Want to know what's hot at the theatre in Manchester at the moment?

Well, these are the Top 10 most sought after theatre shows, plus the most popular comedy gigs and music concerts on ManchesterTheatres.com right now...

(week ending Sun 23 Aug 2026)

TOP 10 THEATRE SHOWS

1) High School Musical

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 21 Aug - 19 Sep 2026.
• Watch our Exclusive Interview with JASON DONOVAN

• Tickets & More Info

2) Billy Elliot The Musical

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 2 Dec 2026 - 9 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

3) Jesus Christ Superstar starring Sam Ryder

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 11 - 27 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

4) Smithsonian Starstruck - An Immersive Experience

• Transmission House, Manchester
• Until Sun 27 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

5) Grindr The Opera

• 53two, Manchester
• Until 29 Aug 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

6) Dirty Dancing

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 29 Sep - 3 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

7) Jersey Boys

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 7 - 19 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

8) Little Shop of Horrors

• Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• 25 Sep - 29 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

9) Back to The Future The Musical

• Manchester Opera House
•  13 Jul - 21 Aug 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

10) A Christmas Carol

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 11 Dec 2026 - 10 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

11) Cats

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 10 - 21 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

12) President Barack Obama

• Co-op Live, Manchester
• 15 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

13) An Audience with Danny Beard

• Albert Hall, Manchester
• 18 Sep 2026.

• Exclusive 10% Off Offer & More Info

14) Sylvia

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 19 - 24 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

15) Home Alone in Concert

• The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• 2 & 3 Dec 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

16) Horrible Science - Cosmic Chaos

• Science & Industry Museum, Manchester
• Until 3 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

17) Bubble Planet

• Depot Mayfield, Manchester
• Until 29 Aug 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

18) Dick Whittington

• Manchester Opera House
• 5 Dec 2026 - 3 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

19) Waitress

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 27 - Sat 31 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

20) The Library of Enchantment

• Z-arts, Hulme
• Until 31 Mar 2027

• Tickets & More Info

21) Disney Princess - The Concert

• Manchester Opera House
• 4 Apr 2027

• Tickets & More Info

22) Pretty Woman - The Musical

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 23 Mar - 3 Apr 2027

• Tickets & More Info

23) Paranormal Activity

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 17 - 21 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

24) Macbeth

• Shakespeare North Playhouse
• 11 Sep - 3 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

25) Lowry 360

• Lowry, Salford Quays
• Until 30 Sep 2026

• Free Tickets & More Info

26) Cinderella - A Fairytale

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• 20 Nov 2026 - 9 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

27) Machu Picchu - Journey to the Lost City

• Transmission House, Manchester
• Extended until 27 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

28) East is East

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• 4 Sep - 3 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

29) Victoria Wood's Dinnerladies

• Manchester Opera House
• 26 Jan - Sat 6 Feb 2027

• Tickets & More Info

30) The Haunting of Hill House

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 27 - 31 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

31) High Society

• Lowry Lyric Theatre, Salford Quays
• 22 Sep - Sat 3 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

32) Legally Blonde

• Manchester Opera House
• 3 - 14 Nov 2026

• Tickets & More Info

33) The Sorcerer's Apprentice

• HOME Theatre 1, Manchester
• 27 Nov 2026 - 3 Jan 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

34) The Mousetrap

• Manchester Opera House
• 26 - 31 Oct 2026

• Tickets & More Info

35) The Choir of Man

• The Lowry, Salford Quays
• 13 - 16 Oct 2026.
• Watch our Exclusive Interview with NIMI OWOYEMI
• Read our ★★★★★ review

• Tickets & More Info

36) Christmas Musical Spectacular

• AO Arena, Manchester
• 22 & 23 Dec 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

37) Calendar Girls - The Musical

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• 8 - 31 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

38) Flop - The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals

• Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester
• 4 - 6 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

39) The Highwayman

• Octagon Theatre, Bolton
• 3 - 7 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

40) Anthony Scaramucci

• Aviva Studios Hall, Manchester
• 16 Sep 2026.

• Tickets + Book Offer & More Info

~ o ~

TOP 5 COMEDY SHOWS

1) Kevin Bridges

• O2 Apollo, Manchester
• Thu 27 - Sat 29 Aug 2026 + more dates.

• Tickets & More Info

2) The Prat Pack

• Manchester Opera House
• 5 & 6 Sep 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

2) A Christmas Carol Goes Wrong

• Manchester Opera House
• 17 - 21 Nov 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

3) Jack and The Beanstalk

• Stockport Plaza
• 4 Dec 2026 - 3 Jan 2027

• Tickets & More Info

4) Surinderella

• Palace Theatre, Manchester
• 4 & 5 Sep 2026

• Tickets & More Info

5) Snow White & The Seven Dwarfs

• The Albert Halls, Bolton
• 1 - 31 Dec 2026

• Tickets & More Info

~ o ~

TOP 5 MUSIC SHOWS

1) Day Fever

• New Century, Manchester
• 19 Sep & 17 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

2) Candlelight - A Tribute to Fleetwood Mac

• Manchester Cathedral + Halle St Peters
• 1 Oct 2026 - 5 Feb 2027.

• Tickets & More Info

3) Ibiza Proms in the Cathedral

• Manchester Cathedral
• 10 Oct 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

4) The Music of Fleetwood Mac by Candlelight

• Manchester Opera House
• 27 Sep 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

5) The Bootleg Beatles

• Gorilla + The Bridgewater Hall, Manchester
• 6 Sep & 10 Dec 2026.

• Tickets & More Info

~ o ~

Also See:

The Best of What's On in Manchester This Week

The Top 10 Most Popular Shows in Liverpool

The Top 10 Most Popular Shows in London