Non-replica productions in musical theatre

With news of a non-replica tour of Dear Evan Hansen on its way, we ask – what exactly is a non-replica musical?

Simply put, a non-replica production is one which is different to the show’s original production, typically as seen on Broadway or in the West End.

A non-replica production will tell the same story and feature the same songs, but all other creative elements – the costumes, the sets, the choreography, and so on – will be entirely new.

See some examples of non-replica theatre musical productions below…

Six

A hit on the West End and Broadway, a non-replica production of Six opened at Poland’s Syrena Theatre in Warsaw in 2023. It is directed and choreographed by Ewelina Adamska-Porczyk, seeing brand new costumes, sets, choreography and a translation into Polish.

Wicked

While the original production continues in the USA and UK, Wicked has seen many non-replica productions in other countries, including this version from São Paulo in Brazil.

Frozen

A new non-replica production of Frozen opened in Norway, the country which inspired much of the original movie’s setting.