A host of world premieres and some big West End shows heading on tour for the first time are among the highlights on Manchester’s theatre scene to look forward to in 2018.

There will also be the return of some blockbuster musicals - with eager anticipation for the return of the likes of Wicked, Shrek and The Girls in the year ahead, as well as a Maxine Peake double-header of shows at the Royal Exchange Theater.

Here are some of the top shows announced so far to look out for across the year, month-by-month, in Manchester.

January/February

Shrek the Musical is coming back to Manchester

Shrek returns to the Palace Theatre at the end of January (January 16 to 28) to bring some post-festive cheer to the masses - expect an hilarious and spectacular production which turns the world of fairytales upside down with the lovable green ogre. Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

Over at the Opera House in February we will have a stylish new stage production of Hitchcock film Strangers on a Train (February 5 - 10), starring Corrie’s Chris Harper fresh from his role as baddie Nathan in the soap. He’ll be alongside John Middleton fresh from his emotional departure from Emmerdale. Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

The Royal Shakespeare Company takes its production of Hamlet to The Lowry (January 26 - February 3), while there’s a new production of The Newspaper Boy over at 53Two, the play penned by former Corrie star Chris Hoyle loosely based on his own experiences about being a child soap star ending up as front page news (February 13 - 24). Tickets at thelowry.com.

March/April

Miss Saigon is coming to Manchester's Palace Theatre

We get to see Andrew “Freddie” Flintoff in musical action when he heads on stage with an all-star cast for the new Fat Friends - the musical, which arrives at the Opera House in March (March 19 - 24). Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

Expect an evocative new production of Mary Shelley classic Frankenstein at The Royal Exchange (March 9 - April 7) starring Shane Zaza as the scientist in the gothic horror. Tickets at royalexchange.co.uk.

Then there’s the big return of Miss Saigon in March to the Palace Theatre, with feverish anticipation for the return of this star-crossed love story musical set in the last days of the Vietnam War for an eight-week run (March 21 - May 12). Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

The story of the women behind Manchester’s famous Sweet Mandarin restaurant will be brought to life on The Royal Exchange Theatre, with the adaptation of Helen Tse’s family memoir, Mountains: The Dreams of Lily Kwok (March 22 - April 7). Tickets at royalexchange.co.uk.

Marking the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, Birdsong is the emotionally and critically-acclaimed stage show based on the world famous novel by Sebastian Faulks, and it heads to The Lowry in April (April 3 to 7). Tickets at thelowry.com.

May/June

Royal Exchange new theatre season for 2018 - Maxine Peake

Maxine Peake returns to the Royal Exchange Theatre in May to take on the role of everywoman Winnie in the surreal Happy Days by Samuel Beckett (May 25 - June 23), before later in June premiering her brand new stage play, Queens of the Coal Age (June 28 - July 21). The play follows four ordinary women down the Parkside Colliery Pit as they make a stand for each other and their way of life. Tickets at royalexchange.co.uk.

Over at Home there will be an intriguing production of Long Day’s Journey into Night (May 10 - 26), following the four members of the troubled Tyrone family in Connecticut, each trying to dull memories of their painful past.

The Lowry will play host to the hugely acclaimed musical Titanic, based on the real people aboard the most legendary ship in the world and its doomed voyage (May 7 - May 12). There’s also the return of the hugely emotional War Horse to The Lowry (June 13 - 30). Tickets at thelowry.com.

July/August

Mamma Mia heads to Manchester in 2018

Expect plenty of excitement for the return of Mamma Mia! to Manchester's Palace Theatre in the summer (July 3 - July 14), the ABBA musical always getting audiences singing and dancing in the aisles. Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

And there’s some big world premieres to look forward to in the summer - the brand new musical of hit 80s movie An Officer and A Gentleman arrives in town at the Opera House (August 13-18). We can expect a “feelgood” soundtrack - including the film’s anthem Up Where We Belong of course. Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

Sting's musical The Last Ship also docks in town at The Lowry in July, his personal, political and passionate musical set in the shipyard setting of his hometown (July 3 - 7). Tickets at thelowry.com.

And at the end of the month there is the eagerly-awaited return of cult BBC comedy Early Doors as a stage show at The Lowry starring its original cast including John Henshaw, Phil Mealey and Craig Cash (August 29 - September 15 and September 17 to 22). Tickets at thelowry.com.

September/October

Matilda The Musical will be heading to Manchester's Palace Theatre as part of the first ever UK and Ireland tour in 2018. Pictured are production shots from the West End show

There was huge interest earlier this year when it was announced that the Royal Shakespeare Company's Matilda The Musical would be heading on tour for the first time, while the award-winning show continues its run on the West End. The Roald Dahl story has been magically brought to life on stage, and is expected to draw in family crowds here in Manchester for a ten-week run (September 18 - November 24). Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

Over at the Opera House there is the return of Rock of Ages (September 25 - 29), which was a huge hit last time it toured when a certain Mr Shayne Ward was in the leading role. Casting is yet to be announced for this one, but it’s an hilarious musical comedy with plenty of epic 80s anthems. Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

Calendar Girls the Musical returns to The Lowry at the end of October, bringing the music of Take That star Gary Barlow to the emotional true story of the Women’s Institute ladies who caused a stir with their nude charity calendar (October 30 - November 10). Tickets at thelowry.com.

November/December

Cast of hit ITV comedy Benidorm will reunite for a new live stage show heading on tour including to Manchester in 2018

West End musical Kinky Boots heads out on it first UK tour and calls in to Manchester Opera House from November (November 12 - December 1). Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

We will also get the world premiere production of Benidorm Live on stage - complete with the cast of the hugely popular ITV show (November 26 to December 1) at the Palace. Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

And the year will end with a true festive treat at The Palace - the return of West End blockbuster Wicked (December 4 - January 5, 2019).

The show which tells the “untold story” of the witches of Oz combines a spectacular production with some of the biggest showtunes in modern theatre. Tickets at ATGtickets.com.

Wicked will return to Manchester's Palace Theatre in 2018-2019. Pictured are cast from a previous production.

Meanwhile, the Opera House’s big Christmas panto will be Cinderella (December 8 - January 6) - no word on casting as yet, but bosses are sure to hope it isn’t quite as controversial as this year’s extra-cheeky Dick Whittington!

The Lowry’s festive spectacular will be the magical musical of Doctor Dolittle (December 11 - January 5, 2019), based on the popular 1967 film starring Rex Harrison.