Calamity Jane
Sunderland Empire
Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 March 2015
Following a sell-out run at The Watermill Theatre Newbury Calamity Jane is currently embarking on a national UK tour which opened at the Plymouth Theatre Royal (Wednesday 17 September 2014). Calamity Jane is produced by Jamie Wilson, Paul Elliott and Duncan C Weldon in association with The Watermill Theatre Newbury and will play Sunderland Empire from Tuesday 3 – Saturday 7 March 2015.
Calamity Jane stars Jodie Prenger in the title role of ‘Calamity Jane’, Tom Lister as ‘Wild Bill Hickok, Alex Hammond as ‘Danny’ and Phoebe Street as Katie Brown.
Calamity Jane can outrun and outshoot any man in Deadwood. Hard, boastful and desperate to impress, she travels to Chicago to recruit a star, Adelaide Adams, for the Deadwood Stage. But things don’t go too smoothly for Calamity, as everyone in town favours the new girl and she struggles to keep her jealousy and pride in check. It takes her long-standing enemy Wild Bill Hickok to make her see sense, and realise her Secret Love…
Calamity Jane has an Oscar nominated score that includes The Black Hills of Dakota, The Deadwood Stage (Whip-Crack-Away), Just Blew in from the Windy City and the award-winning song Secret Love.
Jodie Prenger is probably best known for winning the role of ‘Nancy’ in Cameron Mackintosh’s West End production of “Oliver!” through the BBC television series “I’d Do Anything”. During her run in the show at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane she received both critical and public acclaim for her portrayal of the role. Since then she has starred in the National Theatre’s hit production of “One Man, Two Guvnors” both in the West End and on tour and as ‘Lady of the Lake’ in “Spamalot”. Jodie is also a regular presenter on BBC Radio 2.
Tom Lister most recently played ‘Grimes and Eel’ in the world premiere of “Water Babies” at Leicester Curve. He is probably best known to TV audiences for his role as ‘Carl King’ in ITV’s “Emmerdale”, a part he played for nine years. His theatre credits also include ‘Pan’ in “Loves Mistress” at the Globe Theatre and ‘Ralph’ in “Accrington Pals” at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
Alex Hammond made his professional debut in the hugely successful “Taboo” at the Brixton Academy. He most recently played the role of ‘Adam Pontipee’ in the national tour of “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers”. His other theatre credits include “Save The Last Dance For Me”.
Phoebe Street most recently appeared in “The Light Princess” at the National Theatre. Her other credits include “Les Miserables” at the Queen’s Theatre where she made her West End debut.
The rest of the company includes Anthony Dunn as ‘Henry Miller’, Sioned Saunders as ‘Susan’, Rob Delaney as ‘Francis Fryer’, Christina Tedders as ‘Adelaide Adams’, Paul Kissaun as ‘Rattlesnake’, Jon Bonner as ‘Doc’, Martin McCarthy as ‘Joe’, Matthew James Hinchliffe as ‘Buck’, Jamie Noar as ‘Hank’, Giovanna Ryan as ‘Flo’ and Justin Wilman as ‘Charlie’.
Calamity Jane is directed by Nikolai Foster, with Orchestrations and Musical Supervision by Catherine Jayes,
Choreography by Nick Winston, Set and Costume design by Matthew Wright, Lighting Design by Richard G Jones and Sound Design by Sebastian Frost.
Nikolai Foster was recently named as the new artistic director at Curve in Leicester. His most recent theatre credits include “The Witches of Eastwick”, “Annie” and the 20th Anniversary production of Jonathan Harvey’s “Beautiful Thing” in the West End.
Catherine Jayes was most recently musical director for the award-winning production of “Merrily We Roll Along” at both the Menier Chocolate Factory and Harold Pinter theatre in the West End. Her other credits at the Chocolate Factory include “The Color Purple” and “Road Show”. She has composed the music for “The Duchess of Malfi”, “Othello”, “The Changeling”, “Cymbeline” and “Troilus and Cressida”, all for Cheek By Jowl where she is also an associate director. Her other musical director credits include “Guys and Dolls” and “Sweet Charity” for Sheffield Crucible and “Gypsy”, “Fiddler on the Roof” and “High Society” for the West Yorkshire Playhouse.
Nick Winston’s theatre credits as choreographer include “Loserville” in the West End and “Annie” and “Sweeney Todd” at the West Yorkshire Playhouse and most recently the World Premiere of “Water Babies” at Leicester Curve. Following numerous highly acclaimed productions that include “Sweeney Todd” and “Sunset Boulevard”, The Watermill Theatre, Newbury presents a new production of the classic musical “CALAMITY JANE”. Featuring a cast of multi-talented actor/musicians to create an unforgettable experience, this brand new production gets to the heart and soul of the musical.
Hedda Beeby, Artistic and Executive Director of the Watermill Newbury said…
‘It has been such an amazing Summer here at the Watermill and to have this wonderful new production of the musical Calamity Jane completely sell out has been fantastic, we could have let it play until Christmas!
All of us here wish the cast, crew and creative team the most wonderful tour of the UK and Ireland and hope the audiences at every venue take the show to their hearts, just like the audiences here have’.
Calamity Jane is adapted for the stage by Charles K. Freeman and has music by Sammy Fain with lyrics by Paul Francis Webster.
On The Web
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CalamityJaneUK
Facebook: www.facebook.com/CalamityJanetheShow
Tickets:
Tickets available in person at the Box Office from £15 or from £17.90 from the Ticket Centre on 0844 871 3022* or online at www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland* Premium seats also available.
