#bill kenwright concert

[sixqueendom]

#jodie steele #bill kenwright concert #london palladium #heathers musical #heather chandler

[londontheatre]

To celebrate 50 years since Elvis Presley’s televised Special aired on NBC Television, which later came to be known as his ’68 Comeback Special; Bill Kenwright presents THIS IS ELVIS – BURBANK AND VEGAS. THIS IS ELVIS follows the true story of a very pivotal period in Elvis’ life and career, charting his journey back to stardom and his return to success as a stage performer.

The show opens at Theatre Royal Windsor on 24th January before embarking on a nationwide tour.

In the coveted role of Elvis is international award-winning tribute artist and actor STEVE MICHAELS (formerly known as Stephen Michael Kabakos). His passion for Elvis sparked at a very young age, and has continued to be the drive behind his extraordinary success.

His masterful performance and remarkable renditions of the King have garnered him worldwide attention. Steve has played alongside some of Elvis Presley’s iconic band mates including the legendary drummer DJ Fontana and bassist Jerry Scheff. In addition, he has shared the stage with the extraordinary Jordanaires and the soulful voices of the Sweet Inspirations. Steve’s exquisite styling and ability to successfully capture an authentic portrayal of Elvis Presley has endeared him to audiences everywhere across Canada, United States, India, Thailand, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Philippines and Australia.

It’s 1968 – the major musical event of the year is the first live TV special for Elvis Presley in what would come to be known as ‘The ’68 Comeback Special’.

Drawing phenomenal ratings – almost half of the viewing audience – this event re-establishes Elvis as the major entertainment star of the decade, and twelve months later Elvis stars at the International Hotel in Vegas, performing live for the first time in seven years, and securing his place in history as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll!

THIS IS ELVIS recreates all the drama leading up to the comeback as well as staging the monumental concert. It then proceeds with The King to his Vegas debut. Featuring Elvis’s greatest hits including… Trouble, Heartbreak Hotel, Blue Suede Shoes, Hound Dog, Love Me Tender, All Shook Up, Jailhouse Rock, One Night, It’s Now or Never, Are you Lonesome Tonight?, Can’t Help Falling in Love, In The Ghetto, Suspicious Minds, American Trilogy, Just Can’t Help Believing and many more…

This production celebrates 50 years since the TV phenomenon and is testament that his songs live on and the King still rules!

Elvis Presley is highly regarded as one of the most significant cultural icons of the 20th century, having starred in more than 30 films, performed record breaking shows and concerts and is the biggest selling artist of all time with over one billion records globally, it’s no wonder he was referred to as the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Among his many awards and accolades Elvis was nominated for 14 Grammy’s and aged just 36 was awarded the Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. Elvis Presley was an icon and heartthrob the world over, still enjoyed by millions today his legacy lives on. This musical relives the incredible comeback and resurgence in his popularity and the monumental Vegas concert that confirmed Elvis’ legendary title as The King.

The tour will visit Windsor, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Dartford, Aylesbury, Weston-Super-Mare, Wimbledon, Birmingham, Stoke, Malvern, Cardiff, Liverpool, Woking, Leeds, Manchester, Sunderland, Darlington, Brighton, Bristol and Torquay. Don’t miss your chance to catch this ‘brilliant’ musical before Elvis has left the building!

THIS IS ELVIS UK TOUR LISTING 2018 24 January – 3 February Windsor Theatre Royal, Windsor theatreroyalwindsor.co.uk

5 – 10 February Blackpool Winter Gardens wintergardensblackpool.co.uk

12 – 17 February Edinburgh Playhouse http://ift.tt/2irNbza

19 – 24 February Dartford, Orchard Theatre orchardtheatre.co.uk

26 February – 3 March Aylesbury Waterside Theatre http://ift.tt/10JfTiY

5 – 10 March The Playhouse, Weston-Super-Mare theplayhouse.co.uk

12 – 17 March New Wimbledon Theatre http://ift.tt/2hoqQPm

19 – 24 March New Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham http://ift.tt/2AqqjFV

