Sister Act UK and Ireland tour: Craig Revel Horwood back in the habit for 2027

Craig Revel Horwood is putting the wimple back on. The Strictly Come Dancing judge will play Mother Superior in a new UK and Ireland tour of Sister Act The Musical, which opens at New Wimbledon Theatre on Saturday 11 September 2027.

He is joined by ChuckleVision favourite Paul Chuckle as Monsignor O'Hara and West End star Zoe Birkett as Deloris Van Cartier, at selected venues on the tour. Producer Jamie Wilson says further casting will be announced, and the full venue by venue casting is listed below.

Who is playing Mother Superior?

Craig Revel Horwood is the longest serving judge on BBC One's Strictly Come Dancing, having appeared on all 24 series. Sister Act is familiar ground: he directed and choreographed its 2016/17 UK tour. His stage roles include the Wicked Witch of the West in The Wizard of Oz on tour, Miss Hannigan in Annie in the West End and on tour, Munkustrap in Cats, Miss Saigon at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, and Harry in Crazy for You at the Prince Edward Theatre.

He has twice been nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Choreography, for Spend Spend Spend! and My One and Only, and he choreographed the film Paddington 2. In 2025 he toured his one man show Revelations: Songs Boys Don't Sing, and he took it back on the road this year.

Note that he does not play every date. He is not appearing at Southend, Birmingham or any venue from Cardiff onwards.

Who else is in the cast?

Paul Chuckle is one half of The Chuckle Brothers, alongside his late brother Barry. ChuckleVision ran for more than 20 years and won a Children's BAFTA, and the pair also fronted the game show To Me, to You! His screen work includes Benidorm, Doctors and The Madam Blanc Mysteries, and he was made an MBE in the 2026 New Year Honours. Later this year he plays Mr Boo in the National Theatre's The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

Zoe Birkett played the title role in TINA: The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre and created Arabia in the original West End cast of Moulin Rouge! The Musical, winning a BroadwayWorld award for Best Supporting Performer in a Musical. She was Pippa in Roald Dahl's The Witches at the National Theatre, and first found fame as the highest placed female contestant on the first series of Pop Idol. Most recently she was guest vocalist on Take That's Circus Live stadium tour. She is not appearing from Cardiff onwards.

What is the show about?

Disco diva Deloris witnesses a murder and is placed in protective custody in the last place anyone would look for her: a convent. Asked to help its struggling choir, she inspires the sisters to find their voices and rediscovers her own along the way.

The score is by Alan Menken, the Tony winner and eight time Oscar winner behind Disney's Aladdin, with lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Bill and Cheri Steinkellner, with additional book material by Douglas Carter Beane. Bill Buckhurst directs, with choreography by Alistair David, set and costume design by Morgan Large, lighting by Tim Mitchell, sound by Tom Marshall and musical supervision by Stephen Brooker. Casting is by Pearson Casting.

Where and when is the tour?

Here is every date announced so far. Further venues are still to come.

• Saturday 11 to Saturday 18 September 2027: New Wimbledon Theatre. On sale 21 October 2026.
• Monday 20 to Saturday 25 September 2027: Sunderland Empire. On sale 21 October 2026.
• Tuesday 28 September to Saturday 9 October 2027: Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield. On sale 11 December 2026.
• Monday 11 to Saturday 16 October 2027: Alhambra Theatre, Bradford. On sale 9 November 2026.
• Dates to be announced: Dublin. Venue and on sale date to be announced.
• Tuesday 9 to Saturday 27 November 2027: Palace Theatre, Manchester. On sale 21 October 2026.
• Monday 29 November to Saturday 4 December 2027: Cliffs Pavilion, Southend. On sale 22 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood does not appear here; Mother Superior to be announced.
• Monday 6 December 2027 to Sunday 2 January 2028: The Alexandra, Birmingham. On sale 21 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood does not appear here; Mother Superior to be announced.
• Monday 10 to Saturday 15 January 2028: Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. On sale soon. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Monday 17 to Saturday 22 January 2028: Theatre Royal, Nottingham. On sale 23 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Monday 24 to Saturday 29 January 2028: Theatre Royal Brighton. On sale 21 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Monday 31 January to Saturday 5 February 2028: Orchard Theatre, Dartford. On sale 22 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Monday 7 to Saturday 12 February 2028: Theatre Royal Plymouth. On sale 19 November 2026. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Tuesday 15 to Saturday 19 February 2028: Hull New Theatre. On sale 23 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Monday 21 to Saturday 26 February 2028: Mayflower Theatre, Southampton. On sale 23 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Tuesday 29 February to Saturday 11 March 2028: Grand Opera House, Belfast. On sale soon. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Monday 13 to Saturday 18 March 2028: Millennium Forum, Derry. On sale 23 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.
• Tuesday 21 to Saturday 25 March 2028: New Theatre Oxford. On sale 21 October 2026. Craig Revel Horwood and Zoe Birkett do not appear here; further casting to be announced.

When do tickets go on sale?

The first venues, including New Wimbledon, Sunderland, Manchester, Birmingham, Brighton and Oxford, go on sale on 21 October 2026. Other venues follow on the dates above, and Dublin details are still to be confirmed. Details are also on the official website, sisteractthemusical.co.uk.

Image credit: Rich Southgate, courtesy of Raw PR.