Tommy Steele Returning to Wolverhampton with New Show

From Monday 19 - Sat 24 October, music legend Tommy Steele will take to the stage in a spectacular new imagining of the extraordinary tale of the world's most famous big band leader - in THE GLENN MILLER STORY at Wolverhampton Grand Theatre.

Featuring a spectacular 16 piece orchestra plus sensational performers and dazzling choreography, the story of one of the most iconic musical figures of the 20th century will be told as never before.

For the past 15 or so years Bill Kenwright and his idol Tommy Steele have had supper two or three times every year to talk about the past, the present and the future ("we've got to find a show Tommy which I can produce for more than 10 weeks in the year like Scrooge!")

The "let's find another show" conversations have been long and varied. It was when discussing a particular favourite of theirs; the James Stewart box office smash The Glenn Miller Story, that Bill discovered that his all-encompassing love for Elvis was equal only to Tommy's adoration for Glenn Miller and his Orchestra.

Tommy Steele was Britain's first rock 'n' roll star. Dubbed the UK's answer to Elvis Presley, he landed his first UK No.1 with Singing the Blues in January 1957, reaching the top spot before Elvis, who didn't land his until the June that year. The big screen soon beckoned for Tommy, and that same year he filmed The Tommy Steele Story, one of Britain's great rock 'n' roll movies. A soundtrack was released to coincide with the film's opening and became the first album to reach No.1.

His legendary career includes over twenty hit singles, twelve hit movies and countless award winning stage musicals such as Half a Sixpence, Hans Andersen and Singin' in the Rain. In recent years, Steele has starred as Christmas miser Scrooge in Bill Kenwright's spectacular production of the festive musical, which enjoyed two successful runs at the world-famous London Palladium. It was a role that also made Steele the theatre's all-time record breaking performer, having headlined more performances than any other star in the history of the Palladium.

Bob Tomson and Bill Kenwright team up again to direct the show, having been at the helm of several award-winning musicals including Blood Brothers, Evita, and this year's new production of Jesus Christ Superstar. Choreography is by Olivier Award winner Bill Deamer (Top Hat, Evita, Save The Last Dance For Me). The Glenn Miller Story promises to transport audiences young and old back to the days of the big band, and have them up on their feet jiving.

It's been seventy years since Glenn Miller vanished over the English Channel as he flew to Paris to entertain the troops during the Second World War. Did he crash? Was he shot down? Will the mystery ever be solved?

The cast for The Glenn Miller Story includes Ashley Knight as Chummy MacGregor, Sarah Soetaert as Helen Burger, Jon Bonner, Mike Lloyd, Kieran Kuypers, Tim Maxwell-Clarke, Jessica Ellen, Zoe Nicole Adkin, Siobhan Diffin, Nathan Elwick, Alex Tranter and Jordan Oliver.

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