Footloose: The Musical
Sunderland Empire
Tuesday 11th – Saturday 15th October 2016
NEW PRODUCTION COMES TO WEARSIDE
WITH GARETH GATES AS WILLARD
AND MAUREEN NOLAN AS VI MOORE
Worldwide smash hit musical Footloose: The Musical will burst back onto the stage in 2016, playing at Sunderland Empirefrom 11-15 October 2016 as part of a major new UK Tour.
 |
Gareth Gates as Willard. Photo: David Ellis |
Based on the 1984 screen sensation starring Kevin Bacon, Footloose: The Musicaltells the story of city boy Ren, who has to move to a rural backwater in America where dancing is banned. All hell breaks out as Ren breaks loose and soon has the whole town up on its feet. Featuring classic 80s hits including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let's Hear it for the Boy and the unforgettable title track, Footloose: The Musical is set to take the world by storm once again in this brand new production, bursting with youthful spirit, dazzling dance and electrifying music.
 |
Hannah Price as Ariel Moore and Luke Baker as Ren in Footloose. Photo: Matt Martin |
When the film was released in 1984, it became the highest-grossing February release in US film history. The soundtrack album ended the year-long reign of Michael Jackson’s Thriller at number one and went on top album charts all over the world, eventually selling in excess of 17 million copies. Footloose was nominated for a Golden Globe, and both the title song and Let’s Hear It for the Boy received Academy Award nominations. Footloose: The Musical first opened on Broadway in 1998 where it ran for 709 performances, with a London production following in 2006, opening at the Novello Theatre following a UK Tour.
The cast includes Gareth Gates as Willard and Maureen Nolan as Vi Moore.
|
Gareth Gates as Willard. Photo: Matt Martin |
Gareth Gatesrose to fame through the inaugural series of Pop Idol in 2001, going on to sell over 5 million records worldwide and have hits across the globe. His version of Unchained Melody sold over a million copies in the UK and is the 3rd best-selling single of the Noughties. Gareth is also the youngest ever-male solo artist to debut at number 1. More recently Garethhas enjoyed a successful career on stage, with credits including Les Misérables, Legally Blonde and Joseph and the AmazingTechnicolour Dreamcoat. In 2014 Gareth appeared in the final series of Dancing on Ice, and joined boyband 5th Story as part of ITV’s second series of The Big Reunion, touring arenas with bands including Blue and Five.
 |
Maureen Nolan as Vi Moore Photo: Matt Martin |
Maureen Nolan has been singing with her sisters since she was nine years old, when they became one of Europe’s first girl bands, The Nolans. Best known for their smash hit single I’m in the Mood for Dancing, The Nolans enjoyed phenomenal record sales worldwide, and worked with some of the world’s most respected artists including Frank Sinatra. On stage, Maureen has played Mrs Johnstone in Blood Brothers in the West End and on tour to critical acclaim. She was the fourth Nolan sister to play the role, earning them entry into the Guinness Book of World Records. Other credits include Sadie in Girl’s Behind, Jill in Mum’s the Word and Sarah in The Naked Truth.
 |
Gareth Gates as Willard. Photo: David Ellis |
Gareth Gates said, “I have been so lucky to perform in some of the greatest musicals over the years, from Joseph to Les Misérables and Legally Blonde, and I am so excited that Footloose is my next. It’s such a high energy show full of incredible dance and music, and this brand new production is a fresh and exciting new take on it. I can’t wait to bring the show to Sunderland; we’re going to absolutely blow the roof off Sunderland Empire in October!”
 |
Hannah Price as Ariel Moore and Luke Baker as Ren Photo: Matt Martin |
Luke Baker will play Ren McCormack, the role immortalised on screen by Kevin Bacon. Luke recently finished playing Theo in Green Day’s American Idiot in the West End, with other West End credits including the Olivier Award-winning Sunny Afternoon, Beautiful Thing and I Can’t Sing.
 |
Luke Baker as Ren and the cast of Footloose Photo: Matt Martin |
The cast also features Hannah Price asAriel Moore, Nigel Lister as Reverend Shaw Moore, Nicky Swift as Ethel McCormack, Joanna Sawyer as Rusty, Matthew Tomlinson as Chuck, Natasha Brown as Wendy-Jo, Miracle Chanceas Urleen and Scott Haining as Bickie. The cast also includes Lauren Storer, Natalie Morton-Graham, Luke Thornton and Alex Marshall.
 |
Scott Haining as Bickie and the cast of Footloose. Photo: Matt Martin |
Footloose: The Musical has music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and is adapted for the stage by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. It is based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford. It is directed by Racky Plews (American Idiot, West End) with choreography by Matthew Cole, design by Sara Perks and musical supervision by Mark Crossland. It is produced by David Hutchinson and Phillip Rowntree for Sell A Door Theatre Company, Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Jason Haigh-Ellery and Stephen McGill Productions.It ispresented by arrangement with R&H Theatricals Europe.Read the North East Theatre Guide review from earlier in the tour: REVIEW LINK
 |
Hannah Price as Ariel Moore Photo: Matt Martin |
Tickets on sale now and available in person at the Box Office on High Street West, from the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022* or online at www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland*
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.