The music of Meat Loaf and Jim Steinman will take centre stage in July and August 2027, with an all-New Zealand cast bringing the rock musical to audiences from Ashburton to Auckland.
By Webfit News | Entertainment | 27 October 2026
One of rock music's biggest-selling albums is turning 50, and New Zealand audiences are being invited to celebrate with a full-scale musical production.
Bat Out of Hell – The Musical will tour six New Zealand cities in July and August 2027, marking half a century since Meat Loaf released his landmark 1977 album.
The production will feature an all-New Zealand cast and a live rock band, combining some of rock's best-known songs with a theatrical story of rebellion, romance and generational conflict.
The tour begins in Ashburton on 23 July before travelling to Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington, Hamilton and Auckland, where it concludes at The Civic on 22 August.
Fifty Years of Bat Out of Hell
Released in 1977, Bat Out of Hell became one of the most commercially successful albums in music history.
Written by Jim Steinman and performed by Meat Loaf, the album developed a distinctive sound that combined theatrical storytelling, powerful vocals and rock instrumentation.
According to the production's announcement, it has sold more than 68 million copies worldwide.
The album's influence continued through later collaborations, including Bat Out of Hell II: Back into Hell, which produced the international hit I'd Do Anything for Love (But I Won't Do That).
The upcoming tour brings that musical legacy back to the stage for a new generation of audiences.
More Than a Rock Concert
Although built around familiar songs, Bat Out of Hell – The Musical is a theatrical production with its own storyline.
Set in a post-apocalyptic world, it follows Strat, the leader of a rebellious group known as The Lost.
Strat falls in love with Raven, the daughter of Falco, the city's authoritarian ruler.
Their relationship creates a confrontation between young outsiders seeking freedom and an older generation determined to maintain control.
The story provides the setting for songs including Paradise by the Dashboard Light, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad, Dead Ringer for Love, It's All Coming Back to Me Now and the title track.
The production combines live music, choreography and large-scale staging, bringing together elements of a rock concert and musical theatre.
New Zealand Talent Takes the Spotlight
The 2027 tour will be produced by Ben McDonald alongside Stewart and Tricia Macpherson.
McDonald's previous productions include Chicago and Menopause the Musical, while the Macphersons have been associated with productions including The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Green Day's American Idiot musical.
The producers say the new staging will showcase New Zealand musical theatre performers and musicians.
The all-local cast is a significant feature of the tour, offering New Zealand performers the opportunity to present an internationally recognised musical across six centres.
Casting details have not yet been announced in the supplied release.
A Musical With International Success
Since its stage debut, Bat Out of Hell – The Musical has been performed in major theatre markets including London's West End, Manchester, Toronto, New York, Las Vegas, Germany, Australia and New Zealand.
The production won the Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical at London's Evening Standard Theatre Awards.
It also received eight WhatsOnStage Award nominations, including Best New Musical.
The 2027 tour will introduce another staging of the production to New Zealand audiences, including those outside the country's largest metropolitan centres.
Where and When to See the Show
The tour is scheduled for six cities across July and August 2027.
City| Venue| Dates
Ashburton| Ashburton Event Centre| 23–24 July
Dunedin| Regent Theatre| 27–28 July
Christchurch| Christchurch Town Hall| 30 July–1 August
Wellington| Michael Fowler Centre| 6–8 August
Hamilton| BNZ Theatre| 11–14 August
Auckland| The Civic| 18–22 August
Pre-sales opened with the announcement, with remaining tickets scheduled for general release on Friday, 30 October 2026.
Tickets will be available through the respective venues, Eventfinda and Ticketmaster.
Further information is available at:
https://batoutofhellmusical.co.nz/
For audiences who grew up with Meat Loaf's music, the tour offers an opportunity to hear those songs performed live in a theatrical setting.
For younger audiences, it is an introduction to the distinctive songwriting partnership that helped make Bat Out of Hell a rock landmark.
Fifty years after the original album arrived, its music is preparing for another journey across New Zealand.
Source and Acknowledgement
Source: Media release issued by Sandra Roberts Publicity, October 2026.
Media photographs: https://skip.co.nz/
Editorial note: Tour dates, production details, ticketing arrangements and sales figures are based on the promoter's media release. Readers should confirm performance times, availability and ticket prices through official ticketing channels.
