Download press release - Emma Holland PR

BAFTAAWARDWINNINGJEFFPOPE’SACCLAIMEDTVSERIES
COMESTOTHESTAGE
THEWORLDPREMIEREOF
“CILLATHEMUSICAL”
BUTWHOWILLBECILLA??
BillKenwrightandLaurieMansfieldpresentthenewmusicalaboutthelifeandlegendof
CillaBlack,whichwillopeninherhometownattheLiverpoolEmpirefromThursday7th–
16thSeptemberbeforeembarkingonanationwidetour.Cilla’sson,RobertWillis,willbe
theExecutiveProducer.
Cilla-TheMusical,isaspectacularandheart-warmingmusicaladaptationofthecritically
acclaimedITVmini-seriesbasedontheearlylifeofCillaBlack,byBAFTAawardwinner,Jeff
Pope(TheMoorside,Philomena,FromTheCradleToTheGrave,MrsBiggs).
ThestoryfollowstheextraordinarylifeoftheordinaryteenagegirlfromLiverpool,Priscilla
White,andherrocky,yetincredible,risetofame.Bytheageofjust25shewasrecognizedas
internationalsingingstarCillaBlack.Bytheageof30shehadbecomeBritain’sfavorite
televisionentertainerheadliningseries’ofBlindDate,SurpriseSurpriseandmanymore.
Themusicalscorewillbetheultimatesoundtracktothe60’sincludingCilla’sgreatesthits
AnyoneWhoHadaHeart,AlfieandSomethingTellsMe,alongsideabackdropofthe
legendary“LiverpoolSound”includingtheBeatles’TwistandShout,andAmericaninfluences
likeCaliforniaDreaminbyTheMamasandThePapasandmanymore.
TheproducersofCillaTheMusicalwillholdnationalopenauditionsinthehunttodiscover
their‘Cilla’inthesamewaythestarherselfwaspluckedfromobscuritybeforebecomingthe
iconicLiverpudliansongbird.
CillaTheMusicalisproducedbyBillKenwrightandLaurieMansfield,alongsideExecutive
ProducerRobertWillis
CILLA–THEMUSICAL
WRITTENBYJEFFPOPE
DIRECTEDBYBILLKENWRIGHT&BOBTOMSON
Liverpool Empire Theatre
7 – 16 September
atgtickets.com/Liverpool
0844 871 3017
Edinburgh Playhouse
19 – 23 September
atgtickets.com/Edinburgh
0844 871 3014
Milton Keynes Theatre
26 – 30 September
atgtickets.com/miltonkeynes
0844 871 7627
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
3 – 7 October
mayflower.org.uk
023 8071 1811
New Alexandra Theatre Birmingham
10 – 14 October
atgtickets.com/Birmingham
0844 871 3011
Blackpool, Opera House
17 – 21 October
wgbpl.co.uk
0844 856 1111
New Theatre, Cardiff
31 October – 4 November
newtheatrecardiff.co.uk
029 2087 8889
New Wimbledon Theatre
7 – 11 November
atgtickets.com/Wimbledon
0844 871 7646
Regent Theatre, Stoke
14 – 18 November
Palace Theatre, Manchester
21 – 25 November
atgtickets.com/stoke
0844 871 7649
atgtickets.com/Manchester
0844 871 3019
Bradford, Alahambra Theatre
bradford-theatres.co.uk
28 November – 2 December
01274 432 000
OnsalefromMonday–checkwithindividualvenuesformoredetails.
Moretourdatestobeconfirmedsoon.
