Lee Brennan Joins UK Tour of FOOTLOOSE: THE MUSICAL as Willard Tonight

By: BWW News Desk Apr. 19, 2016

911 and The Big Reunion star Lee Brennan will make his musical theatre debut when he joins the cast of Footloose: The Musical, playing the role of Willard from tonight 19 April to Saturday 18 June 2016. Lee will join the UK tour for dates in Oxford, Weston Super Mare, Wimbledon, Liverpool, Belfast, Derry, Torquay and Glasgow.

Lee Brennan is widely recognised as one third of multi-million selling pop group 911. One of the biggest pop acts of the 90's, 911 were one of only five acts in the decade to achieve ten consecutive UK Top Ten Hit Singles, selling over 10 million records around the world and touring the UK four times. Lee returned to 911 in 2013, when the band reformed for ITV's smash hit series The Big Reunion. An arena tour followed, where they played to over 200,000 fans alongside acts including Five and Blue.

Lee said: "I am unbelievably excited about joining the amazing cast of Footloose! It has always been a dream of mine to perform in a musical and I cannot wait to get started in my role as Willard. I loved the film and have seen the current stage version and it blew me away!"

As previously announced, Gareth Gates will be returning to the show from 20 June 2016.

Based on the 1984 screen sensation starring Kevin Bacon, Footloose: The Musical tells the story of city boy Ren, who has to move to a rural backwater in America where dancing is banned. All hell breaks out as Ren breaks loose and soon has the whole town up on its feet. Featuring classic 80s hits including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let's Hear it for the Boy and the unforgettable title track, Footloose: The Musical is set to take the world by storm once again in this brand new production, bursting with youthful spirit, dazzling dance and electrifying music.

When the film was released in 1984, it became the highest-grossing February release in US film history. The soundtrack album ended the year-long reign of Michael Jackson's Thriller at number one and went on to top album charts all over the world, eventually selling in excess of 17 million copies. Footloose was nominated for a Golden Globe, and both the title song and Let's Hear It for the Boy received Academy Award nominations. Footloose: The Musicalfirst opened on Broadway in 1998 where it ran for 709 performances, with a London production following in 2006, opening at the Novello Theatre following a UK Tour.

The cast also features Luke Baker (American Idiot, Sunny Afternoon) as Ren, Maureen Nolan (The Nolans, Blood Brothers) as Vi Moore, Hannah Price as Ariel Moore, Nigel Lister as Reverend Shaw Moore, Nicky Swift as Ethel McCormack, Joanna Sawyer as Rusty, Matthew Tomlinson as Chuck, Natasha Brown as Wendy-Jo, Miracle Chance as Urleen, Thomas Cotran as Jeter and Scott Haining as Bickie. The cast also includes Lauren Storer,Natalie Morton-Graham, Luke Thornton and Alex Marshall.

Footloose: The Musical has music by Tom Snow and lyrics by Dean Pitchford, and is adapted for the stage by Dean Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. It is based on the original screenplay by Dean Pitchford. It is directed by Racky Plews (American Idiot, West End) with choreography by Matthew Cole, design by Sara Perks and musical supervision by Mark Crossland. It is produced by David Hutchinson and Phillip Rowntree for Sell A Door Theatre Company, Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Jason Haigh-Ellery and Stephen McGill Productions. It is presented by arrangement with R&H Theatricals Europe.

2016 UK TOUR

Monday 8 - Saturday 13 February 2016

DARTFORD Orchard Theatre

Box Office www.orchardtheatre.co.uk | 01322 220000

With Gareth Gates as Willard

Tuesday 16 - Saturday 20 February 2016

EDINBURGH Festival Theatre

Box Office www.edtheatres.com | 0131 529 6000

With Gareth Gates as Willard

Monday 22 - Saturday 27 February 2016

LOWESTOFT Marina Theatre

Box Office www.marinatheatre.co.uk | 01502 533200

With Gareth Gates as Willard

Monday 29 February - Saturday 5 March 2016

CARDIFF New Theatre

Box Office www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk | 029 2087 8889

With Gareth Gates as Willard

Monday 14 - Saturday 19 March 2016

MANCHESTER Palace Theatre

Box Office www.atgtickets.com/venues/palace-theatre-manchester | 0161 245 6600

With Gareth Gates as Willard

Monday 21 - Saturday 26 March 2016

CARLISLE Sands Theatre

Box Office www.thesandscentre.co.uk | 01228 633766

With Gareth Gates as Willard

Monday 28 March - Saturday 2 April 2016

PORTSMOUTH King's Theatre

Box Office www.kingsportsmouth.co.uk | 023 9282 8282

With Gareth Gates as Willard

Tuesday 12 - Saturday 16 April 2016

BOURNEMOUTH Pavilion Theatre

Box Office www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk | 0844 576 3000

With Gareth Gates as Willard

Tuesday 19- Saturday 23 April 2016

OXFORD New Theatre

Box Office www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford | 0844 871 3020