Beloved 80s film brought to life on stage in new Karate Kid musical tour

The full cast has been announced for the UK premiere of The Karate Kid – The Musical, which will visit Milton Keynes Theatre this summer ahead of planned runs in the West End and on Broadway.

Based on the iconic 1984 film, the new stage adaptation will be at Milton Keynes Theatre from June 16 to June 20 as part of a national tour.

The production features a book by Robert Mark Kamen, who wrote the original film, alongside music and lyrics by Drew Gasparini.

Leading the cast will be acclaimed Singaporean actor Adrian Pang as Mr Miyagi, with Gino Ochello making his professional stage debut as Daniel LaRusso. Abigail Amin will play Ali Mills, Joe Simmons takes on the role of Johnny Lawrence, Matt Mills will portray John Kreese, and Sharon Sexton appears as Lucille LaRusso.

The musical retells the much-loved story of teenager Daniel LaRusso, who struggles to fit in after moving to a new town and finds himself targeted by local karate champion Johnny Lawrence. Under the guidance of Mr Miyagi, Daniel learns lessons about balance, respect and resilience while preparing for a showdown with his rival.

The original film became a worldwide phenomenon, spawning sequels, a remake and the hit television series Cobra Kai. The stage production first premiered in the United States in 2022 and is now making its UK debut.

Tickets for the Milton Keynes performances are on sale now.