26 – 31 March Regent Theatre, Stoke atgtickets.com/stoke

3 – 7 April Malvern Theatres malvern-theatres.co.uk

9 – 14 April Cardiff New Theatre newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

23 – 28 April Liverpool Empire Theatre http://ift.tt/2CFo8UH

30 April – 5 May New Victoria Theatre, Woking http://ift.tt/2ArrXXG

4 – 9 June Leeds Grand Theatre leedsgrandtheatre.com

11 – 16 June Manchester Palace http://ift.tt/2AqB5vM

18 – 23 June Sunderland Empire Theatre http://ift.tt/2CIMoW3

25 – 30 June Darlington Hippodrome darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk

9 – 14 July Brighton Theatre Royal http://ift.tt/157CAPN

23 – 28 July Bristol Hippodrome http://ift.tt/2irQ7f1

30 July – 4 August Princess Theatre Torquay http://ift.tt/2inmkko

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[theamtanyusa]

AMTA Grad cast in PHANTOM

We are pleased and proud to announce that AMTA grad Carl Lindquist has been cast as 1st Cover Phantom as he joins the German cast of Phantom of the Opera.

Carl, represented by Oxford Adams of London has been busy since leaving AMTA.

Carl appeared as the leading man, “Fred Gaily” in the UK Tour of Miracle on 34th Street in 2015, and last year he appeared as “Peter” in Bill Kenwright’s official production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

Carl has just finished filming the highly anticipated short film, ‘Gone To Mexico‘. He recently made two guest appearances on stage with Ramin Karimloo on his Lead Me Home – UK Tour, and he’s currently working on his debut solo album.

Congratulations Carl!

Other credits:

THEATRE INCLUDES: Peter in Jesus Christ Superstar (European Tour), Fred Gaily in Miracle on 34th Street (UK Tour), Man in Here’s To Life (National Portrait Gallery), Ensemble in Godspell – In Concert (UK Tour/Hackney Empire), Doctor in Time Management (White Bear Theatre), Aldolpho in The Drowsy Chaperone (Lost Theatre), Ensemble in Godspell – In Concert (Lyric Theatre, West End), Juror 4 in The Twelve Angry Jurors (Pleasance Theatre).

FILM/TV INCLUDES: Gone To Mexico (Short Film), The Mountain Between Us (Feature Film), Paddington 2 (Feature Film), Justice League (Feature Film), Bear Boy (Short Film), Coffin (Short Film), Love Thy Neighbour (Short Film), Hellenius Hörna (TV/Sweden), Elsas Värld (TV/Sweden).

COMMERCIAL INCLUDES: Testimonial in Copper Stone Pans (JML), Masseur in IHG Rewards Club (Ladoja & Sons), Sven in Listerine (J. Walter Thompson London), Musician in TCO (It’s Showtime/Sweden).

VOICE OVER INCLUDES: Narrator in Teddy & Lily (Audiobook/nasSima design).

The post AMTA Grad cast in PHANTOM appeared first on American Musical Theatre Academy.

from American Musical Theatre Academy http://theamta.com/gb/amta-grad-cast-phantom/

[londontheatre]

Andrew Polec as Strat & Christina Bennington as Raven in BAT OUT OF HELL credit Specular

2017 has been a busy year with our team of reviewers attending and reviewing nearly 800 productions across London, including West End and Off-West End. These are the top picks for the year.

1. Bat Out of Hell The Musical – London Coliseum (21 June) Andrew Polec, as Strat (leader of ‘The Lost’, a collective of young rebels) leads a ridiculously talented cast with flair, energy and intensity. Polec’s vocals are outstanding, his stage presence amazing, and he was conspicuous by his absence whenever off-stage.

2. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Apollo Theatre (22 November) Hilarious and hard-hitting in equal measure, this is a great British musical not to be missed. I don’t like this show. I love it.

