Lucy O'Byrne & Andrew Lancel to Appear in THE SOUND OF MUSIC at Birmingham Hippodrome

BBC1's The Voice star Lucy O'Byrne to play Maria and Coronation Street's Andrew Lancel to play Captain Von Trapp in 'The Sound of Music' at Birmingham Hippodrome this May.

Bill Kenwright's spectacular production of one of the greatest family musicals of all time, The Sound of Music, comes to Birmingham Hippodrome from Tue 24 - Sat 28 May 2016.

BBC1's The Voice runner-up and award-nominated Lucy O'Byrne plays Maria. Lucy became a household name when she shot to success as the runner-up in the TV talent show. With chart-topper Will.i.am as her mentor, and biggest fan, Lucy made history as the first classical singer to reach the final, impressing the nation with her stunning vocal range. Now, having recently performed at the BBC Proms, she makes her musical debut as the young postulant, Maria.

Andrew Lancel is best known as super-villain Frank Foster in Coronation Street, a role that earned him a 'Villain of the Year' award at the British Soap Awards. He also played DI Neil Manson in the long-running ITV television series The Bill. His numerous stage credits include Bill Kenwright's touring productions of The Small Hand and Twelve Angry Men. Andrew starred in Epstein: The Man Who Made The Beatles in Liverpool and London, and most recently appeared on stage in The Damned United at the West Yorkshire Playhouse.

Joining Lucy and Andrew on stage are Jan Hartley (Mother Abbess), Duncan Smith (Max), Isla Carter (Baroness Elsa), Kane Verrall (Rolf), Annie Horn (Liesl), Zoe Ann Brown (Sister Margaretta), Kate Scott (Sister Berthe), Tammy Davies (Sister Sophia), Jude Neill (Ursula), Anouska Eaton (Baroness Elberfeld), Jon de Ville (Franz), Pippa Winslow (Frau Schmidt), Scott Ainslie (Admiral von Schreiber), Piers Bate (Baron Elberfeld) and Lewis Barnshaw.

Produced by Bill Kenwright, directed by Martin Connor, choreographed by Olivier Award winner Bill Deamer, musical direction by David Steadman, this wonderfully lavish staging of the classic musical coincides with the 50th anniversary of the film version - the most successful movie musical in history.

It all began with the story of the Trapp Family Singers and Baroness Maria von Trapp's 1949 autobiography, which inspired Richard Rodgers, Oscar Hammerstein II, Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse to create a Broadway musical in 1959. The Sound of Music tells the true story of the world-famous singing family, from their romantic beginnings and search for happiness, to their thrilling escape to freedom as their beloved Austria becomes part of the Third Reich at the start of WWII.

The unforgettable score features some of the most memorable songs ever performed on stage, including Edelweiss, My Favorite Things, Do-Re-Mi, Climb Ev'ry Mountain, So Long, Farewell and of course, the title song, The Sound of Music.

The Sound of Music is at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tues 24 - Sat 28 May 2016. Performance times: Tues-Sat eve 7.30pm, Wed & Thurs mats 2pm, Sat mat 2.30pm. Tickets are priced from £20. Purchase online at birminghamhippodrome.com or telephone 0844 338 5000. A 5% transaction charge applies (excl. cash sales in person) postage from £1. Calls cost 4.5p per minute plus your phone company's access charge. Prices and discounting subject to change.

There will be a signed performance of The Sound of Music on Wed 25 May at 7.30pm, a captioned performance on Thurs 26 May at 7.30pm, and an audio-described performance on Sat 28 May at 2.30pm.

6 May 2016

For further information please contact the Birmingham Hippodrome Press Office.

Amy Haycock

Media & PR Officer

amyhaycock@birminghamhippodrome.com

0121 689 3065.

Notes to Editors:

Birmingham Hippodrome is an independent, not-for-profit, registered charity welcoming an average 500,000 visits annually making it the most popular single auditorium in the UK. Birmingham Royal Ballet and DanceXchange are resident partners; the theatre presents all of Welsh National Opera's repertoire, co-produces the award-winning International Dance Festival and welcomes the best in international dance, major touring dramas, and West End musicals. It is home to the world's biggest Pantomime and also houses the 200-seat Patrick Centre for the Performing Arts, with extensive events facilities and its own restaurant.

As a charity with no public revenue funding, Birmingham Hippodrome receives generous support from the business community through sponsorship and other partnerships; from individuals through donations and memberships; and from grant-making Trusts for special programming and infrastructure projects. It is a major employer and plays a leading role in the Southside Business Improvement District.

Hippodrome CREATIVE delivers successful projects in education and the wider community. With numerous supportive partners it has recently co-produced and produced new events including Minimum Monument, The Voyage, Summer in Southside, About Town, Blitz, the 4 Squares Weekender (celebrating the opening of the Library of Birmingham) and Birmingham Weekender. It will shortly launch an extensive Heritage project and is presenting Furious Folly this summer co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW for the World War One commemorations.

Birmingham Hippodrome Theatre Trust Ltd, Charity No. 510842. Hurst Street, Southside, Birmingham B5 4TB. Box Office: 0844 338 5000. www.birminghamhippodrome.com/review

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