Photo Flash: Simon Cowell and X Factor Musical Leads Meet the Press!

Olivier Award-winner Nigel Harman will play X Factor supremo Simon Cowell, with The Color Purple's Cynthia Erivo and Alan Morrissey as lovestruck hopefuls Chenice and Max.

Nigel Harman's extensive stage credits include Guys and Dolls, directed by Michael Grandage, and Three Days of Rain, opposite James McAvoy, in the West End. Other theatre credits also include The Caretaker (The Crucible Sheffield), The Common Pursuit (Menier Chocolate Factory), Public Property (Trafalgar Studios) and A Chorus of Disapproval (West End). In 2012 he won the Olivier Award for his performance as Lord Farquaad in the West End production of Shrek the Musical.
On television Nigel is best known for his award-winning role as Dennis Rickman in BBC 1's EastEnders. Other TV credits include The Outsiders (ITV), City of Vice (Channel 4), and Hotel Babylon (BBC). This autumn Nigel will star in the fourth series of ITV's Downton Abbey.

Cynthia Erivo's theatre credits include The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Gielgud Theatre), Sister Act the Musical (UK Tour), LIFT (Perfect Pitch/Soho Theatre), Marine Parade (Brighton Festival),
I was Looking at the Ceiling and then I Saw the Sky (Theatre Royal, Stratford East), The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain (ETT, Belgrade Theatre, Traverse Theatre). She is currently receiving unprecedented critical acclaim for her lead performance as Celie in The Color Purple at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

Alan Morrissey's theatre credits include Boiling Frogs (Southwark Playhouse), Romeo & Juliet (Shakespeare's Globe), Twelfth Night and As You Like It (RSC), and Salad Days (Bristol Old Vic). His television credits include Endeavour (ITV), Holby City (BBC) and Doctors (BBC).

Irreverent, mischievous and yet strangely touching, I CAN'T SING! is the irrepressible new musical comedy that goes behind the microphones and under the judges' desk at the biggest TV show on earth. Follow the adorable Chenice and her faithful talking dog as she encounters crazy contestants, ruthless judges, a rapping hunchback and a handsome eco-warrior plumber called Max on her very own X Factor journey. Will she realise in time that winning the competition may not be as important as winning Max's heart...and will we discover just why Simon wears his trousers that high? I CAN'T SING! promises a lid-lifting theatrical rollercoaster ride behind the scenes at the mother of all singing competitions.

Photos by REX USA/Jonathan Hordle/Rex