Hayley Tamaddon, John Partridge and Sam Bailey in the 2016 touring production of Chicago. Picture: Dewynters
Former prison officer turned reality TV star Sam Bailey will play the most famous jailer in musical theatre, Mamma Morton, in the touring version of Chicago next year.
Bailey, who won the 2013 X Factor title, will join two former soap stars John Partridge (who will play Billy Flynn) and Hayley Tamaddon as Roxie Hart on the UK tour which will begin at the New Theatre Oxford on 12 February 2016.
Recently seen at the London Palladium in A Chorus Line, Partridge already enjoyed a high profile musical theatre career in shows, including Cats, before he found small screen fame in EastEnders. Tamaddon, who left her role in Coronation Street earlier this year, first appeared in ITV’s other soap Emmerdale before winning the fifth series of the channel’s Dancing On Ice. Her stage work includes productions of Spamalot and The Rocky Horror Show.
Further casting has yet to be announced for the production which will be directed by Walter Bobbie with choreography by by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse. Scenic design is by John Lee Beatty with costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting by Ken Billington and sound by Rick Clarke. Musical supervision is by Rob Fisher.
The 2016 UK national tour of Chicago will be produced by David Ian and Michael Watt in association with the Broadway producers Barry and Fran Weissler. The tour is currently expected to run until July 2016 with confirmed venues including Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre, Manchester Opera House, the Bord Gais Energy Theatre in Dublin and the Edinburgh Playhouse. Other dates will be added.
Chicago, which is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. A highly anticipated Broadway revival transferred to the Adelphi Theatre in London on 18 November 1997 to rave reviews and ran for 15 highly successful years in the West End. The musical claimed the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Musical Production and the 1998 Critics Circle Drama Award for Best Musical. Chicago is currently playing in New York where it holds the record as the longest-running musical revival and also the second longest-running musical in Broadway history.
Angela Thomas
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FRIDAY 12 – SATURDAY 20 FEBRUARY 2016
NEW THEATRE OXFORD
MONDAY 22 – SATURDAY 27 FEBRUARY
NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE
MONDAY 29 FEBRUARY – SATURDAY 5 MARCH 2016
DARTFORD ORCHARD THEATRE
MONDAY 7 – SATURDAY 12 MARCH 2016
SOUTHAMPTON MAYFLOWER THEATRE
MONDAY 14 – SATURDAY 19 MARCH 2016
MILTON KEYNES THEATRE
(Sam Bailey will not be performing on 19 March)
MONDAY 21 MARCH – SATURDAY 2 APRIL 2016
MANCHESTER OPERA HOUSE
(Sam Bailey will not be performing on 25 and 26 March)
MONDAY 4 – SATURDAY 9 APRIL 2016
BRADFORD ALHAMBRA
MONDAY 11 – SATURDAY 16 APRIL 2016
EASTBOURNE CONGRESS THEATRE
MONDAY 25 – SATURDAY 30 APRIL 2016
PRINCESS THEATRE TORQUAY
MONDAY 2 – SATURDAY 7 MAY 2016
HALL FOR CORNWALL TRURO
WEDNESDAY 11 – SATURDAY 21 MAY 2016
BORD GÁIS ENERGY THEATRE DUBLIN
MONDAY 23 – SATURDAY 28 MAY 2016
ROYAL & DERNGATE NORTHAMPTON
(Sam Bailey will not be performing on 25, 27 and 28 May)
MONDAY 30 MAY – SATURDAY 4 JUNE 2016
HAWTH THEATRE CRAWLEY
MONDAY 13 – SATURDAY 18 JUNE 2016
EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
MONDAY 20 – SATURDAY 25 JUNE 2016
WOLVERHAMPTON GRAND THEATRE
(Sam Bailey will not be performing on 25 June)
MONDAY 27 JUNE – SATURDAY 2 JULY 2016
SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION
MONDAY 4 – SATURDAY 9 JULY 2016
BRISTOL HIPPODROME
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