Tell us it's not true! Maureen Nolan to star in Footloose UK tour

Full casting has been announced for the 2016 UK tour of Footloose: The Musical.

Joining the previously announced Gareth Gates as Willard will be the wonderful Maureen Nolan as Vi Moore. In recent years the Nolan sister has been starring as Mrs Johnstone in the UK tour of Blood Brothers (read our 5* review of her performance).

The tour opens at Bridlington Spa on 29th January and is booking until 6th August 2016 at the Bristol Hippodrome. Gates will play Willard from 29th January until 16th April, returning to the show from 20th June 2016.

The cast also includes: Luke Baker as Ren McCormack, Hannah Price as Ariel 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 Chance as Urleen and Scott Haining as Bickie. Completing the cast are Lauren Storer, Natalie Morton-Graham, Luke Thornton and Alex Marshall.

Tour dates announced for Footloose starring Gareth Gates

Further information has been revealed for the previously announced 2016 UK tour of Footloose: The Musical starring Gareth Gates as Willard.

The tour opens at Bridlington Spa on 29th January and is booking until 6th August 2016 at the Bristol Hippodrome. Check out tour dates and venues below.

Gates will play Willard from 29th January until 16th April, returning to the show from 20th June 2016. Further casting is to be announced.

Racky Plews directs with choreography by Matthew Cole, design by Sara Perks and musical supervision by Mark Crossland. 

Gareth Gates to star in Footloose UK tour

Gareth Gates will star as Willard in a new UK tour of Footloose.

Directed and choreographed by Racky Plews, the show is set to open at the Spa Theatre in Bridlington on 29th January 2016. See tour dates below.

Footloose features classic 80s hits, including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let’s Hear it for the Boy and the title track Footloose.

Based on the 1980s riveting screen sensation, which took the world by storm with its youthful spirit, dazzling dance and electrifying music. Footloose tells 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 it’s feet.

Simon Webbe, Gareth Gates, Leanne Jones & Taofique Folarin star in Stiles and Drewe's The Three Little Pigs

Casting has been announced for George Stiles and Anthony Drewe’s musical adaptation of The Three Little Pigs. 

The show runs during the day at the Palace Theatre between 5th August and 6th September 2015. The Commitments will continue to run at the Palace Theatre as normal.

The cast includes Simon Webbe (Blue/Sister Act), Gareth Gates (Pop Idol/Legally Blonde), Leanne Jones (Hairspray/Molly Wobbly) and Taofique Folarin (The Lion King/Avenue Q). Stiles (music) and Drewe (book and lyrics) put their own musical twist on the retelling of this classic fairy tale.

Stiles and Drewe met at Exeter University where George was studying music and Anthony Zoology – so it’s little wonder that animals tend to feature in their musicals, which include: Honk!, Betty Blue Eyes, Just So, Mary Poppins, Peter Pan and Soho Cinders.

Theatre stars including Bonnie Langford, Joe Pasquale, Sam Attwater & Gareth Gates returning to Dancing On Ice for all-stars series

It has been announced that several West End performers are returning to ITV's Dancing On Ice for its final all-stars series. Spamalot co-stars Bonnie Langford, Joe Pasquale, Todd Carty and Hayley Tamaddon will reunite alongside Sam Attwater (Rocky Horror Show), Gareth Gates (Legally Blonde, Les Mis), Ray Quinn (Grease), Zaraah Abrahams (Beautiful Thing) and Suzanne Shaw (Chicago).

14 celebrities in total have signed up to return to the show for its final series, which is due to air on ITV early next year. Phillip Schofield and Christine Bleakley will be back to host the show, while Torvill & Dean will return for the last time to train the stars. The duo will also celebrate the 30th anniversary of their Olympic bolero during DOI: All-Stars.

Review: An Evening of Movies and Musicals at Christmas at the Apollo Victoria Theatre

An Evening of Movies and Musicals at Christmas
Apollo Victoria Theatre
Reviewed on Sunday 1st December 2013

Last Sunday some of the West End's biggest stars came together with a fifty piece orchestra to celebrate some of the biggest songs from some of the best loved movies and musicals of all time. To welcome the festive season a few Christmas songs were added to the line-up. The evening was a huge success and was the perfect way to welcome in the festive season.

Gareth Gates joins Louise Dearman & John Owen-Jones in An Evening of Movies and Musicals

It has been announced that Gareth Gates will join the previously announced Louise Dearman & John Owen-Jones in An Evening of Movies and Musicals at the West End's Apollo Victoria Theatre in December. The one off performance will be hosted by Christopher Biggins.

An Evening of Movies and Musicals debuted in early 2012 with a sell out concert at St David’s Hall in Cardiff. Featuring the music of John Williams, Hans Zimmer, James Horner and many more, the show has sold out every date thus far and received glowing acclaim from press and public alike. 

Gareth’s theatre career began when he took over from Lee Mead to star in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He then created the role of Marius in the International 25th Anniversary production of Les Miserables and went on to play the part in the West End. His other theatre credits include Eddie in Loserville (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Cain in Children of Eden (Prince of Wales) and Warner in Legally Blonde (UK Tour). Most recently Gareth starred alongside The Osmonds in the UK Tour of Boogie Nights.