3. Barber Shop Chronicles – National Theatre, Dorfman (7 June) Filled with laugh-out-loud humour as well as food for thought, this electrifying and magnificent production is theatrical heaven from beginning to end.

4. Henry V – Southwark Cathedral (3 February) I wasn’t prepared for… quite how different and spellbinding this production was from any other Henry V I’ve seen before… Powerful and poignant.

5. Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? – Harold Pinter Theatre (9 March) The narrative unfolds over just one night, and this production is so intense and absorbing I found myself willing both the ‘interval’ of 15 minutes between Act 1 and Act 2 as well as the ‘pause’ of just five minutes between Act 2 and Act 3 to end.

6. The Life – Southwark Playhouse (30 March) The whole cast are well-drilled by veteran director Michael Blakemore, and the show is clearly influenced by more than one well-known musical theatre show […] what a magnificent and sensational production this is.

7. Hamlet – Harold Pinter Theatre (15 June) These sofas, these business suits, these sliding doors. It’s all bound to annoy the purists to high heaven. No matter. This is a surprisingly warm and inviting production, and a welcome addition to the many versions of this timeless play.

31 Hours – The Cast Photo by Lidia Crisafulli

8. 31 Hours – The Bunker Theatre (6 October) An admirable play with compelling performances, this intriguing and informative production doesn’t apportion blame or offer tidy solutions to a persistent problem. The script is poetic when it wants to be, other times flowing between characters so much it requires impeccable timing and pacing, which this cast possesses in abundance.

9. The State of Things – Jack Studio Theatre (13 September) A joyous final number sends the audience out with cheerfulness, even if all the ends aren’t tied up, loosely or otherwise. The script is tasteful and imaginative.

10. Fingering A Minor on the Piano – Soho Theatre (5 April) This is a compelling and passionate show, as much of an education into what’s really going on in the healthcare sector today as it is a fun-filled hour of hysterical anecdotes.

Chris Omaweng

*******

1. Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Bridewell Theatre This story of friendship and hope took two drag queens and a trans woman from Sydney to Alice Springs, in a big pink bus. Along the way, they met new friends, and face rampant homophobia. SEDOS brought every element of the show together beautifully, and to a standard that you would expect to see in the West End. Sold out virtually as soon as it was announced, this was the ‘must-see’ production of the year.

La Cage Aux Folles – Pamela Raith Photography

2. La Cage aux Folles, New Wimbledon Theatre This is was a touring production of a show that demonstrates the importance of family and how much a parent will sacrifice to help their offspring. John Partridge put on the stiletto heels and sequined gowns as Albert/Zaza and delivered a tour de force performance. With wonderful sets, costumes and songs like the iconic “I Am What I Am” this production hit all the right notes.

3. Richard III, Cockpit The amazing Kim Hardy led the cast in the title role of this first-rate production of Shakespeare’s play in fine style. With some extremely realistic battle scenes, the entire production brought the story to life in a really fantastic way. Richard is a role that Kim was born to play and has set the standard for anyone that wants to take on the king in the future

4. Henry V, Southwark Cathedral Another touring production as Antic Disposition visited various cathedrals around the UK this year with their version of this classic Shakespeare play. I caught the production at Southwark Cathedral where, under the watchful eye of the Bard himself. Aside from the highly impressive location, the production itself – set in a World War I field hospital – adds a wonderful poignancy to the show. Rhy Bevan was excellent in the role of Henry and led a superb cast who between them made this a very memorable show.

5. Loot, Park Theatre Back to the swinging sixties with this production of Joe Orton’s farce set around the funeral of an elderly woman. Whilst most assuredly of its time in some of its attitudes, Loot still works very well at holding various parts of society up to a critical light. The cast, set and costumes all worked perfectly to bring the sixties back to North London and overall this was one of the funniest things I’ve seen in a long while.

6. The Clockwork Orange, Park Theatre Another trip back to the sixties with this all-male production of Anthony Burgess’s horrific story of a dystopian future that, at times, has too many links to the present to make comfortable viewing. Stripped back in colour and set, the sho is headed up by Jono Davies absolutely smashing the lead role of Alex. An intense production that is not easy to watch but is totally engaging.

