The musical Blood Brothers, comedians Jon Richardson and Stewart Lee, as well as drama Brassed Off all feature in the inaugural touring season for Chester’s brand new £37m cultural centre.

International drama, musicals, stand-up comedy, dance and opera are included in the autumn programme for Storyhouse, which opens on May 11.

Storyhouse brings a permanent theatre back to Chester after a decade long absence together with a single screen cinema and the relocated main library.

West-End hit, Footloose, the musical based on the 1984 movie opens the autumn season in the three-tier 800 seat auditorium from September 5-9. Another musical – the legendary Blood Brothers, starring Maureen Nolan – can be seen the following month from October 9-14.

Legendary musical Blood Brothers, starring Maureen Nolan, can be seen at Storyhouse from October 9-14.

Critically acclaimed drama joins the bill with leading physical theatre company Frantic Assembly’s show Things I Know to Be True, performed between November 7-11.

Dance lovers will finally have a reason to travel to Chester when the sound of Buenos Aires comes to the city on October 19 with the hit show Tangomotion, featuring world-class tango dancers and live music from the acclaimed quartet Tango Siempre.

And later the same month, the acclaimed all male dance company BalletBoyz perform their new show on October 30.

Comedians Stewart Lee and Jon Richardson are coming to Storyhouse.

Comedians coming to Chester’s newest venue in the autumn will include 8 of 10 Cats Does Countdown regular Jon Richardson and Stewart Lee (BBC 2’s Comedy Vehicle) with his new show Content Provider on September 19 and October 3 respectively.

More laughter will be on offer as the smash-hit musical Spamalot! inspired by the classic comedy film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, comes to Storyhouse from October 31-November 4, featuring comic delights including killer rabbits and a very expensive forest.

Brassed Off (October 24-28), the play that tells the story of the miners’ strike through the travails of a colliery brass band, is on stage in October and will feature a locally-based brass band alongside the company of professional actors.

Musical All or Nothing, which charts the story of the influential 60s mod group Small Faces, known best for hit songs Itchycoo Park and All or Nothing, will be performed September 27-30 and music from the 1860s comes to the fore with acclaimed company Opera della Luna presenting their latest show Tales of Offenbach (September 22-23).

Folk music star Kate Rusby appears on October 20 as part of a short tour celebrating her 25 years on stage.

Folk music star Kate Rusby appears at Storyhouse on October 20 as part of a short tour celebrating her 25 years on stage.

Artistic director of Storyhouse, Alex Clifton said: “We are delighted with the range of our opening touring season. This is a programme that tells stories in so many guises: through dance, music, comedy and drama. We are thrilled to be welcoming some of the country’s leading producers and after so many years without a theatre, Chester is once again at the centre of great culture.

“To provide a home for these wonderful shows that all pack an emotional punch, and to open our doors to audiences of all ages and tastes is exactly the reason we’re here. See you soon at Storyhouse!”

A second sign has gone up on Storyhouse and white vertical and parallel light strips reminiscient of how the Odeon used to look.

Storyhouse opens its doors for the first-time on May 11 with the inaugural home-produced season which includes a brand new version of The Beggar’s Opera, Alice in Wonderland, and Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Julius Caesar. All four productions will be performed in rep by a company of 26 actors -the largest rep company in the UK outside of the RSC and National Theatre.

Tickets for the touring season are on sale now, visit storyhouse.com or call 0844 815 7202 to find out more.

Full Listings

Footloose 5 – 9 September

Jon Richardson 19 September

Tales of Offenbach 22 – 23 September

All or Nothing 27 – 30 September

Stewart Lee 3 October

Blood Brothers 9 – 14 October

Tangomotion 18 October

Kate Rusby 20 October

Brassed Off 24 – 28 October

BalletBoyz 30 October

Spamalot 31 October – 4 November

Things I Know to be True 7 – 11 November