Birmingham Hippodrome and China Plate have announced a new concert musical which will be performed at parks across the West Midlands this August as part of the Birmingham 2022 Festival.

To The Streets! is an uplifting new production by Roy Williams and Tim Sutton inspired by the 1963 Bristol Bus Boycott, a pivotal moment in the UK’s civil rights history.

It follows the story of Paul Stephenson, an idealistic youth worker who takes to the streets to stand up for equality in Bristol where tensions are running high as the Omnibus Company refuse to employ Black or Asian drivers or conductors. Lorraine, a teenager newly arrived from Jamaica, joins the fight and in so doing, finds her voice and becomes part of a movement that changes history.

The concert performances this summer will be presented within a day-long festival of experiences and will give audiences an opportunity to hear all the songs from the show ahead of a proposed national tour of the full stage musical, premiering at Birmingham Hippodrome in 2024. Chris Sudworth, Director of Artistic Programme at Birmingham Hippodrome said:

“We’re incredibly excited about the year ahead for Birmingham Hippodrome and for our region. We can’t wait for people to get a first taste of To The Streets! - developed by the wonderful team of Roy Williams, Tim Sutton, Christopher Haydon and Dannielle ‘Rhimes’ Lecointe, through our partnership with joint producers China Plate, with the Birmingham 2022 Festival, Warwick Arts Centre and DRPG.

"To The Streets! tells the story of such a pivotal moment in the fight for civil rights in the UK and is the next step in our commitment to producing high quality, bold and relevant large-scale work here in the Midlands.

“As the Birmingham 2022 Festival launches, we are thrilled to announce so many sensational performances and events on and off our stages, produced and presented with brilliant partners, including some of the Hippodrome’s hugely loved free festivals.”

Featured productions from the Hippodrome within the Birmingham 2022 Festival programme include world-renowned UK Choreographer Akram Khan’s brand new dance-theatre production Jungle Book: Reimagined in April, which sees the journey of Mowgli through the eyes of a climate refugee.

In Confessions of a Cockney Temple Dancer in May, Shane Shambhu reveals his secret life as a ‘fat kid’ in the cultural melting pot of East London and his journey to international performer in a bedazzling mix of comedy, theatre and dance.

As part of Birmingham International Dance Festival, Birmingham and Barcelona based HUMANHOOD’s new production, [Infinite] will guide audiences through a powerful, mystical journey in June alongside Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director, Carlos Acosta, bringing together three thrilling works for a triple bill. On Your Marks celebrates the expressive energy and gravity-defying athleticism of the company’s world-class dancers.

This summer will also see the return of two of the Hippodrome’s popular free festivals. The annual B-SIDE Hip-Hop Festival in June will bring together extraordinary artists and breath-taking acts from across all elements of Hip-Hop and Birmingham Weekender will take place throughout the August bank holiday after a spectacular return to the city in 2021.

Birmingham Hippodrome will be working in partnership with Bullring & Grand Central again to produce an awe-inspiring arts festival with a dynamic programme of events from world-class artists from across the West Midlands and beyond.

You can find out more online at birminghamhippodrome.com.