Derren Brown, Sandi Toksvig, Boeing-Boeing and more: Wolverhampton Grand Theatre announces new season

The season begins on November 19 with Animal Families and Me with Gordon Buchanan. The show will see the wildlife enthusiast tell personal recollections of his travels with his own film ootage and photography.

Disco musical Lost In Music returns on January 16 with songs from artists such as Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Earth, Wind & Fire, Sister Sledge and Chic. Jim Davidson follows on January 17 with his new tour, Last Man Standing.

On January 26, Senbla by arrangement with Opera International presents Ellen Kent’s brand-new production of La Boheme. The show will star Korean soprano Elena Dee in her iconic role as Mimi and the celebrated international soprano Alyona Kistenyova. Featuring a brass band, snow effects and Muzetta’s dog, this classic tale of Parisian love and loss features many famous arias including Your Tiny Hand is Frozen.

January 20 to 25 will see Boeing-Boeing come to the Grand Theatre, starring Emmerdale's Tom Lister, Eastenders' Daniel Casey, Emily Head and Susie Blake. The multi-award winning West End and Broadway production follows Bernard, who has managed to keep his three fiancées blissfully unaware of each other – until now. Three Flight Attendants, three different airlines, three different timetables, each perfectly manoeuvred to avoid Bernard’s intricate love life crashing down to earth.

Sandi Toksvig will being her new one-woman comedy show to the venue on January 27. In the show, Sandi realises some people harbour an ambition to be a National Treasure but following a misunderstanding with a friend has decided instead to become a National Trevor – half misprint, half Danish comedian, novelist, actor and broadcaster.The show will also include a Q&A session as well as a quiz.

Anton Du Beke and Erin Boag come to Wolverhampton for the first time on January 29. The nation's favourite ballroom couple present a brand new show, Dance Those Magical Moves, featuring choreography set to music that made it big on the silver screen, including classics from Breakfast At Tiffany's, Singin’ In The Rain and The Wizard Of Oz, through to modern blockbusters including The Greatest Showman, 007, Moulin Rouge and many more.

The Russian State Ballet Of Siberia return with Coppelia on January 30, Sleeping Beauty on January 31 and Swan Lake on February 1.

Wolverhampton Grand will produce its third in-house drama with a brand new production of Alan Bennett’s The History Boys from February 7 to 22 The play will be directed by Jack Ryder - known for his acting roles in EastEnders and Holby City, he most recently directed Tim Firth’s musical The Band, which became the fastest selling tour of all time and visited.

From February 25 to 29, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat will return to the theatre. The show tells the Biblical story of Joseph, his eleven brothers and the coat of many colours, featuring songs such as Go, Go, Go Joseph, Any Dream Will Do, Jacob and Sons, Close Every Door To Me and many more.

The hills are alive with The Sound Of Music in Wolverhampton from March 3 to 7 as one of the greatest musicals of all time returns. Based on Baroness Maria von Trapp’s 1949 autobiography, this new staging of the show tells the true story of the world-famous singing family, from their romantic beginnings and search for happiness, to their escape to freedom as their beloved Austria becomes part of the Third Reich at the start of WWII.

Hit Broadway and West End musical On Your Feet!congas into Wolverhampton from March 17 to 21. The show is the inspiring true love story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan and charts their journey from its origins in Cuba, onto the streets of Miami and finally to international superstardom. This musical features some of the most iconic pop songs of the era, including Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Conga, Get On Your Feet, Don’t Want To Lose You and 1-2-3.

Carmen tells the story of the downfall of Don José, a naïve soldier who falls head over heels in love with Carmen, a seductive, free-spirited femme fatale presented by the Russian State Opera on April 10.

Madama Butterfly on April 11 is also presented by the Russian State Opera. Set in Japan at the turn of the last century, it is the story of a doomed love affair between an American naval officer and his young Japanese bride whose self-sacrifice and defiance of her family leads to tragedy.

Malcolm Pitt returns to Wolverhampton with Lionel: A Tribute to Lionel Richie on April 7 following his recent appearances with Lionel Richie himself on ITV’s Sunday Night At The Palladium and The Graham Norton Show for the BBC.

April 15 will see the return of his show How Sweet It Is, with songs from artists including Lionel Richie, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, The Four Tops, Smokey Robinson, Marvin Gaye, The Jackson Five, The Isley Brothers, Edwin Starr and many more.

The Simon and Garfunkel Story follows on April 16 returns using huge projection photos, original film footage and a full live band performing all the hits including Mrs Robinson, Cecilia and Homeward Bound.

Peppa Pig returns with a brand new show, Peppe Pig's Best Day Ever, on April 18 and 19. Peppa Pig is excited to be going on a special day out with George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig - it’s going to be her best day ever.

The Kite Runner comes to the venue from April 21 to 25 telling the story of Afghanistan - a divided country on the verge of war and two childhood friends are about to be torn apart. It’s a beautiful afternoon in Kabul and the skies are full of the excitement and joy of a kite flying tournament. But neither Hassan nor Amir can foresee the terrible incident which will shatter their lives forever.

The Mousetrap returns to Wolverhampton from May 5 to 9 and is now the longest running show of any kind in the history of theatre. The scene is set when a group of people gathered in a country house cut off by the snow discover, to their horror, that there is a murderer in their midst. Who can it be? One by one the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts until at the last, nerve-shredding moment the identity and the motive are finally revealed.

A new stage show of Louis Sachar’s Holes comes to the theatre from May 19 to 23 based on the multi-award winning novel and the Hollywood blockbuster. Stanley Yelnats can’t catch a break. Born into a family cursed with bad luck, it comes as no surprise when he finds himself accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Sent to a labour camp as punishment, he is tasked with digging one hole, five foot wide by five foot deep, every day. He’s told it is to build ‘character’. But the tyrannical Warden is definitely hiding something…

Luther: The Luther Vandross Celebration on June 1 is the world’s premier show in celebration of 'the velvet voice'. This show lets you experience all the hits from Luther Vandross’ career,fronted by international Luther Vandross tribute Harry Cambridge and his 10 piece band

Derren Brown is back with brand new show, Showman, from July 21 to 25. His one-man shows have received wide critical acclaim and more Olivier wins and nominations than any other in history. Now with his first brand new theatre show in five years, with the content remaining a secret.

Derren said: "All I can reveal is that the show will ultimately be about you, the audience member, because that’s what I find most interesting.

"There are places I’d like to take the audience where we haven’t been before. I always aim to have it deliver more than you'd expect.

"I’m excited to be at the starting point of that process. Getting it on the road will be my favourite part of the year."

Tickets for the new season of shows will be on sale exclusively to Friends Of The Grand and members on June 22 at 10am online and 12pm box office phones and counters.

Public bookings open on June 26 at 10am online and 12pm box office phones and counters.

For more information, click here.