Jason Manford will take charge of a star-studded celebration of musical theatre at the AO Arena in Manchester later this month.
Featuring many of the nation’s most popular musicals, The National Lottery’s Big Night of Musicals on 24 January 2022 has been planned as a ‘thank you’ to National Lottery players who have helped support the arts during the pandemic.
Coverage of the event will be broadcast in a special programme on BBC1 on 29 January and performances will also feature on BBC Radio 2 on 30 January and will be available both live and for 30 days after on BBC Sounds.
Commenting on the response to the event for which the first batch of tickets sold out within just 15 minutes, Manford said: “It’s fantastic to see such a positive response after the first ticket release. It’s been a very difficult 20 months for the theatre industry and I hope that as many National Lottery players as possible will be able to join this National Lottery musical spectacular. The event promises to be a brilliant show full of celebration, featuring some of the best musicals on right now.”
The event will feature performances by the casts of current West End shows including Frozen The Musical, Disney’s The Lion King, Back to the Future, The Drifters Girl, Dear Evan Hansen, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, & Juliet and Get Up Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical and UK touring productions including School of Rock, Bat Out of Hell, Dreamgirls and Waitress plus the cast of Beauty and the Beast will feature in a unique Disney medley.
Announcing the 90-minute programme, the BBC’s director of entertainment Kate Phillips who commissioned the show said: “We are delighted to bring a great night of contemporary musicals that the entire family can enjoy into viewers’ homes, showcasing the world class talent that British theatre is known for.”
Helen Thomas, head of BBC Radio 2, added: “Following Radio 2’s award-winning Musicals: The Greatest Show which was also broadcast on BBC1 in February 2021, I’m thrilled to be delighting our musical-loving listeners once again with this fantastic new show – just what we need to lift our spirits during a cold January!”
Angela Thomas
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