Wolverhampton Grand announces new season of shows - from Rock Of Ages, to Dirty Dancing, and Madagascar The Musical

Top shows on the bill, meanwhile, will include Dirty Dancing, Cats, Madagascar The Musical, and Rock Of Ages.

Following his role in Ladies Day at the city centre theatre this July, Amarillo singer Tony Christie will return to the Grand for a full, live concert on November 3.

Soul Legends, starring Fame Academy and chart singer Lemar, will take fans on a journey through time with soul classics from icons such as Barry White, Lionel Richie, Chaka Khan, Tina Turner and Michael Jackson . Fans can also expect a number of songs by Lemar himself, including If There's Any Justice, Dance (With You), and It's Not That Easy.

January 18 will then see Nights On Broadway - The Bee Gees Story take to the Grand's stage. Featuring the Gibb brothers' many hits from across the decades, this show is described by the theatre as giving audiences 'the experience of being at a Bee Gees concert, with a unique blend of classic hits, acoustic medleys and dance floor favourites'.

Controversial comedian Jim Davidson, meanwhile, will perform at the Lichfield Street theatre on January 19 in his The People Fight Back show.

Marking 2019 at the end of January will then be the New Year Viennese Strauss Gala on Sunday, January 20. Expect a range of Johann Strauss' waltz and polka tunes, such as By the Beautiful Blue Danube and The Thunder and Lightning Polka, as well as a snippet of Die Fledermaus. Also set to feature are highlights from Franz Lehár's Merry Widow and other operetta favourites.

The Chinese New Year Extravaganza show, meanwhile, will take place on January 27. This is set to include Chinese performing arts, from the Lion Dance to contortion.

Strictly Come Dancing star Brendan Cole is then set to perform for Wolverhampton audiences on Valentine's Day, bringing his I'm Still Standing tour to the city on February 14.

The Circus Of Horrors: Psycho Asylum will take to the stage the following night on February 15, featuring bizarre circus acts with a dark twist.

Musical fans will then be treated to a five-day run of romantic classic Dirty Dancing at the theatre from April 1 to 6, featuring hit songs such as Hungry Eyes, Hey Baby, Do You Love Me, and The Time Of My Life.

How Sweet It Is - The Greatest Hits of Motown follows on April 14; a live show combining 'first-class music together with slick choreography, and an amazing band', says the Grand. Expect hits from artists such as Lionel Richie, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five, The Isley Brothers, Edwin Starr and many more.

Children's favourite Ben and Holly's Little Kingdom will take place at the theatre on April 19 and 20, which will see Ben, Holly and their friends on an exciting musical adventure packed full of games, songs and laughter. 'With actors, masks and colourful costumes this beautiful story of elves, princesses and childhood innocence will delight all the family,' says the theatre.

Take a trip down memory lane with Club Tropicana The Musical, packed with 80s smash hit classics, from April 29 to May 4. Expect songs such as The Look Of Love, Making Your Mind Up, Relax, Take On Me, Church Of Poison Mind, Up Where We Belong and many more, as the story tells the tale of a bride and groom getting cold feet, and deciding to fly to sunnier climates - but, little do they know, they have checked into the same hotel.

Madagascar The Musical then comes to the Grand from May 7 to 11, complete with Alex, Marty, Melman and Gloria as they take an unexpected journey to King Julien's Madagascar. 'This brand new musical from Dreamworks will leave audiences with no choice but to Move It, Move It,' adds the theatre.

Iconic Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Cats will be taken on by West Bromwich Operatic Society, which will perform the play in Wolverhampton from May 14 to 18.

The Dreamboys - a highly successful male stripper show - will then take place on May 22.

Rock Of Ages makes its debut at the Grand from May 28 to June 1, telling the tale of an LA love story, filled with more than 25 classic rock anthems. Songs to expect from this musical comedy include We Built This City, The Final Countdown, Here I Go Again, Can’t Fight this Feeling and I Want To Know What Love Is.

Menopause The Musical, meanwhile, will come to the city centre theatre on June 3 and 4. 'An all-singing, all-dancing comedy set in a department store, where four women with seemingly nothing in common, meet by chance and make fun of their woeful lives experiencing The Change - they soon bond as they realise that the menopause is no longer The Silent Passage, but an unavoidable stage in every woman’s life,' says the Grand.

The annual Hilarity Charity Gala then returns on June 5, with a list of comedians set to take part in the show still due to be announced.

Award-winning comedy Avenue Q comes to Wolverhampton's Grand Theatre from June 11 to 15, in a 'part-flesh-part-felt and packed with heart' show, says the venue. It tells the the story of a recent college graduate named Princeton who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q.

Walsall Operatic Society will then put on a performance of musical Hello Dolly! from June 18 to 22. This show follows the story of strong-willed matchmaker Dolly Gallagher Levi as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly 'well-known unmarried half-a-millionaire' Horace Vandergelder. In doing so she persuades his niece, his niece's intended, and Horace's two clerks to travel to New York City.

Tickets for the new season's shows go on sale at 11am on June 29 for online and telephone bookings. The box office will sell tickets for the new shows from midday on the same date.

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