7. Lord Dismiss Us, Above the Stag Theatre Glen Chandler’s play is partially based on genuine experiences at a public school in the sixties and as such is a very well observed study of the English upper classes at a time when the world was about to change. However , instead of focussing on the outside, the play brings us into the school where a violently homophobic new headmaster decides there will be none of that business going on in his school. One of the great elements of the play is that one of the more negative characters from the start of the play turns out ot be the hero of the story. A lovely bit of writing, excellent translated to the stage.

8. Posh, Pleasance Theatre Probably one of the real surprises of the theatrical year for me. Posh was the story of an elite male dining club from one of our red brick universities on a night out. A fairly normal story you might think, but in this production, all of the roles were played by women. Retaining their femininity, the actors really brought out the roles well to the point that their gender was totally unimportant. A brave staging choice that worked extremely well.

9, Boys in the Buff – The Musical, Stockwell Playhouse and Boys in the Buff – The Concert, King’s Head Tackling the subject of body image and how we view ourselves and each other is not an easy thing to do but in these productions – the full one and the cut down version – it is done in a wonderful way. Humour, songs, dance and great writing combined to make the Boys in the Buff shows something well worth seeing. A fine cast, willing to give their all for the show, really entertain and inform and leave everyone feeling just that bit better about themselves.

Out There On Fried Meat Ridge Rd

10. Out There on Fried Meat Ridge Road, White Bear Theatre Back in January, this show showed up at the newly refurbished White Bear Theatre and completely took my breath away. The story of the inhabitants of a run-down motel and the wonderful revelations that come out, with the wonderful twist at the end, set the bar for every show from then on. Following its time the White Bear, the play transferred for a very successful run at the Trafalgar Studios.

Terry Eastham

*******

1. Out There On Fried Meat Ridge Road by Keith Stevenson at Trafalgar Studios Small town America at its side-splittingly smallest.

2. Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare at The National Simon Godwin’s delicious production takes role reversal to the limit.

3. Everyone’s Talking About Jamie by Tom MacRae & Dan Gillespie Sells at The Apollo Theatre Funny and heart-warming – best new musical of the century.

4. We Are The Lions Mr Manager by Neil Gore @ Tara Arts Theatre

Girl From The North Country

5. The Girl From The North Country by Conor McPherson @ The Old Vic (transferring). 6. The End of History by Ian Hollingshead @ Tristram Bates Theatre 7. Happiness by Lily Lowe-Myers @ The Bridewell Theatre 8. Rules For Living by Sam Holcroft @ The Rose Theatre 9. The Comedy About A Bank Robbery by Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields – The Criterion Theatre. 10. Reasons To Be Cheerful by Paul Sirett @ Theatre Royal, Stratford East

Peter Yates

*******

Amadeus – Royal National Theatre Hedda Gabler – Royal National Theatre Follies – National Theatre Don Juan in Soho – Wyndhams

Paddy Briggs

  Martin Freeman (David Lyons), Tamsin Greig (Jean Whittaker). Photo by Johan Persson

The Ferryman – the most superb play/production seen in London for years! Totally gripping throughout its 3 and a quarter hours – yet nothing happened! So Irish!

The Best Man – which I saw at Windsor and which has not yet opened in London: superb, a gripping play about USA presidential election: could have so easily have been trite but beautifully written and directed and co-starring Jack Shepherd as the terminally ill past president. He was superb: charismatic. I hope Bill Kenwright brings this into town in 2018. (Martin Shaw was very good too!)

Labour of Love at Noel Coward Theatre: again superbly written and acted. There have been many first-rate plays this year!

John Groves

*******

Blush at Soho Theatre The Ugly One at Park Theatre La Soiree at Aldwych Theatre

And an extra that I loved but didn’t review was The End of Hope at Soho Theatre

Roz Wyllie

*******

Rent 21st Anniversary UK Tour – this show stole my heart and reignited my love for theatre. Bruce Guthrie directed the production perfectly. It was raw, gritty and truly touching. Choreography by Lee Proud was innovative and interesting and the entire cast were outstanding. It felt like they were living their lives through the character for those 2 and a half hours each night. All cast members poured everything into each performance and everything came together to create magic on stage.

