Susan Boyle To Appear In I DREAMED A DREAM, The Musical Based On Her Life

Susan Boyle will be joining the cast of I DREAMED A DREAM, the musical based on her life story.

The global singing sensation is set to appear in the exclusive 11-week tour across the UK & Ireland which opens at Newcastle Theatre Royal in March 2012.

Susan's appearance in the musical will be the first opportunity for people to watch her perform in the UK on stage since the Britain's Got Talent tour in 2009.

Susan Boyle says; "I am thrilled to be a part of the musical about my life story and very much looking forward to stepping on stage and performing with the cast. It is an honest portrayal of my life and has been a cathartic process to be involved in."

Leading an outstanding cast and orchestra and taking on the lead role of Susan Boyle is Elaine C Smith, star of the hit West End stage play Calendar Girls, and who is best known for her portrayal of Mary Doll in Rab C Nesbitt on BBC Television.

Elaine says, "It's obviously an amazing challenge as a performer to be asked and involved in a project as fantastic as this. There's a lot of pressure to get it accurate and to honour Susan's life story but to do it in a way that is funny, moving and magical and, as the writers, producers and performers, we're doing our best to achieve that. We've been working towards this for the last 18 months but it's now really exciting to see the whole thing come to fruition and to be working with Susan on such a wonderful event."

Michael Harrison, Producer of I DREAMED A DREAM, says; "Having Susan join the cast to perform the finale of her musical is amazing for both ourselves and audiences across the UK and Ireland. Susan continues to defy the odds and surprise the world with her record-breaking albums. Now she can add a musical to her list of achievements and I can't wait to see the audience reaction when she walks on stage."

Audiences can see Susan in Newcastle, Aberdeen, Bradford, Liverpool, Dublin, Bristol, Southend, Cardiff, Birmingham, Inverness and Manchester. The tour details are:

NEWCASTLE, Theatre Royal
Friday 23 March - Saturday 31 March 2012
Box Office: 08448 11 21 21/theatreroyal.co.uk

ABERDEEN, His Majesty's Theatre
Tuesday 3 - Saturday 7 April 2012
Box Office: 01224 641122/boxofficeaberdeen.com

BRADFORD, Alhambra Theatre
Tuesday 10 - Saturday 14 April 2012
Box Office: 01274 432 000/bradford-theatres.co.uk

LIVERPOOL, Empire
Tuesday 17 - Saturday 21 April 2012
Box Office: 0844 871 3017/liverpoolempire.org.uk

DUBLIN, Grand Canal Theatre
Tuesday 24 - Saturday 28 April 2012
Box Office: (ROI) 0818 719 377/grandcanaltheatre.ie

BRISTOL, Hippodrome
Tuesday 1 - Saturday 5 May 2012
Box Office: 0844 871 3012/bristolhippodrome.org.uk

SOUTHEND, Cliffs Pavilion
Tuesday 8 - Saturday 12 May 2012
Box Office: 01702 351135/southendtheatres.org.uk

CARDIFF, New Theatre
Tuesday 22 - Saturday 26 May 2012
Box Office: 029 2087 8889/newtheatrecardiff.co.uk

BIRMINGHAM, Hippodrome
Tuesday 29 May - Saturday 2 June 2012
Box Office: 0844 338 5000/birminghamhippodrome.com

INVERNESS, Eden Court
Monday 11 - Saturday 16 June 2012
Box Office: 01463 234 234/eden-court.co.uk

MANCHESTER, Palace Theatre
Tuesday 19 - Saturday 23 June 2012
Box Office: 0844 871 3018/manchesterpalace.org.uk