New Cast Announced for UK Tour of REHEARSAL FOR MURDER

From the pen of the legendary award-winning writing team Richard Levinson and William Link, the creators of the unsurpassable mystery series Murder She Wrote and the award-winning TV detective series Columbo comes this classic 'whodunnit' murder mystery. Following the phenomenal decade-long success of The Agatha Christie Theatre Company, which sold over two million tickets and continually played to packed houses across the UK, Bill Kenwright Ltd began an exciting new chapter in January 2016 with the launch of The Classic Thriller Theatre Company and its first production REHEARSAL FOR MURDER, adapted for the stage by David Rogers, which today announces casting for the next leg of the hit UK tour.

TV favourites Alex Fearns (Eastenders, Legend) and Susie Amy (Footballers' Wives, Echo Beach) join a cast of much-loved Agatha Christie Theatre Company regulars including Gary Mavers (Peak Practice, Emmerdale), 60s pop legend Mark Wynter (Cats, Dreamboats and Petticoats, The Phantom of the Opera) and Ben Nealon (Solider Solider). Entertainment icon Anita Harris, Holby City's Lauren Drummond, Gwynfor Jones and Georgia Neville complete today's announcement.

Playwright Alex Dennison is left heartbroken when his fiancée and leading lady Monica Welles is found dead from an apparent suicide after the opening night of her stage debut. On the anniversary of that ill-fated night, Alex assembles the same cast and crew in the same theatre, for a reading of his new play. But as the reading progresses, the play's similarity to actual events becomes increasingly uncomfortable for the participants, and it soon becomes clear that Alex believes Monica was murdered and his new play is a devious cat-and-mouse chase to uncover her killer...

GARY MAVERS is best known for playing heartthrob doctor Andrew Attwood in over 100 episodes of ITV's Peak Practice. Other TV includes his recent portrayal of Gordon Livesy in Emmerdale, as well as roles in Casualty, Doctors, Where the Heart is, Chimera,Body & Soul and Ruth Rendell Mysteries. A firm favourite of the Agatha Christie Touring Company, roles have included Amyas Crale in Go Back for Murder, Inspector Colquhoun in The Hollow, Carelli in Black Coffee and Blore in And Then There Were None.

ALEX FERNS Shot to fame for his role as 'Britain's most hated soap villain' - Eastenders' Trevor Morgan, his recent small screen work includes a guest lead role in Kenneth Branagh's Wallander, Ridley Scott's Taboo and 24 alongside Kiefer Sutherland. Film credits include the hit Kray twin biopic Legend with Tom Hardy, Romans, an independent feature alongside Orlando Bloom and the forthcoming summer blockbuster The Legend of Tarzan. Celebrated stage roles include The Father (Trafalgar 2), Coyote On A Fence(Duchess Theatre and Royal Exchange), the London Transfer of Sam Shepard's True West (Tricycle), South Pacific (Barbican and Tour) and The Little Shop of Horrors (Tour).

SUSIE AMY'S first starring role was in the ITV drama Footballers' Wives. Since becoming a household name in the hit show, she has taken on various parts including the lead role in the American mini-series La Femme Musketeer and a lead role in ITV's Echo Beach/Moving Wallpaper with Jason Donovan and Ben Miller. Other TV credits include: Plus One, My Family, Coronation Street,Hotel Babylon, and The Royal. Film credits include: Andy Garcia's Modigliani, House of 9 with Dennis Hopper, Lesbian Vampire Killers, The Pimp and more recently, Bonded By Blood. Theatre credits include: Wait Until Dark (UK Tour) and After Juliet (Young Vic/ National Theatre).

ANITA HARRIS has had a breath-taking career spanning six decades which started when as a 15 year old she was spotted on a London ice rink. She was then whisked away to Las Vegas to appear three times a night in a top revue, performing for the likes of Frank Sinatra. Returning to the U.K. she went on to work with The Cliff Adams Singers, appear in two Carry On films, grace the top of the pop charts, become a pantomime legend as Peter Pan, star in Cats in the West End and feature in 7 Royal Command Performances. Of her many lead stage roles, credits include: My Cousin Rachel, Bell, Book and Candle, Stepping Out, Agatha Christie's Verdict and The Unexpected Guest, Miss Hannigan in Annie with Mark Wynter, Fatal Encounter and previously for Bill Kenwright, Elizabeth in Ruth Rendell's The House of Stairs.

Another icon of the British entertainment industry joining the cast is MARK WYNTER. Having made his professional debut as a recording artist he went on to have nine Top 20 singles, including Venus in Blue Jeans, It's Almost Tomorrow and Go Away Little Girl. Mark has also enjoyed an acting career that has spanned nearly 50 years, appearing in plays, musicals and pantomimes, on radio and television and in film. His West End theatrical credits include: Dreamboats and Petticoats for Bill Kenwright (Wyndhams), Cats(New London), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's) and Sweet Charity (Victoria Palace). Regionally, tours include: Romeo and Juliet, Treasure Island, Macbeth, The King and I, My Fair Lady, South Pacific, Barnum and Annie. Mark was a well-loved member of the Agatha Christie Theatre Company, appearing in tours of The Unexpected Guest, And Then There Were None, Spider's Web,Witness for the Prosecution, Verdict, and Murder on the Nile.