Yank at the Charing Cross Theatre, London – the story was powerful, gripping and relevant. Scott Hunter and Andy Coxon were just superb in their roles, particularly Scott Hunter who shone throughout. Staging and choreography were slick and in keeping with the story. It was also fantastic to see an audience of predominantly men, so many in fact that men were lining up for the toilet.

The Toxic Avenger at The Arts Theatre, London – the show really impressed me with its comic-timing, fantastic use of the stage and the actors were fantastic. Songs were catchy and the plot fitted well together. Certainly different from my usual favourites but I laughed my way through this show.

Amanda Reynolds

*******

Girl From The North Country: This would have been a wonderful straight play with a tremendous book from Conor McPherson but add some of Bob Dylan’s greatest songs and you have a masterpiece. It’s atmospheric and at times mesmerising. I’ve seen it twice at The Old Vic and hope to see it again when it transfers to the Noel Coward next year.

Follies: Follies has always been a difficult musical to stage due to the fact it has no real plot and a downbeat ending but the National have done Sondheim’s Magnus Opus proud. The production is wonderful and the performances from the likes of Imelda Staunton, Janie Dee and Philip Quast sublime.

Romantics Anonymous: This was the most magical piece I’ve seen on the London stage for a long time and is Emma Rice’s swansong before she leaves her post as Artistic Director at the Globe. This was a bit of surprise as being at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, it slipped under my radar. Let’s hope it gets a transfer to the West End as it deserves it.

Alan Fitter

*******

Alice’s Adventures Underground in the Vaults – a kooky, surprising and interactive take on the classic tale. Hedda Gabler by Euphonia Studio at the Drayton Arms – a stark, pared-down, psychologically compelling performance. When Midnight Strikes by MKEC Productions at the Drayton Arms – a funny and moving tale of a special New Year’s Eve.

Genni Trickett

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[londontheatre]

Evita, a classic in the Lloyd Webber canon, is revised by Bill Kenwright Ltd for the West End’s Phoenix Theatre. The story is set in Argentina and focuses on the life of political leader Eva Perón (Emma Hatton), with the musical opening at her death and leading us through the years of power and relationships which leads to her defeat, narrated by Che (Gina Marco Schiaretti), a member of the public and witness to the political uprise.

Hatton was last seen playing the green lady in Wicked, and performed phenomenally in the role. Whilst her talent is still very much evident in this production, there seems to be less material for her to get her teeth into. Scenes oddly transition from one to another, as we wait for the clunky set of cardboard pillars and staircases to move into position, not quite fitting together. This is an ensemble piece, yet the ensemble mostly appear unbothered, unmoved and uninvolved. These feelings are powerfully transposed onto the audience. We don’t get any sort of emotional build up. We don’t care much for any of the characters. We wonder why so often characters are standing in the background with nothing to do; no set purpose of being on the stage. We finally get to ‘Don’t Cry for me Argentina’ and we’re just not that fussed really. As elegantly as Hatton delivers the song, she has not been given the foundations to allow any emotive response to the lyrics, and this feeling, unfortunately, carries the second act all the way to her inevitable death.

Schiaretti moves around the space awkwardly, amidst the cheap pillars and frozen Argentinian chorus, his hands in his pockets for an awfully long time. His lack of fluidity complements the rest of the choreography, which too lacks in fluidity. Movement is basic; all the chorus turning at the key moments, a few spins, synchronised leg work; at one point they try to be more adventurous by splitting up and doing different moves, which just looks clumsy.

