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THE LEGENDARY TOMMY
STEELE RETURNING TO SUNDERLAND EMPIRE
EXACTLY 60 YEARS TO THE DATE OF HIS FIRST STAGE APPEARANCE
The Glenn Miller Story
Sunderland Empire
Tuesday 1st – Saturday 5th November
2016
Following
two triumphant outings, The Glenn Miller Story starring Tommy
Steele embarks on its third spectacular journey calling at Sunderland Empire
for one week only from 1-5 November 2016.
It’s been seventy years since Glenn
Miller vanished over the English Channel as he flew to Paris to entertain the
troops during the Second World War. Did he crash? Was he shot down? Will the
mystery ever be solved? Featuring
a 16 piece orchestra, a full supporting company of performers and dazzling
choreography, the story of one of the most
iconic musical figures of the 20th century will be told as never
before.
Over
the past 15 years Bill Kenwright and Tommy Steele have regularly got together
to talk about the past, present and future. One evening, Bill discovered that
his all-encompassing love for Elvis was equal only to Tommy’s adoration for
Glenn Miller and his Orchestra. Bill learned that Tommy is a true devotee;
travelling all over the world to hear what remains of the original Orchestral
Sounds, and is steeped in the knowledge and the glory of what Glenn Miller did
for popular music. Tommy enthused that Glenn changed the face of music from
1939 – 1943 when he was the most popular recording artist in the world.
 |
| Photo: Pamela Raith |
It
was three years later at a dinner party, celebrating Tommy’s award as the Most
Popular Entertainer of All Time at the London Palladium that they came up with The
Glenn Miller Story!
Tommy Steele was Britain’s
first rock ‘n’ roll star. Dubbed the UK’s answer to Elvis Presley, he landed his first UK No.1 with Singing the Blues
in January 1957, reaching the top spot before Elvis, who didn’t land his until
the June that year. The big screen soon beckoned for Tommy, and that same year
he filmed The
Tommy Steele Story,
one of Britain’s great rock ‘n’ roll movies. A soundtrack was released to
coincide with the film’s opening and became
the first album to reach No.1.
 |
| Photo: Pamela Raith |
Tommy Steele made his first stage appearance at Sunderland
Empire on 5 November 1956,
heading the bill in a variety show, 60 years ago to the date when he returns to
the stage with The Glenn Miller Story. Tommy has returned to the theatre over
the years with productions of Dr Doolittle and Scrooge and on returning to the
Sunderland Empire Tommy
said: I'm absolutely thrilled to return to the Sunderland Empire with ‘The
Glenn Miller Story’ exactly 60 years to the day that I made my very first stage
appearance. Who says there's no such thing as happenstance!!! As always with
the Empire, it will be like coming home. Here's to the next 60!?"
His legendary career includes
over twenty hit singles, twelve hit movies and countless award winning stage
musicals such as Half a Sixpence, Hans Andersen and Singin’ in
the Rain. In recent years, Steele has starred as Christmas miser Scrooge in
Bill Kenwright’s spectacular production of the
festive musical, which enjoyed two successful runs at the world-famous London
Palladium. It was a role that also made Steele the theatre’s all-time record
breaking performer, having headlined more performances than any other
star in the history of the Palladium.
Bob Tomson and Bill
Kenwright have teamed up again to direct the show, having been at the helm of
several award-winning musicals including Blood Brothers, Evita,
and Jesus Christ Superstar. Choreography is by Olivier Award winner Bill
Deamer (Top Hat, Evita, Save The Last Dance For Me).
The cast for The Glenn
Miller Story includes Ashley Knight
as Chummy MacGregor, Abigail Jaye
as Helen Burger, Zoe Nicole Adkin,
Michael Antony, Chris Bone, Siobhan Diffin, Jessica
Ellen, Mike Lloyd, Jordan Oliver, Harry Myers, Robert Pearce
and Alex Tranter.
The Glenn Miller
Story promises to transport audiences young and
old back to the days of the big band, and have them up on their feet jiving.
Tickets:
Tickets available from the Box Office on High Street West, via the ticket centre 0844 871 3022* or www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland *calls cost 7p per minute plus standard network charges.
Booking and transaction fees may apply to telephone and online bookings.
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