Family-Friendly Summer Theatre Shows in Manchester

While the summer is usually best celebrated outside, Manchester’s unpredictable weather means sometimes you need an exciting indoor activity to keep the kids busy while they’re on summer holidays. What better way to get them engaged than at one of Greater Manchester’s many theatre shows running across the summer. For kids of any age, here’s just a few of the family-friendly shows coming to the city this summer:

Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton’s hilarious, multi award-winning book The 13-Storey Treehouse comes to life on stage from the 15 to 18 August 2024. Don’t miss your chance to see this fun-filled, best-seller live on stage for children aged 6 – 12 and their adults! 

Find tickets here. 

Hope Mill Theatre School are back for their third annual summer musical. After the success of Annie and Shrek – you do not want to miss out on an all singing, all dancing, trip under the sea! Running from 12 to 14 July 2024.  

Find tickets here. 

The musical phenomenon Hairspray returns! This fun-filled, feel good show is bursting with show-stopping numbers, dazzling costumes, and dizzying dance-routines that you can’t help but shimmy too – running at Palace Theatre from 16 to 27 July 2024. 

Find tickets here. 

Bluey’s Big Play is a brand-new theatrical adaptation of the Emmy® award-winning children’s television series, with an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush. Join the Heelers in their first live theatre show made just for you, featuring brilliantly created puppets, this is Bluey as you’ve never seen it before, brought to real life in this UK premiere – running at the Lowry from 31 July to 11 August 2024.  

Find tickets here. 

Get closer to dinosaurs than ever before at Jurassic World: The Exhibition! Based on one of the biggest blockbusters in cinema history, the exhibition will immerse audiences of all ages in scenes of the beloved movies. Running from 3 July until mid-autumn.  

Find tickets here.

The smash hit musical 101 Dalmatians is going on tour, starring Kym Marsh as the greatest villain of them all, Cruella De Vil. Dodie Smith’s classic canine caper is brought to life on stage with spectacular puppetry, show-stopping choreography, witty songs and irresistible puppies! Running from 30 July to 10 August 2024.  

Find tickets here.

The international smash hit musical SIX is back! Multi award-winning with a spectacularly successful studio album adored on playlists across the globe, this sell-out Tudor take-off has ‘an incredibly strong and powerful message. Running from 13 August to 1 September 2024.  

Find tickets here.