Sheffield Theatres announce an exciting new season of touring productions for Summer 2010

This week, Sheffield Theatres announces an exciting new season of touring productions for the Lyceum in Summer 2010.

Summer is going to be a very exciting period for Sheffield Theatres, the Crucible Theatre has reopened to much acclaim and Sheffield City Council’s redevelopment of Tudor Square will be completed. It will be business as usual at the Lyceum theatre as this summer will see a showcase of a fantastic array of touring work, with a high quality mix of dance, drama, children’s shows, comedy and musicals with stars such as Katy Brand, Ruby Wax and Paul Merton visiting the Lyceum Theatre as well as favourites such as Sing-a-long-a Sound of Music.

One of the highlights is the timeless classic Stepping Out – having delighted audiences for 25 years with its heartwarming and hilariously funny soul it features Coronation Street favourite Brian Capron and Carry on Doctor’s Anita Harris. In a dusty church hall, ex-professional dancer Mavis Turner holds her weekly tap class. Every Thursday, in stumbles her well-intentioned but not overly talented troupe – all brought together to dance as if no one is watching, and hopefully no one ever will! That’s until they’re invited to perform at a charity gala. As disbelief is replaced by sheer terror, can this bunch of amateurs pull together and put on the performance of a lifetime?! The other treat this summer is the stage adaptation of the film When Harry met Sally.  This features a soundtrack from jazz sensation Jamie Cullum and his brother. When Harry Met Sally is the classic delightful romantic comedy, adapted from the film starring Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan, about how two friends became lovers across a decade in New York. Playing these iconic parts is Sarah Jayne Dunn, best known for playing Mandy Richardson in Hollyoaks and Rupert Hill, Coronation Street’s ex-local lothario Jamie Baldwin.

This season they also have a brand new show from the producers of hit show Dreamboats and Petticoats. Laughter in the Rain, based on based on the rise, fall and rise again of pop music’s ultimate survivor – Neil Sedaka. From the innocent Fifties to the cynical Seventies and beyond, he has written and performed some of the world’s most beloved pop songs including Oh, Carol, Breaking Up Is Hard To Do, Happy Birthday Sweet Sixteen, Solitaire, Calendar Girl, Amarillo, Laughter in the Rain and many more.

Highlights in the Lyceum this season are:

Tuesday 1 – Thursday 3 June
Hull Truck Theatre Company presents
Men of the World
By John Godber
Join Stick, Frank and Happy Larry (two men and a woman) as they embark on another coach journey down the Rhine Valley….these long suffering drivers have seen it all and done it all! Travel with them and thirty old age pensioners to Paris, search for lost teeth in Koblenz, witness love affairs in Boppard and finally after a four-day ‘Umpah’ party make the long journey back. Touching, funny and provoking comedy written by one nation’s leading comedy playwrights, John Godber.

Saturday 5 – Sunday 6 June
Fierylight Ltd presents
Peppa Pig’s Party
Peppa is a playful little piggy who lives with her younger brother George, Mummy Pig and Daddy Pig. Through everyday adventures she plays games, makes new friends and enjoys her absolute favourite activity – jumping up and down in muddy puddles! A charming, original and imaginative show, full of brand new songs, muddy puddles, and oinks! This BAFTA Award-winning children’s TV show is recreated live on stage featuring beautifully true-to-life puppets for the first time

Monday 7 – Saturday 12 June
Carla Rosa Opera
Pirates of Penzance
Paul Nicholas stars as The Pirate King in this lively rendition of one of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most popular comic operas. Elegantly recreating the original period settings and costumes, this acclaimed production combines Sullivan’s ever-popular and sparkling score with what has to be the most topsy-turvy of all Gilbert’s plots. Venture with us into the swashbuckling world of Frederic the pirate apprentice who, born on February 29th in a leap year, won’t ‘come of age’ until he is 84!

Tuesday 15 – Sat 19 June
Birmingham Stage Company presents
Horrible Science
Based on the best-selling books by Nick Arnold
What are millions of animals doing in your kettle? Why don’t penguins get spots? Could picking your nose be dangerous? Why doesn’t the moon wander off? Could a 10-million-volt battery float over your head? And how long would it take for your heart to pump enough blood to fill the theatre? Billy Miller has no idea what’s in store when he enters the crazy, awesome world of Horrible Science and soon he is under attack from beastly bacteria, vicious volts and foul fluids! Will he regain control before it’s too late?! Using actors and jaw-dropping 3D Bogglevision, this astounding show has the awful answers guaranteed to thrill you and your children.

Tuesday 6 – Saturday 10 July
Bruce James Productions
Hi-De-Hi
Penned by two of the most successful sitcom writers of the twentieth century, Jimmy Perry and David Croft’s Hi-De-Hi! became an institution to television audiences during nine series. In this exciting new production of the stage show, which has not been seen since it was in the West End in 1984, the brilliantly funny Damian Williams, star of Aladdin and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Lyceum, plays the Maplins Camp Host Ted Bovis. Barry Howard and Nikki Kelly, two original members of the TV series join the cast as well as Peter Amory (Emmerdale) and Abigail Finlay (BBC’s How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria).

Monday 29 – Wednesday 31 March 2010
UK Productions Ltd presents
Oklahoma!
Set on America’s Western Frontier, against a background of conflict between farmers and cattlemen, Oklahoma! perfectly integrates song, dance and story to tell the tale of farm girl Laurey and the two rivals for her affections, happy go-lucky cowboy Curly and the sinister farm hand Jud. as the music soars the audience is carried along on the emotional journey of one of the most famous love stories in musical history. Starring musical sensation Marti Webb as Aunt Eller and Mark Evans, (Spamalot, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) and runner up in BBC’s Your Country Needs You as Curly.

Also this Summer season;

Saturday 1 May Katy Brand’s BIG ASS TOUR
Tuesday 4 – Saturday 8 May Joan Littlewood’s Musical Entertainment presents OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR
Tuesday 18 – Wednesday 19 May Dance Consortium presents COMPANHIA DE DANCA DEBORAH COLKER’S CRUEL
Friday 21 – Saturday 22 May Michael Clark Company presents COME, BEEN AND GONE
Tuesday 25 – Wednesday 26 May Birmingham Royal Ballet present ALLEGRI DIVERSI/GROSSE FUGE/THE CENTRE AND ITS OPPOSITE
Tuesday 27 May Ruby Wax and musician Judith Owen in RUBY WAX-LOSING IT?
Friday 28 May PAUL MERTON’S IMPRO CHUMS
Saturday 29 May SING-A-LONG-A SOUND OF MUSIC
Tuesday 8 – Saturday 12 June Denys Edwards Players presents CANTERBURY TALES
Sunday 13 June KEN DODD
Tuesday 29 June Classical opera Company presents MOZART: ZAIDE
Thursday 1 – Saturday 3 July Simon Callow THE MAN FROM STRATFORD: BEING SHAKESPEARE
Wednesday 6 October THE ARMSTRONG AND MILLER SHOW LIVE

Box Office 0114 249 5000 or online www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

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