New West End cast for GHOST THE MUSICAL

FIRST PERFORMANCE FOR NEW WEST END CAST

GHOST THE MUSICAL

Today (13 January 2012) Siobhan Dillon and Mark Evans join the cast of Ghost The Musical to play Molly and Sam in Matthew Warchus’ stage musical version of the Academy Award® winning film. Ghost The Musical opened at the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End in June last year where it has subsequently been playing to packed houses.   Siobhan Dillon and Mark Evans join Sharon D Clarke as Oda Mae Brown and Andrew Langtree as Carl who continue in the roles they originated on stage when the production premiered.  Matthew Warchus’ stage production based on the Oscar® winning film is currently booking in at the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End to October 2012.

A timeless story about the power of love, Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next trying to communicate with his girlfriend Molly through a phoney psychic in the hope of saving her from his murderer. Ghost, based on the Oscar® winning Paramount pictures film, features new music and lyrics as well as the classic Unchained Melody.

Ghost The Musical has music and lyrics by Grammy® award winning Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard as well as featuring the iconic song Unchained Melody.  Oscar® winning Bruce Joel Rubin has adapted his original screen play for the stage.  Set and costume designs are by Rob Howell, choreography is by Ashley Wallen with musical supervision and arrangements by Christopher Nightingale, illusions by Paul Kieve, lighting by Hugh Vanstone and projection design by Jon Driscoll.

A New York production of Ghost The Musical is to open on Broadway on 23 April 2012 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with previews beginning on 15 March.  Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy will lead the company as Sam and Molly, reprising the roles they created for the production’s world premiere here in the UK.  A further production will open at the Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, in August 2013.

Siobhan Dillon was a finalist in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first reality TV show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?   She went on to make her West End debut as Patty in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre and subsequently toured the UK in Can’t Smile Without You and Cabaret, in which she played Mandy and Sally Bowles respectively.   She recently played the roles of Vivienne in Legally Blonde The Musical at the Savoy Theatre and Claire in Ex The Musical at the Soho Theatre.  On the radio Dillon has performed with the BBC Concert Orchestra on Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night.  For the past few years Siobhan has been song writing and recording her solo album which has taken her all over the UK, Australia and America.

Mark Evans has most recently been seen on stage as Fiyero in the West End production of Wicked.  He has previously been seen on stage as Curly in the recent UK tour of Oklahoma!,  in the leading role of Troy Bolton in the London production of High School Musical and as Brad Majors in the UK tour of the Rocky Horror Show.  His screen credits include Lake Placid 3 and Dead Hungry.  Evans also appeared on the BBC’s and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Your Country Needs You reaching the final.  A regular on S4C, he has appeared in Dechrau Canu Dechrau Canmol, Wedi 7, the Eisteddfod Annual Concert, The Sian Cothi Show, Noson Lawen, and The Big Welsh Talent Concert as well as the ongoing children’s programme Marcaroni in which he plays the title role. Mark has recently completed filming his own 1hr TV special. Last year saw Mark Evans release his debut solo album on Sain Records - The Journey Home is a selection of 6 English and 6 Welsh language songs.  He also runs West End In Wales, a young person's theatre initiative, started and funded by Mark over 5 years ago.

The full cast, from 20 February 2012, comprises Siobhan Dillon (Molly Jensen), Mark Evans (Sam Wheat), Sharon D Clarke (Oda Mae Brown), Andrew Langtree (Carl Bruner), Ivan de Freitas (Willie Lopez), Craig Stein (Subway Ghost), Ashley Knight (Hospital Ghost), Lisa Davina Phillip (Clara) and Jenny Fitzpatrick (Louise).  They are joined by ensemble and swing members Paul Ayres, Darren Carnall, Samuel Edwards, Callum Francis, Francesca Hoffman, Louise Lawson, Scott Maurice, Spencer O’Brien, Olivia Philip, Jennifer Saayeng, Kirstie Skivington, Spencer Stafford, Rebecca Trehearn, Jez Unwin, Amy Webb and Sally Whitehead.

Ghost, the highest grossing film in the UK in 1990, starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Tony Goldwyn and Whoopi Goldberg and was directed by Jerry Zucker. Winning two Academy Awards®, Bruce Joel Rubin's script won the Oscar® for Best Original Screenplay and Whoopi Goldberg won the Oscar® for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.  The film's iconic love scene at a potter's wheel was famously performed to The Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Dates                                        Currently booking until 13 October 2012

Address                                      Piccadilly Theatre, Denman Street, London W1D 7DY

Performance schedule                   Monday – Saturday at 7.30pm,

Thursday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm

Box Office                                  0844 871 7618

Ticket prices                               £25 - £67.50

Website                                     www.ghostthemusical.com