THE New Year sees a new schedule at Birmingham Hippodrome, which has just announced its new season ranging from hip-hop to fairytales on ice, from West End drama to roller-skating trains and plenty more.

The new listings for 2005 begin with Cole Porter's High Society, then the magical Sleeping Beauty on Ice by the Imperial Ice Stars.

The new tour of the musical Tommy premieres at The Hippodrome and direct from the West End comes Thoroughly Modern Millie, starring Leslie Joseph.

Boogie Nights 2 is coming, with David Essex, to celebrate music from the '80s, while other song and dance spectaculars include Tap Dogs, Fame, starring Barbara Dickson, and Motown tribute Dancing in the Streets.

There will be an international dance line-up featuring Grupo Corpo from Brazil, and French hip-hop group Campagnie Kafig.

Comedy shows include Round the Horne, Jack Dee, the Reduced Shakespeare Company and Rob Brydon, creator of TV favourite Keith Barret.

Award-winning Great War tale Journey's End will provide drama while large scale shows will include the Welsh National Opera's La Traviata, Birmingham Royal Ballet's Romeo and Juliet and the big summer musical, Andrew Lloyd Webber's Starlight Express - The 3rd Dimension.

And the theatre has also announced its next Christmas pantomime, Peter Pan. Tickets are already on sale!

For more information and to book tickets, contact the box office on 0870 7301234 or log on to www.birminghamhippodrome.com.