Manchester Opera House invites you to rave on

Forget feel good, Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is feel great! Experience the drama, passion and excitement as a multi-talented cast of actor-musicians tells Buddy Holly’s story, from his Texas rockabilly beginnings to international stardom and his legendary final performance at the Surf Ballroom in Clear Lake, Iowa, before his tragic death at the age of just 22 (not so feel great…).

It really is quite remarkable how Buddy Holly left such a lasting legacy when he died so young. In fact, the day he died (in a plane crash, alongside Ritchie Valens, 17 and The Big Hopper, 28) is affectionally called “The Day the Music Died”. Buddy’s short but exceptional life is remembered in the smash-hit jukebox musical Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story.

Buddy premiered on the West End in 1989 and stayed there for 12 years, playing over 5000 performances, making it one of the longest-running West End shows. It has also enjoyed a Broadway run, a West End revival, UK tours, US tours, and international tours. Buddy is the first production to tour the UK whilst still playing in the West End, and that tour happened after a mere year of playing on the West End. The tour set a new record of 243 weeks (four years, 35 weeks) of continuous touring! Most tours last a little over or under a year so this musical really must be something…

Whilst the musical is about Buddy, it also highlights some other artists, including the aforementioned Ritchie Valens and The Big Hopper. The score includes their signature songs, ‘La Bamba’ and ‘Chastilly Lace’, alongside all of Buddy’s best-known songs, such as ‘That’ll Be the Day’, ‘Everyday’, ‘Rave On’, ‘Truve Love Ways’, and, of course, ‘Peggy Sue’.

So, come on down to the Opera House for two terrific hours of tantalising tunes (just don’t singalong!). It will be Peggy Sue-perb.

Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story runs at Manchester Opera House from April 20 to 22 and tours the UK until mid-October.