In a musical which can be manipulated from so many political angles (particularly in the current climate), the obvious elephants in the show are completely ignored. Bob Tomson’s direction has no new concept; the musical is dated and this production begs the question of why nothing’s been done with it. Even blocking is ultra basic. Characters speak a lot through the fourth wall; it’s like watching a concert, with two or three of the same songs drained through this eighty-five-minute production. Nothing is magical or takes us by surprise. It’s just, frankly, dull. The storytelling is non-existent, despite having a dedicated narrator who guides us through. We can’t possibly believe in Eva as a character; there’s no depth.

Tomson seems to rely on the slow walking of characters as they enter the stage to fill the scene gaps, whilst we wait for another cumbersome set change before the next song begins. Meanwhile, the stage is lit with block colours of light, whilst in one scene we’re blinded by moving spots, which I believe is supposed to set the busy Argentinian streets but just forces us to have a well-deserved nap until we can open our eyes again.

You have to have extreme patience and admiration for the music to enjoy this production. A standing ovation suggests that perhaps the rest of the audience enjoyed the show a more than I did, but I think it’s equally as possible they were standing to show their appreciation for a talented cast in an uninspiring production.

Review by Joseph Winer

The story of an ordinary woman’s meteoric rise to power at a time of extraordinary political unrest, Evita is playing for 12 weeks at the Phoenix Theatre from 28th July to 14th October 2017, with a press Gala performance on Wednesday 2nd August at 7.00pm.

The season marks the 65th anniversary of the death of Eva Perón which will be commemorated in Argentina in July. This enigmatic figure, whose rise from humble beginnings to extraordinary wealth and power is immortalised in the musical Evita, passed away on 26th July 1952 and was laid in state exactly 65 years prior to the commencement of this latest West End season.

Taking on the iconic role of Eva Perón is one of musical theatre’s most exciting young leading ladies Emma Hatton, who has performed the lead role of Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked, the principle roles of Scaramouche and Meatloaf in We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre, and Donna in the West End production of Dreamboats and Petticoats.

Leading Italian performer Gian Marco Schiaretti plays Che, a character who reflects the voice of the Argentine people. Linked to Eva by destiny; he brings balance to the story of Eva’s rise to fame. Gian Marco Schiaretti most recently played the title role of Tarzan in Disney’s Musical Tarzan, in Stuttgart. Prior to this he played Mercutio in Romeo and Juliet across Italy.

The cast is completed by Oscar Balmaseda, Sarah O’Connor, George Arvidson, Lewis Barnshaw, Jessica Ellen, Callum Fitzgerald, Kellie Gnauck, Dominic Adam Griffin, Joe McCourt, Jude Neill, Jordan Oliver, Chrissie Perkins, Oliver Slade, Matias Stegmann and Yuval Zoref.

Telling the story of Eva Perón, wife of former Argentine dictator Juan Perón, Evita follows Eva’s journey which ultimately led her to be heralded as the ‘spiritual leader of the nation’ by the Argentine people.

Evita Phoenix Theatre London

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[londontheatre]

Joining Diana Vickers, Debra Stephenson and Ian Reddington in the 2017 tour are Michael Howe, Michelle Long, Kate Hardisty, Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong, Lewis Kidd, Liam Vincent-Kilbride, Jon Bonner, Rachel McAllister, Ellie-Jane Goddard, Gary Mitchinson and Jess Barker.

The full cast is announced for heart-warming new musical Son of a Preacher Man. Joining Diana Vickers, Debra Stephenson and Ian Reddington in the 2017 tour are Michael Howe, Michelle Long, Kate Hardisty, Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong, Lewis Kidd, Liam Vincent-Kilbride, Jon Bonner, Rachel McAllister, Ellie-Jane Goddard, Gary Mitchinson and Jess Barker.

Featuring the soulful music of Dusty Springfield, with a book by Warner Brown and directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood, Son of a Preacher Man embarks on a national tour starting at Bromley’s Churchill Theatre from Monday 4 September 2017.

Three broken hearts, one Soho hang-out, and the only man who could ever help them… Welcome to the Preacher Man, the swinging 1960s Soho joint where the kids danced the night away to the latest crazes and dared to dream of love, while the legendary owner, the Preacher Man himself, dispensed advice to cure the loneliest of hearts.

