The full-scale West End premiere of the musical Little Dancer is set for 2027, directed and choreographed by five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman. Initial casting includes Josefina Gabrielle, Tiler Peck, Julian Ovenden, and Laura Pitt-Pulford.

Following concert presentations at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2023, Little Dancer will receive its fully staged West End debut at Theatre Royal Haymarket from 15 February to 27 March 2027. The production draws on the story of Marie van Goethem, the young ballerina who modelled for Edgar Degas’s sculpture.

The musical’s book and lyrics are by Lynn Ahrens, with music by Stephen Flaherty, an Olivier and Tony Award-winning duo known for works such as Ragtime, Anastasia, and Once on This Island. Ahrens described the project as a “rare thing” that uncovers an untold art story with a world-class creative team.

Susan Stroman, renowned for Crazy for You, directs and choreographs, having led last year’s concert adaptation. Returning cast members include Tiler Peck as Young Marie, Julian Ovenden as Edgar Degas, Laura Pitt-Pulford as Adult Marie, and Josefina Gabrielle as Martine, with further casting to be announced.

The creative team features set designer Beowulf Boritt, lighting designer Ken Billington, costume designer William Ivey Long, sound designer Kai Harada, and casting director Jill Green. Orchestrations are by Doug Besterman and Larry Hochman, while Sam Davis supervises music and arranges dance.

The production is produced by Anita Waxman alongside Jana Shea, Patricia R Klausner, Sharon A Carr, Iwan Lewis, Emily Blavatnik, and Danny Cohen, with general management by Short Street Productions Ltd.

Little Dancer aims to celebrate the power of art and womanhood, a theme highlighted by Stroman, who called the show “a visually stunning and life-affirming piece of theatre” inspired by her own admiration of Marie van Goethem.

The press night is scheduled for 18 February 2027, with the run at Theatre Royal Haymarket serving as a major event in the West End’s 2027 season.