The Tony Award® and Olivier Award®-winning musical launches the North American leg of its world tour at the Providence Performing Arts Center September 20 through 26, 2026, opening PPAC’s 2026/2027 Taco and The White Family Foundation Broadway Series. What began as a small fringe production in an 80-seat London theatre has grown into an international sensation, earning critical acclaim in London’s West End and on Broadway while building a devoted fan community affectionately known as “Mincefluencers”.
1) Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical will be the 27th Tour to Launch at PPAC
When Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical begins performances on Sunday, September 20, it will join an esteemed group of Broadway productions that have launched their national tours right here in Providence at the Providence Performing Arts Center.
This is an exciting moment for Rhode Island theatergoers because they will be among the first audiences in North America to experience this acclaimed production before it embarks on its tour. Tour launches are a unique opportunity because audiences get to see a production at the very start of its journey, helping to kick off what will become months of performances across the continent.
2) The storyline sounds implausible, but it really happened!
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical tells the true story of a remarkable WWII deception operation that ultimately helped mislead German forces and changed the course of the war. By 1943, the Allied Forces were desperate for a way to turn the tide of World War II; they were open to any ideas that could work in their favor. A group of British intelligence officers came up with an outlandish idea to trick the Germans. The decoy? A stolen corpse, carrying fake documents in a briefcase that suggested a false location that the Allies were planning to invade. This “operation” is considered one of the cleverest and most successful deceptions in military history.
3) Five performers play more than 80 characters.
The National Tour cast may be small, but they are mighty in their comedic prowess.
Mariah Copeland as Johnny Bevan and Others, Katie Kleiger as Ewen Montagu and Others, Luke Antony Neville as Hester Leggatt and Others, Erin Ramirez as Jean Leslie and Others, and Jake Bentley Young as Charles Cholmondeley and Others portray a staggering 80-plus characters throughout the performance.
Using quick costume changes, physical comedy and nonstop energy, the cast seamlessly transforms from military officers to secretaries, government officials, sailors, spies and more in a matter of moments.
4) The show was written by a British comedy troupe
Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical was created by David Cumming, Felix Hagan, Natasha Hodgson and Zoë Roberts, who together are known as the British comedy troupe SpitLip. They wrote the book, music and lyrics for the musical, drawing inspiration from British comedy styles like exaggerated physical comedy, farce, satire, music hall and pantomime.
What began as a small production at London’s New Diorama Theatre in 2019 quickly developed a dedicated following. Through several sold-out runs and critical acclaim, Operation Mincemeat grew from a fringe production into an international success, ultimately earning both Olivier and Tony Awards. The show’s unique blend of sharp comedy, inventive storytelling and historical inspiration has helped it connect with audiences around the world.
Rhode Island audiences have a lot to look forward to and connect with in a few days. Tickets for Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical are available now at the PPAC Box Office (located at 220 Weybosset Street, Providence, RI, 02903), by phone at 401.421.ARTS (2787) and online at ppacri.org
Box office hours are Monday through Friday, 10A to 5P and Saturday, 10A to 2P. For show week, starting on September 20, the Box Office will be open Sunday, 10A to curtain time(s), Monday, 10A to 5P and Tuesday through Saturday, 10A to curtain time(s).