Only, that was a long time ago and all that remains are the memories, the stories and the myths. Until now, that is, when three random strangers, generations apart but all in need of help with their hopeless love lives, are inexplicably drawn to the site of the original venue. The Preacher Man is long gone, but his son, with help from the wonderful Cappuccino Sisters, might just find it in himself to channel the spirit of the Preacher Man and once more give these three lovesick strangers the look of love.

Featuring the greatest hits of Dusty Springfield, including “The Look Of Love”, “I Only Want To Be With You”, “Spooky” and of course, the classic “Son Of A Preacher Man”, this sparklingly funny and sweetly touching new musical by internationally renowned writer Warner Brown will have you laughing, crying and singing your heart out to some of the greatest songs ever written.

Diana Vickers first came to public attention as a semi-finalist on the X Factor and has made her professional acting debut in the title role of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice in 2009 (West End, Vaudeville Theatre). Since then her theatre credits have included The Duck House (West End, Vaudeville Theatre), Hatched ‘n’ Dispatched (Park Theatre), The Rocky Horror Show (UK Tour). Her film and television credits include The Perfect Wave, Awaiting, To Dream, Give Out Girls and Top Coppers.

Debra Stephenson is known for her long running roles in Coronation Street and Bad Girls, whilst her entertainment credits include The Friday Night Project, 8 Out Of 10 Cats, Strictly Come Dancing Christmas Special, Comic Relief Does Fame Academy and Let’s Dance For Sports Relief. As a comedic impressionist she is best known as star of BBC One’s The Impressions Show, with her other credits including BBC Radio 4’s Dead Ringers as well ITV’s Newzoids.

Ian Reddington is best known for playing Tricky Dicky in EastEnders and Vernon in Coronation Street, with other roles in popular TV programmes including the Outlander series, Dr Who, Shameless, Benidorm, Inspector Morse, Robin Hood, Outlander, The Queen’s Nose and The Dumping Ground. On stage, Ian has worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company and has toured the UK with Bouncers, Dead Funny and Oh What a Lovely War. His film credits include cult film Highlander.

Warner Brown works internationally and is well known for his work in musical theatre and straight plays, encompassing both traditional and avant-garde forms. He wrote ‘the most popular family show of all time’, the arena production Walking With Dinosaurs, creating an entirely new genre of theatrical presentation and winning many international awards. Currently playing in venues from Madison Square Garden to the Mercedes Benz Arena in Shanghai, an episode of CSI: Las Vegas has been based upon the show and it has even been parodied on The Simpsons.

Warner is currently working on multiple developing projects, including the Broadway musicals The Gold Room and The Thomas Crown Affair, both with composer Michael Feinstein; the opera Empty Spaces, with composer Joshua Schmidt, for Florentine Opera in the USA; the musical A Little Danger, with composer Michael Reed, for the St Petersburg Theatre in Russia; and the screenplay for the movie A Minute To Midnight for Bill Kenwright Films. He is part of the consortium, including choreographer Arlene Phillips and musical director Mike Dixon, for the new internet based project Reality.

Writing credits include Half A Sixpence (UK Tour), The Biograph Girl (Phoenix Theatre), Cinderella (London Palladium), The Black and White Ball, which opened in London and for which The Cole Porter Trusts granted Warner stage rights to the songs of Cole Porter, Flickers (Broadway’s Circle-In-The-Square Theater), The House on the Corner (Edinburgh International Festival) and, in addition, Tallulah For A Day and Sleep With Friends. Plays include Laughing Dove, Wavelength and The Prospero Suite, directed by John Doyle.

Warner has worked extensively in Europe, most recently writing the musical Garbo, with music by ‘Meatloaf’ rock legend Jim Steinman. He also has extensive writing credits for the BBC and was Script Associate of the BBC Classic Musicals Series, for which he adapted fourteen musicals featuring many international stars. Warner was the subject of the BBC Two TV documentary The Making Of A Musical. Warner is co-sponsor of the international music prize The S&S Award, named in honour of his late parents.