Visitcillathemusical.comforallthelatesttourandauditioninformation
Twitter:@CILLAMUSICAL
NOTESTOEDITORS:
BILLKENWRIGHT(Co-Director/Producer)
BillKenwright’srecentWestEndproductionsinclude:HowtheOtherHalfLoves
(Haymarket);TheGo-Between(Apollo);TheWarofTheWorlds(Dominion);Evita(Dominion);
LettheRightOneIn(Apollo);TwelveAngryMen(Garrick);Cabaret(Savoy);BloodBrothers
(Phoenix);DreamboatsandPetticoats(Wyndhams);SoulSister(Savoy);Volcano(Vaudeville);
WrittenontheHeart(RSC-Duchess);ThreeDaysinMay(Trafalgar);ThePitmenPainters
(Duchess);TheWizardofOz(Palladium);TheCountryGirl(Apollo);BedroomFarce(Dukeof
York's);ADaughter'saDaughter(Trafalgar);OntheWaterfront(Haymarket);Womanin
Mind(Haymarket);PlagueOverEngland(Duchess);SunsetBoulevard(Comedy);Absurd
PersonSingular(Garrick);JosephandtheAmazingTechnicolorDreamcoat(Adelphi);The
Letter(Wyndhams);Treats(Garrick);Cabaret(Lyric);TheCanterburyTales(RSC-Gielgud);
TheCrucible(RSC-Gielgud);WhistleDowntheWind(Palace);AManforAllSeasons
(Haymarket);TheNightoftheIguana(Lyric);Scrooge(Palladium);AFewGoodMen
(Haymarket);TheBigLife(Apollo);Elmina'sKitchen(Garrick);Festen(Lyric);JudiDenchin
All'sWellThatEndsWell(RSC-Gielgud);HayFever(Haymarket);Filumena(Piccadilly);and
TheGiftoftheGorgon(Wyndhams);JessicaLangeinAStreetcarNamedDesire(Haymarket);
LongDay'sJourneyintoNight(Lyric)andTheGlassMenagerie(Apollo);TheTamingofthe
ShrewandTheTamerTamed(RSC-Queens);TheSecretRapture(Lyric);theRSCJacobean
season(Gielgud);ViaDolorosa(Duchess);Sleuth(Apollo);TheConstantWife(Lyric);Catona
HotTinRoof(Lyric);Ghosts(Comedy);FallenAngels(Apollo);BriefEncounter(Lyric);Miss
Julie(Haymarket);SteppingOut(Albery);Hurlyburly(Queens);LadyWindermere'sFan
(Haymarket);Passion(Queens);Company(Albery);TheMiracleWorker(Wyndhams);No
Man'sLandandMoonlight(Comedy).AnddirectedbyPeterHall:MindMillieforMe;The
MasterBuilder;OnApproval;Piaf;TheVortex;TheSchoolforWives;Hamlet;AnAbsolute
Turkey;Lysistrata;SeparateTables;SheStoopstoConquer;WaitingforGodot;The
Misanthrope;MajorBarbaraandKafka'sDick.
OnBroadway:TravelsWithMyAunt(DramaDeskAward);DancingAtLughnasa(Tony
Award);Medea(TonyAward);Ibsen'sADoll'sHouse(fourTonyAwards);Theatrede
Complicite'sTheChairs(sixTonynominations);CatonaHotTinRoof;TheGlassMenagerie;
Primo;Festen;PassingStrange;andGuysandDolls.BloodBrothers,whichranfor24yearsin
theWestEnd,alsoplayedforthreeyearsatBroadway'sMusicBoxTheatre.
AsaDirectorhisproductionsinclude:Evita,WhistleDowntheWind,JosephandtheAmazing
TechnicolorDreamcoat,JesusChristSuperstar,EvitaandBloodBrothers.Hewasnominated
foraLondonTheatreCritics'AwardforWestSideStoryattheShaftesburyandaTonyAward
forBloodBrothersinNewYork.
Hisfilmsinclude:AnotherMother’sSon,MyPureLand,TheHopeRooms,TheDayAfterthe
Fair,SteppingOut,Don'tGoBreakingMyHeart,CheriandBroken,whichwonBestFilmat
theBritishIndependentFilmAwards.
Heco-producedthephenomenallysuccessfularenatourofElvis-TheConcertwithElvis
PresleyEnterprises.
