BRASS Festival Meets the West End with BRASS on Broadway

Stars of the West End Kate Graham (Billy Elliot, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Mamma Mia!) and Matt Corner (Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys), return home to the North East and join forces with, the self-proclaimed danciest swing band in the country, the Scottish Swing Orchestra and the BRASS Broadway Chorus to showcase swing versions of great Broadway songs from Anything Goes, Hairspray, Chicago, West Side Story and many more.

Originally from Seaton Carew in County Durham, Kate Graham studied history at Durham University before moving to London to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. Since then, Kate has had an incredibly successful career, gaining major roles in the Original London casts for The Producers and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory not to mention main roles in the West End productions of Billy Elliot and Mamma Mia! Kate has also recently begun rehearsals to reprise her role as Tanya in Mamma Mia! which opens on the 12th June in the West End's Novello Theatre.

Kate is very happy to be returning to her home turf:

'I always jump at the chance to do any work that brings me 'home' to the North East, I've lived in or near London for 20 years this year and I still call the North East 'home.'

We opened the international tour of Mamma Mia in Newcastle a few years ago and that was fantastic but I haven't performed in Durham since I left the University - the Gala Theatre wasn't even built then so I can't wait to see it!

Really looking forward to singing with the Scottish swing band, it's the kind of music I was brought up on, my Dad (who is now the chairman of Hartlepool Male Voice Choir) loves it.'

Matt Corner is also no stranger to the North East having grown up in Darlington before attending the prestigious Arts Educational School musical theatre course in London in 2012. Matt recently finished a run as Frankie Valli in Jersey Boys in the West End but is excited to be returning to the North East and performing at the BRASS festival:

'I can't wait to return back to the North East, having left at the age of eighteen to pursue a career as an actor. I was part of the Durham Gala Theatre Stage School from the age of fourteen where my first part was Marius in 'Les Miserables' which was coincidentally my first professional job; playing a student in Tom Hooper's film version. Over the years, I performed in various other amateur shows on that very stage and it was really the thing that gave me the bug for acting and ultimately helped me to realise that I wanted to become a professional actor. So it feels like I'm coming full circle really as I'm now back at the Gala Theatre.

I can't wait to hear these songs played by a fabulous full brass orchestra - the way all Broadway show songs should sound!'

Kate and Matt will be joined by the incredibly popular Scottish Swing Orchestra and the brand new BRASS Broadway Chorus, made up from local choirs and specially invited guests from Edinburgh and Fife, to perform hits from all the best Broadway shows. Expect classic songs such as Luck be a Lady Tonight (Guys and Dolls); All that Jazz (Chicago); Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes); I'm Gonna Wash that Man Right Outa my Hair (South Pacific) and many more.

www.brassfestival.co.uk

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