Janie Dee Stars In HELLO, DOLLY! At Curve Leicester For Christmas; Replaces O'Connor

Award-winning actress Janie Dee returns to Curve to play the title role in Artistic Director Paul Kerryson's production of Michael Stewart and Jerry Herman's Hello, Dolly! This production reunites Dee and Kerryson following their collaboration on The King and I in 2010. The production opens on Wednesday 5 December, with previews from 30 November, and runs until 12 January 2013.

Janie Dee's extensive stage work includes NSFW (Royal Court), All's Well That Ends Well (Shakespeare's Globe), A Month in the County (Chichester Festival Theatre), Calendar Girls (Noel Coward Theatre), Woman in Mind (Stephen Joseph Theatre),Shadowlands (Wyndham's Theatre), Mack and Mabel (Watermill Theatre national tour and West End), Donkey's Years (Comedy Theatre), Divas at the Donmar – one woman show, Comic Potential (Lyric Theatre and Broadway – Olivier, Critics' Circle and Evening Standard Award for Best Actress), Paradise Moscow (Opera North) and Carousel (National Theatre – Olivier Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Musical). For Theatre Royal Bath, her many credits include The Apple Cart, Old Times (also national tour), Much Ado About Nothing, Betrayal (also West End) and Design for Living. For television, her work includes Harold Pinter: A Celebration, The Murder Room, Death in Holy Orders, House of Cards, The Live Show, Heartbeat, Little White Lies, Spy Watch,and Love Hurts; and for film, Me and Orson Welles, Celebration and Virtuoso.

The previously announced Caroline O'Connor has withdrawn from the production due to a commitment to another project.

Alongside Dee are Laura Pitt-Pulford (Irene Molloy), Jason Denton (Barnaby Tucker), Keisha Atwell (Ermengarde) and Simon Donovan (Ambrose Kemper).  Further casting will be announced in due course.

Dolly Levi is a glamorous, wise cracking woman with a big heart. She is also a professional matchmaker focussed on bringing love to the great and good of Manhattan. However, she soon realises that one of the suitors brings more than a little sparkle to her own eye too... with hilarious consequences!

Hello, Dolly! will reunite the critically-acclaimed creative team behind Curve's Gypsy and The King and I (also national tour). The production is directed by Paul Kerryson, with designs by Sara Perks and choreography by David Needham. The musical is packed with energetic dance numbers including the famous Waiters' Gallop at the fabulous Harmonia Gardens and the iconicBefore the Parade Passes By. 

Boasting a dazzling score which has inspired great artists such as Louis Armstrong and Frank Sinatra, this bold and brassy musical is full of fantastic numbers such as Put on Your Sunday Clothes, Before the Parade Passes By and of course the show-stopping title number, Hello, Dolly!

Hello, Dolly! was also immortalised in film in 1969, starring Barbra Streisand and Michael Crawford, when it was nominated for seven Academy Awards.  The music and lyrics are by the great Jerry Herman who also wrote La Cage Aux Folles, Mack and Mabel and Mame.

Laura Pitt-Pulford plays Irene Molloy (critically acclaimed performances in Mack and Mabel and Parade - Southwark Playhouse, title role in Sweet Charity – Belfast MAC, The Little Prince – Lyric Belfast); Jason Denton plays Barnaby Tucker (returning to Curve following performances in Hot Stuff; Save the Last Dance for Me – UK tour); Keisha Atwell plays Ermengarde (Hairspray – Shaftesbury Theatre, The Wedding Singer – UK tour, Guys & Dolls – Piccadilly Theatre, West Side Story – Leicester Haymarket) and Simon Donovan as Ambrose Kemper (recent graduate from Mountview, with credits including Lilies – Greenwich Theatre,Evita – UK tour).

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