Craig Revel Horwood is a well-known face on television in the UK and now internationally for his role as a judge on all fifteen series of BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing and for directing and appearing as a judge in the Live Tour.

Craig’s recent credits as director and choreographer include the current UK tour of Sister Act, the previous UK tours Brother Love Travelling Salvation Show and Chess; for television, How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria? and Just the Two of Us; and for film, the feature film Paddington 2. In addition, he recently directed the all-star concert version of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies at the Royal Albert Hall. Other credits as a theatre director and choreographer are: West Side Story (Prince Edward), Miss Saigon (Drury Lane), Hey, Mr Producer! (Lyceum), Spend Spend Spend! (Piccadilly Theatre; Olivier nomination for Best Choreography), Pal Joey (Chichester Festival Theatre), Guys and Dolls (Sheffield Crucible), Paradise Moscow (Opera North), Carmen (Holland Park), My One and Only (Piccadilly Theatre; Olivier nomination for Best Choreography), Beautiful and Damned (Lyric Theatre), Arms and the Cow (Opera North), The Ballet Boyz: Yumbo Vs Nonino (Festival Hall, Sadler’s Wells, Royal Opera House, Covent Garden), The Hot Mikado (Watermill Theatre and UK Tour; Martin Guerre (Watermill Theatre), Sunset Boulevard (Watermill Theatre and Comedy Theatre, West End), Spend Spend Spend! (Watermill Theatre and UK Tour) and Copacabana (Watermill Theatre).

He recently returned to his roots as a performer in musical theatre, starring as Miss Hannigan in the UK national tour of Annie, and in Christmas 2016 as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley. Other performing credits include Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the Orchard, Dartford in 2014 and at the Swan, High Wycombe in 2015. Previously, Craig starred as the Wicked Queen in Snow White at Venue Cymru, Llandudno in 2009, The Hawth, Crawley in 2010 and The Orchard, Dartford 2011. He reprised his role at The Swan Theatre, High Wycombe in 2012 and the Cliffs Pavilion, Southend in 2013.

Amongst his numerous TV credits, highlights include winning the BBC Two series Maestro at the Opera, the final of which saw him conduct Act II of La Bohème at the Royal Opera House. He was also a grand finalist on the hit cooking show, Celebrity MasterChef and participated in and won Ready, Steady, Cook.

Book Warner Brown Director & Choreographer Craig Revel Horwood Set & Costume Designer Morgan Large Musical Supervisor & Arrangements Paul Herbert Lighting Designer Richard G Jones Sound Designer Richard Brooker Musical Director Brady Mould Associate Director & Choreographer David James Hulston Casting Director Anne Vosser Diana Vickers (Kat), Debra Stephenson (Alison), Ian Reddington (Simon), Michael Howe (Paul), Michelle Long (Cappuccino Sister One), Kate Hardisty (Cappuccino Sister Two), Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong (Cappuccino Sister Three), Lewis Kidd (Liam/ Young Paul/ Ensemble), Liam Vincent-Kilbride (Andy/ Mike/ Young Jack/ Ensemble), Jon Bonner (Hardman/ Otis/ Jack/ Ensemble), Rachel McAllister (Pippa/ Miss Marsh/ Ensemble), Ellie-Jane Goddard (Sandra/ Anna/ Ensemble), Gary Mitchinson (On-Stage Swing & Ensemble) and Jess Barker (On-Stage Swing & Ensemble).

Casting for the 2018 tour to be announced. Son of a Preacher Man is produced by Brian Berg, John Sachs, Andrew Berg & Kimberley Sachs for Eclipse Live, Michael Park for The Infinite Group, Paul Tyrer & Jamie Clark for TBO Productions, Churchill Theatre Bromley and executive producers Andrew Green and Ben White, all on behalf of Dusty Touring Ltd.

TOUR AND TICKET LINKS

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