A Landmark Year for the Regent Theatre

Press Release Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

Issued 13 January 2009

A landmark year for The Regent Theatre

2009 is a landmark year for The Regent Theatre as the Stoke-on-Trent venue celebrates its tenth anniversary. To mark the occasion, The Regent delivers a first-class new season.

Big shows to look out for in the New Year include the hilarious comedy Calendar Girls. Following sensational reviews, Calendar Girls has been the fastest selling tour ever and now it sets out to conquer Stoke-on-Trent before it hits London's West End.

Calendar Girls tells the story of a group of extraordinary women, members of a very ordinary Yorkshire WI, who persuade one another to pose for a charity calendar with a difference! As interest in the calendar snowballs, the ladies find themselves revealing more than they’d ever planned. The all-star cast includes Lynda Bellingham, Patricia Hodge, Sian Phillips, Gaynor Faye, Brigit Forsyth, Julia Hills and Elaine C. Smith.

The new critically acclaimed international production of West Side Story comes to The Regent in June as part of its fiftieth anniversary world tour. Co-produced by the Ambassador Theatre Group (the company that operates The Regent Theatre), West Side Story explores the rivalry between two teenage gangs; one white, the other Puerto Rican. When Tony falls in love with Maria, the sister of the rival gang’s leader, the feud takes on a new dimension, and as their love blossoms so begins a fatal journey overshadowed by violence and hatred.

Legendary singer Jimmy Osmond will star as Billy Flynn in Chicago alongside Emma Barton (EastEnders) who stars as Roxie Hart. This red hot musical tells the kiss-and-tell tale of Roxie Hart, a nightclub dancer who kills her lover; Billy Flynn, the lawyer who turns her into a celebrity; and Velma Kelly, a dancing jailbird with an ear for the headlines and an eye for talent. Chicago brings the razzle and dazzle to The Regent in May.

Musical masterpiece Blood Brothers is back by overwhelming popular demand; the producers of 42nd Street and South Pacific present a new production of Singin’ in the Rain and Seven Brides for Seven Brothers returns. Other musical highlights include Jolson & Co – The www.ambassadortickets.com/stoke Muscial, a celebration of one of the world’s greatest entertainers, Al Jolson; Thriller Live, a musical spectacular chronicling the life of Michael Jackson and packed with over two hours of smash hits and Hot Flush! starring Lesley Joseph and Sam Kane.

The world famous Imperial Ice Stars return with Cinderella on Ice and continue to break new ground in the genre of ice dancing. Stunning skating feats, some only seen in Olympic arenas and some never attempted before, are performed within the confines of a frozen theatre stage, including breathtaking high speed throws and incredible lifts and lift sequences.

If that wasn’t enough to take your breath away then don’t miss The Chinese State Circus who bring their spectacular new show to the UK. Marvel at back-flipping acrobats spiralling through rotating hoops, be amazed by the skill of the beautiful oriental plate-spinning divas and the cadelabra-balancing contortionists, wonder at the lethal grace of Shaolin martial arts and be entranced by the luciously costumed and performed Lion Dance.

In the summer, Ellen Kent presents two dramatic operas, Verdi’s Aida and Bizet’s Carmen. Aida tells a story of doomed love, war, jealousy and revenge set against the towering structure of the Colossseum in Rome and the greatness of Eygpt. Carmen also boats impressive sets and is staged in a bull ring for a spectacular new twist to this famous and seductive opera.

There’s hilarious hit comedy with the multi-award winning Stones in his Pockets. When a major Hollywood film studio descends on a village in rural Ireland, the demand for extras from the local community is huge. As the story unfolds, two talented actors bring to life over 15 extraordinary characters!

It’s also a great year for family entertainment at The Regent with worldwide phenomenon High School Musical, the return of Scooby-Doo and Spongebob Squarepants!

Hot on the heels of High School Musical 3 in cinemas, the stage production of the Disney Channel’s original High School Musical movie returns to The Regent Theatre following a spectacular sell out run in 2008. Expect demand to be high again in 2009.

Scooby-Doo and the gang are back in a brand new adventure Scooby-Doo and the Pirate Ghost. Join Scooby, Shaggy, Velma, Daphne and Fred as they face one hilarious situation after another, mixing the classic trademark Hanna-Barbera comedy with popular tunes and special effects to create an irresistable theatrical experience for Scooby fans of all ages!

TV superstar SpongeBob Squarepants makes his theatre debut in February in The Sponge Who Could Fly! Join SpongeBob, Patrick and their zany Bikini Bottom pals in a new musical as SpongeBob embarks on his dream to fly with the jellyfish. Kids go Half Price!

This month look out for 09 Dance. Now in its eighth year, the festival will see more than 2000 children and young people take to The Regent Theatre stage. It is now firmly established as one of the foremost youth dance events in the UK and is a credit to the year round hard work of The Regent’s Creative Learning Department.

And panto season may have only just finished, but following a fourth record-breaking year, The Regent is going for panto gold in the 2009/2010 season with Dick Whittington! Tickets are now on sale! Look out for further announcements in the spring.

The Victoria Hall also has an amazing 2009 lined up with comedy from Jimmy Carr, Ross Noble and Totally Looped with Phil Jupitus and Marcus Brigstocke. There’s music from multi platinum selling singer-songwriter Newton Faulkner, X Factor star Andy Abraham, www.ambassadortickets.com/stoke singing sensation Jane MacDonald and Fab Four tribute The Bootleg Beatles. Classic children’s characters Sooty and Basil Brush bring new shows to the venue and there’s alternative entertainment with Circus of Horrors and Derek Acorah. And if you’re looking for incredible life stories, look no further than inspirational lectures from world leader in rock and ice-climbing Tim Emmett with Extreme High and Simon Yates in Beyond the Void.

REGENT THEATRE DATES AT A GLANCE 09 Dance (22-31 January) SpongeBob in The Sponge Who Could Fly (11-15 February) Calendar Girls (16-21 February) Blood Brothers (2-7 March) The Chinese State Circus (11-15 March) Jolson & Co – The Muscial (17-21 March) Cinderella on Ice (24-28 March) Scooby-Doo and the Pirate Ghost (31 March – 4 April) Stones in his Pockets (7-8 April) Hot Flush! (10-11 April) Thriller Live (14-18 April) Singin’ in the Rain (20-25 April) Chicago (4-9 May) Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (11-16 May) High School Musical (1-6 June) Aida and Carmen (9-10 June) West Side Story (16-27 June) Dick Whittington (10 December 2009 – 10 January 2010)

Box Office 0870 060 6649 (bkg fee)

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For further information, photos, interviews, press tickets, please contact David Bradbury on 01782 211 206 or [email protected] or for Victoria Hall press enquiries, please contact Laura Bell on 01782 211 210 or [email protected]

www.ambassadortickets.com/stoke