HehasreceivedanHonoraryDoctoratefrombothLiverpoolUniversityandNottinghamTrent
University,anHonoraryFellowshipfromLiverpool'sJohnMooresUniversityandanHonorary
ProfessorshipfromThamesValleyUniversityinLondon.In2002,hereceivedtheVarietyClub
BernardDelfontAwardforhiscontributiontotheentertainmentindustry,andaCBEinthe
sameyear.In2008,hereceivedaLifetimeAchievementAwardfromtheTheatrical
ManagementAssociation.
HeisChairmanofEvertonFootballClub.Andafan.
LAURIEMANSFIELD(Producer)
LaurieMansfieldenteredshowbusinessfirstasasalesmanforCBSRecords,andthenasa
recordproducer.In1969,thisledhimintotheagencybusiness,wherehebecame
responsibleforbuildingInternationalArtistesLTDintoonofthemostsuccessfulall-purpose
managementandagencycompaniesintheUK.
InApril2010,anewcompanywasformedcalledLaurieMansfieldAssociates,presentinga
combinationofboththeatricalproductionandtalentrepresentation.Inrecentyears,Laurie
hasbecomemoreinvolvedintheproductionofWestEndshows,including:conceivingand
co-producingthemusicalBuddy:theBuddyHollyStory,whichcompleted13yearsinLondon,
inadditiontovariousproductionsworldwide,Laureco-producedtheOlivierAward-winning
musicalJolsoninLondon’sWestEnd,beforetransferringtoToronto.Jolsonhasalsotoured
intheUnitedStatesandAustralia.In1999,Laurieco-producedtheOlivieraward-winning
DefendingtheCavemanonShaftesburyAvenue,London.InOctober1999,Lauriewasthe
leadproduceronGreatBallsofFire,theJerryLeeLewisstory,attheCambridgeTheatre.
2000sawhiminvolvedinIrelandasexecutiveproducerofthefilmAgnesBrowne(Universal),
directedbyandstarringAnjelicaHuston.2002sawthetransfertotheWestEndofthe
EdinburghFringeaward-winningshowZipp!,co-producedbyLaurieandstarringGyles
Brandreth.ThisIsElvisand,in2009,againwithBillKenwright,co-producedDreamboatsand
Petticoats,whichistouringnationally,aswellastheirlatestmusicalSavetheLastDancefor
Me.
LaurieischairmanoftheBritishForcesFoundation(foundedbyJimDavidsonOBE),ofwhich
HRHthePrinceofWalesispatronandBaronessLadyThatcherwaspresident.Thecharity
wasformedtopromoteandsupportthearmedforcesforcharitablemeansbyentertaining
servicemenandwomenaroundtheworld.Laurieisalsocurrentlylifepresidentofthe
EntertainmentArtistes’BenevolentFund,whichmaintainstheretirementhomeBrinsworth
HouseinTwickenham.ThroughtheEABF,LaurieiscloselyinvolvedwithTheRoyalVariety
Show,theproceedsofwhichgodirectlytothecharity.
JEFFPOPE(Writer)
JeffPopeisanaward-winningwriterforFilmandTelevision.Filmcreditsinclude
PIERREPOINT:THELASTHANGMAN(TimothySpall);ESSEXBOYS(SeanBean,TomWilkinson);
andmostrecentlythecriticallyacclaimedPHILOMENA(JudiDench,SteveCoogan)forwhich
JeffpickedupGoldenGlobe,BIFAandLondonCriticsCirclenominationsandBAFTAand
VeniceFilmFestivalwinsforBestAdaptedScreenplay.
TVworkincludesBAFTA-winningITVdramaMRSBIGGS(SheridanSmith),themulti-award
winningDIRTY,FILTHYLOVE;CILLA(SheridanSmith)andLUCAN(RoryKinnear).Asa
producer,Jeffhashelmedanumberofaward-winningdramasincludingMO,abio-picbased
onthelifeofpoliticianMoMowlam,theBAFTAwinningSEENOEVIL-THEMOORS
MURDERS;APPROPRIATEADULT(DominicWest,EmilyWatson),whichearnedfiveBAFTA
awardsaswellasaGoldenGlobenominationand,mostrecently,acclaimedBBC1dramaTHE
MOORSIDE.
