with the much-anticipated UK premiere of musical comedy Shucked (10 May – 14 June 2025), following its acclaimed run on Broadway and a US tour. Ben Joyce (Back to the Future the Musical) plays Beau, Sophie McShera (Downton Abbey) plays Maizy, and Georgina Onuorah (Hamilton) plays Lulu.
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Dream Ballets: A Triple Bill (19 – 22 June 2025) will see award-winning musical theatre choreographers Julia Cheng, Shelley Maxwell and Kate Prince re-imagine the dream ballets from Allegro, Oklahoma! and Carousel, with new arrangements by Simon Hale and live accompaniment by Sinfonia Smith Square.
This is followed by the stage adaptation of Malorie Blackman’s much-loved novel, Noughts & Crosses (28 June – 26 July 2025), adapted by Dominic Cooke, and directed by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s Associate Artistic Director, Tinuke Craig.
The season continues with Lerner & Loewe’s Brigadoon (2 August – 20 September 2025) with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. In a new adaptation by acclaimed Scottish playwright Rona Munro and directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie, the captivating Scottish Highlands come to the magical outdoor setting of Regent’s Park in this major London revival for the first time in over 35 years. Danielle Fiamanya (Mandela) plays Fiona, and Louis Gaunt (Bridgerton) plays Tommy.
Playing during the daytime for those aged 3+ and their families is the wickedly funny musical based on Roald Dahl’s, The Enormous Crocodile (15 August – 7 September 2025), with book & lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, music by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab and additional music and lyrics from Tom Brady. Developed and directed by Emily Lim, with co-direction and puppetry design by Toby Olié, the production returns to Regent’s Park following its successful 2024 run.
The 2025 summer season also features four Open Air Theatre Festivals, including family, dance and comedy takeover days, and a week-long music takeover that will close the season, presented in partnership with Communion ONE. Further details will be announced in the spring.
Also launching this year is The Theatre Dance Lab, a new artist development programme that will offer early-career musical theatre choreographers a paid residency at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, culminating in a showcase performance of their in-development work on our main stage. Further details and application information will be announced later this spring.
Beyond Regent’s Park, the Open Air Theatre’s production of Fiddler on the Roof will, following its sold-out run in 2024, transfer to the Barbican Centre for a strictly limited 8-week season (24 May – 19 July 2025) ahead of a 20-week tour of the UK & Ireland.
This summer, the re-imagined version of the 2022 Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre musical production of Dodie Smith’s classic book 101 Dalmatians will play a limited 6-week engagement (18 July – 30 August 2025) at London’s Eventim Apollo; and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar continues its tour of Australia through to the end of July 2025.
Drew McOnie, Artistic Director said today, “After what has without doubt been one of the most thrilling incubation periods of my creative career, I am so proud of the season we are now able to announce. Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre offers its own unique opportunity to engage with stories under a shared sky and my ambition is to honour that legacy as we move into this new artistic chapter. Every member of the Regent’s Park team and the many artists that are coming together to share their imaginations with us, will put our audiences, both new and returning, at the centre of their process and it’s an honour to work alongside them in delivering my debut season for this much-loved venue.”
James Pidgeon, Executive Director said today, “Following the huge success of our 2024 season, which saw record-breaking audience figures of over 180,000 people, we are delighted to now be launching our 2025 season of exhilarating live performance. I am particularly thrilled that we have been able to continue our commitment to £15 tickets (36,000 of which will be available throughout the season), and that our productions continue to reach audiences across the world as we tour more of our work than ever before. Heartfelt thanks, as ever, to our staff, stakeholders, producing partners and funders for their valuable support.”
Full creative teams and casting for all productions to be announced.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Memberships are now on sale, and Members’ priority booking for the 2025 summer season opens at 12pm today, with public booking opening at 11am on Thursday 6 February 2025.
Visit www.openairtheatre/membership for more information.