LAUREN DRUMMOND has had major roles in the popular TV dramas Holby City, where she played loveable nurse Chantelle Lane and Waterloo Road as Mika Grainger in the BBC's school-based drama. Other TV includes Coronation Street, Doctors and Grange Hill. She returns to the stage for Bill Kenwright Ltd, having previously toured in the J.B.Priestley classic play, Dangerous Corner.

BEN NEALON is best known for his role as 2nd Lt/Lt/Capt Jeremy Forsythe in the ITV award-winning series Soldier Soldier. His previous starring roles for Bill Kenwright include most of the Agatha Christie productions including Witness for the Prosecution, Black Coffee and more recently And Then There Were None. His TV credits include Casualty, The Bill, EastEnders and Doctors, and film roles include the Bollywood blockbusters The Rising and the Oscar-nominated Lagaan: Once Upon a Time in India.

GWYNFOR JONES trained at Webber Douglas. His theatre work includes: The Woman in Black (Fortune Theatre), The Winter's Tale(Headlong), Far From the Madding Crowd (English Touring Theatre) and The Picture of Dorian Gray (St James Theatre).Television credits include: Being Human, When Calls the Heart, In The Dock, Meet the Parents (Series 1 & 2), Secret Service, Celebrity Bedlam, and The Royal Wedding Crashers.

After graduating from Manchester School of Theatre GEORGIA NEVILLE made her professional debut in Bill Kenwright's production of Go Back for Murder for the Agatha Christie Theatre Company. Theatre credits include: A Midsummer Night's Dream (Quite Nice Theatre) and Play/Date (Theatre Delicatessen). Short films include: Mothers and The Border.

The production is directed by ROY MARSDEN who is best known as an actor, particularly in his role as Commander Adam Dalgliesh in ITV's P.D. James series, which he played for 15 years. But he has also been directing plays since he was 15 years old and had two successful West End runs with Noel Coward's Volcano and Agatha Christie's (under the pen name Mary Westmacott) A Daughter's a Daughter. His most recent work for Bill Kenwright was directing a UK tour of Susan Hill's The Small Hand, the theatrical follow up to The Woman in Black.

REHEARSAL FOR MURDER - UK TOUR DATES 2016

Mon 20th - Sat 25th June Website: www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/

Milton Keynes Theatre Box Office: 0844 871 7652

Mon 27th June - Sat 02nd July Website: www.theatresevern.co.uk

Severn Theatre, Shrewsbury Box Office: 01743 281281

Mon 4th - Sat 9th July Website: www.leedsgrandtheatre.com

Leeds Grand Theatre Box Office: 0844 848 2700

Mon 11th - Sat 16th July Website: www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton/

Theatre Royal Brighton Box Office: 0844 871 7650

Mon 18th - Sat 23rd July Website: www.hallforcornwall.co.uk

Truro Hall for Cornwall Box Office: 01872 262466

Mon 25th - 30th July Website: www.chesterfieldtheatres.co.uk

Chesterfield Pomegranate Box Office: 01246 345 222

Mon 1st - 6th August Website: www.parkwoodtheatres.co.uk/theplayhouse

The Playhouse, Weston Super Mare Box Office: 01934 645544

Mon 8th - Sat 13th August Website: www.theatreroyal.org

Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds Box Office: 01284 769 505

Mon 15th - Sat 20th August Website: www.grimsbyauditorium.org.uk

Grimsby Auditorium Box Office: 03003000035

Mon 22nd - 27th August Website: www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-glasgow

Theatre Royal, Glasgow Box Office: 0844 871 7647

Tues 30th August - Sat 3rd September Website: www.aberdeenperformingarts.com

Aberdeen His Majesty's Theatre Box Office: 01224 641122

Mon 5th - Sat 10th September Website: www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie

Bord Gais Theatre, Dublin Box Office: ROI 0818 719377|UK 0844 8472455

Mon 12th - Sat 17th September Website: www.atgtickets.com/venues/princess-theatre-torquay

Princess Theatre, Torquay Box Office: 0844 871 3023

Mon 19th - Sat 24th September Website: www.orchardtheatre.co.uk

Dartford, Orchard Theatre Box Office: 01322 220000

Mon 26th Sept - Sat 1st October Website: www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre

New Victoria Theatre, Woking Box Office: 0844 871 7645

Mon 3rd - Sat 8th October Website: www.swansea.gov.uk/grandtheatrewhatson

Swansea Grand Theatre Box Office: 01792475715

Mon 10th - Sat 15th October Website: www.at gtickets.com/venues/opera-house-manchester

Manchester Opera House Box Office: 0844 871 3018 ON SALE SOON

Mon 17th - Sat 22nd October Website: worthingtheatres.co.uk

Worthing Connaught Theatre Box Office: 01903 206 206

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