BOBTOMSON(Co-Director)
BobTomsonhasbeenanactor,stageandtelevisionwriter,andauniversityandcollege
lecturerindrama.HehasbeenaresidentdirectoratLiverpoolEverymanandManchester
Contacttheatres,andartisticdirectoroftheQueen’sTheatreCompany,Hornchurch,
London.FromthislastpositionheforgedalongtermpartnershipwithBillKenwrightand
manyofhisproductionshavetourednationallytoeveryleadingcommercialvenueand
repertoryhouseintheUK,including:RoaldDahl’schildren’soperaJamesandtheGiant
Peach,JesusChristSuperstar,HavingaBall,FunnyPeculiar,OneCarefulOwnerandOliver!.
Bobwentfreelancetotakeupoffersofworkingintelevisionandwiththeleadingrepertory
theatrecompaniesoftheUK:BristolOldVicCompany,LiverpoolPlayhouse,WindsorTheatre
RoyalandChurchillTheatre,Bromley.HehasgreatsuccessintheWestEndwithBlood
Brothers,whichwasnominatedforthreeOlivierAwards.Healsotookhisinternationally
acclaimedproductionofScroogetotheLondonPalladiumforasecondseason.
Hisinternationalproductionsinclude:Evita(Europe)andBloodBrothersinAustralia,New
Zealand,Canadaand,mostsignificantly,intheUnitedStates,wheretheshowwas
nominatedonBroadwayfornofewerthansixTonyawards.LeslieBricusse’sScroogehasalso
beenalongrunningsuccessforBob,havingAnthonyNewleyinthetitleroleforsixyears,
culminatinginarunattheDominionTheatre,London.Inrecentyearsthetitlerolehasbeen
sharedintheUKbyTommySteele(LondonPalladium);ShaneRichie(nationaltour);and
MichaelBarrymore(nationaltour).BobdirectedRichardChamberlainintheAmerican
premiereofScrooge,whileitsAustralianandJapanesepremiereswonBobtheBestDirector
awards.HisTokyopremiereofPatrickStewart’sone-manversionofAChristmasCarolwon
theprizeforBestNewProduction.HisotherWestEndproductionsinclude:Dreamboatsand
Petticoats(SavoyandthePlayhouse),whichwasnominatedBestNewMusicalattheOlivier
Awards;JohnGodber’ssmash-hitskiingcomedyOnThePiste(Garrick),whichwasOlivier
nominatedComedyoftheYear;DennisLumborg’scontroversialOneFineDay(Albery),
nominatedforBestRegionalPlay;andKarolineLeach’sTheMysteriousMrLove(Comedy)all
forBillKenwrightLtd.
Televisionincludes:BBC’sdramaseriesHerotoZero,forwhichhewasnominatedfora
BAFTAAward,withthesubsequentfulllengthfilmversionbeingsoldin53countries;SkyTV
seriesIsHarryontheBoat?andDreamTeam;ITV’sNightandDay,TheBill,FamilyAffairs
andHeartbeat,andChannel4’sBrookside.HewaslineproducerforseriesthreeofDream
TeamandhelpedtheserieswineveryIndieawardthatyearforBestDramaSeries;andheis
aregularguestdirectoronBBC’sDoctorsandFatherBrown.
Recenttheatreprojectsinclude:theworldpremiereofmusicaladaptionofPicnicatHanging
Rock(ChichesterFestivalTheatre);thenewstreetdancemusicalDanceWars(Guildford);
andnewtreatmentsofthemusicalsHalfaSixpenceandJeannieSkye.Mostrecently,the
criticallyacclaimedEvitaandtheworldpremiereofJeffWayne’sWaroftheWorldsboth
playedseasonsatLondon’sDominionTheatre.
PRESSCONTACT:EMMAHOLLANDPR(EHPR)
EmmaHolland
E:[email protected]
M:07917094203 W:www.emmahollandpr.com
GeorgieRobinson
E:[email protected]
M:07512112776
W:www.emmahollandpr.com