Two hit musicals will take to the stage in Oxford in July.

The New Theatre Oxford, on George Street, will play host to Footloose and Chicago. 

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Footloose

Synopsis: City boy Ren thinks life is bad enough when he's forced to move to a rural backwater in America.

But his world comes to a standstill when he arrives at Bomont to find dancing and rock music are banned.

Taking matters into his own hands, soon Ren has all hell breaking loose and the whole town on its feet.

Joshua Hawkins stars as Ren McCormack, Jake Quickenden (Dancing on Ice Winner, Hollyoaks, Dreamboys, Hair, Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure) plays Willard and West End star Darren Day (Mame, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Grease and Summer Holiday) plays Reverend Moore. Lucy Munden also stars as Ariel alongside Oonagh Cox as Rusty.

Footloose will play at the New Theatre Oxford from June 28 to July 2.

Chicago

Synopsis: Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her.

Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today's tabloids.

The show stars Coronation Street’s Faye Brookes (Dancing On Ice, Grease, Legally Blonde) as Roxie Hart, West End and TV stars Brenda Edwards (Loose Women, Chicago, The X Factor) as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton, Lee Mead (Joseph, Holby City, Wicked, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang) as Billy Flynn, and Djalenga Scott (Annie, Chicago, West Side Story) as Velma Kelly.

Chicago will play at the New Theatre Oxford from July 18 to July 23.

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This story was written by Sophie Perry. She joined the team in 2021 as a digital reporter.

You can get in touch with her by emailing: sophie.perry@newsquest.co.uk

Follow her on Twitter @itssophieperry

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