Review: Momentous Musicals (UK Tour) at the New Wimbledon Theatre

Momentous Musicals (UK Tour)
New Wimbledon Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 17th July 2013

Four West End stars, four recent drama school graduates and a mixture of songs from musicals old and new. Momentous Musicals provides a glorious evening of entertainment for any lover of musical theatre. 

Theatre concert shows often run risk of being hugely cringey, I recently saw The West End Men which didn't quite work as the cast performed each song in the context of the musical it was from. However, in Momentous Musicals the cast appear more relaxed and seem to enjoy the evening. Many songs cross over, meaning there is little time for 'awkward chatter' with the audience.

Interview: Gareth Gates

Since coming second in the first series of Pop Idol back in 2001, not only has Gareth Gates had a hugely successful career as a recording artist, selling over 3.5 million records in the UK, but he has also had an incredible career in musical theatre.

Gareth’s theatre career began when he took over from Lee Mead to star in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. He then created the role of Marius in the International 25th Anniversary production of Les Miserables and went on to play the part in the West End. His other theatre credits include Eddie in Loserville (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Cain in Children of Eden (Prince of Wales) and Warner in Legally Blonde (UK Tour). Most recently Gareth starred alongside The Osmonds in the UK Tour of Boogie Nights.

Next month Gareth will star opposite We Will Rock You’s Rachel Wooding in the short UK Tour of Momentous Musicals. The show, which sees West End stars perform some of the most popular songs in musical theatre, will visit the New Wimbledon Theatre on Wednesday 17th July, the Princess Theatre, Torquay on Friday 19th July, the Alhambra Theatre, Bradford on Monday 22nd July and the Palace Theatre, Manchester on Thursday 25th July.

Recently I spoke to Gareth about what people can expect from Momentous Musicals, when his love for theatre first began and what roles he has his eye on and would like to play in the future...

Having performed in Momentous Musicals last year, are you looking to touring the UK with the show next month?

Yes, the show was such a great success and we had incredible feedback which is why we've added a few more dates this year. I'm really looking forward to it because I had so much fun doing it last time.

Gareth Gates, Jonathan Ansell, Daniel Boys, Emma Williams & Rachael Wooding for Momentous Musicals Live Album

Pop Idol and West End favourite Gareth Gates (Joseph, Les Misérables, Legally Blonde) will star on the upcoming live album release of Momentous Musicals, alongside Jonathan Ansell (G4, Whistle Down the Wind), Daniel Boys (Any Dream Will Do, Avenue Q), Emma Williams (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Love Story) and Rachael Wooding (Jersey Boys, Hairspray). 

This sophisticated celebration of musical theatre, showcasing soaring ballads and fondly remembered songs from the most significant musicals of our generation, premièred at New Wimbledon Theatre earlier this year, and is released as a 16 track live recording on Monday 7th January 2013 by Speckulation Entertainment, which produced the live stage show. 

Gareth Gates & Jennifer Ellison join the touring cast of the magnificent show that is Legally Blonde The Musical!

Gareth Gates and Jennifer Ellison joined the cast of the UK touring production of Legally Blonde The Musical tonight as ‘Warner’ and ‘Paulette’. Faye Brooks continues to star in the role of ‘Elle’ and Iwan Lewis plays ‘Emmett’.

Gareth has starred in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (West End), Les Miserables (25th Anniversary tour and West End) and Loserville (West Yorkshire Playhouse). He will also be appearing in Momentous Musicals at the New Wimbledon Theatre on Thursday 19th July 2012.

Gareth Gates, Jonathan Ansell, Daniel Boys, Emma Williams and Rachael Wooding to star in Momentous Musicals at the New Wimbledon Theatre

Gareth Gates (Joseph, Les Misérables); Jonathan Ansell (G4, Whistle Down the Wind); Daniel Boys (Any Dream Will Do, Avenue Q); Emma Williams (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Love Story) and Rachael Wooding (Jersey Boys, Hairspray) along with  ten up and coming performers will perform in Momentous Musicals at New Wimbledon Theatre on Thursday 19th July 2012.

2012 ArtsEd graduates Luke Alexander, Ashley Cooper, Gabriela García, Sinead Kenny, Felicity Kirwin and Sam Lathwood will join young professionals Stef Booth (After the Turn), Matthew John Gregory (Guys and Dolls), Christopher Mitchell (12 Irish Tenors) and Hayley Ellen Scott (High School Musical) as the featured ensemble of this gala concert.

Momentous Musicals is a brand new concert celebration showcasing soaring ballads and fondly remembered songs from the most significant musicals of our generation. Pop Idol favourite Gareth Gates (Joseph, Les Misérables) leads this sophisticated homage to musical theatre, featuring the songs ‘Empty Chairs at Empty Tables’ (Les Misérables), ‘For Good’ (Wicked) ‘Why, God, Why?’ (Miss Saigon), ‘Seasons of Love’ (Rent) and many more.

Momentous Musicals is produced by Neil Eckersley for Speckulation Entertainment (Alan Cumming: I Bought a Blue Car Today, Megan Mullally & Supreme Music Program, Christmas in New Yorkand Idina Menzel at the Royal Albert Halll). It is directed by John Garfield-Roberts, with musical direction by George Dyer and choreography by Racky Plews.

The Details...

Thursday 19th July 2012 

7.30pm

New Wimbledon Theatre, 

93 The Broadway, London SW19 1QG

Tickets: £22.00 (concessions available)

Box Office: 0844 871 7646

www.momentousmusicals.com