BARNUM starring Brian Conley announced for Feb 2015 at Theatre Royal Nottingham (Onsale Tomorrow at 9am)

Cameron Mackintosh and Michael Harrison are delighted to announce the national tour of the Cameron Mackintosh and Chichester Festival Theatre smash hit production of the musical “BARNUM” starring Brian Conley as ‘PT Barnum’ and Linzi Hateley as ‘Chairy’. “BARNUM” will open at Leicester’s Curve Theatre on Friday 5 September 2014. Tour schedule is attached and below with details for Theatre Royal Nottingham dates from Tuesday 3 – Saturday 14 February 2015.

BRIAN CONLEY is one of the UK’s most versatile actors and performers. He most recently scored a huge success as ‘Fagin’ in the national tour of Cameron Mackintosh’s production of “Oliver!”. His recent West End stage credits include ‘Edna Turnblad’ in “Hairspray” at the Shaftesbury Theatre and ‘Caractacus Potts’ in “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang” at the London Palladium. One of the highlights of his career was originating the role of another great iconic American showman ‘Al Jolson’ in “Jolson” at the Victoria Palace for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical. On television he is probably best known for playing ‘Doug Digby’ in “The Grimleys”, his ITV1 show “The Brian Conley Show”, his hugely successful “An Audience with Brian Conley” and numerous Royal Variety Performances.

LINZI HATELEY is an award winning actress who has starred on Broadway, in the West End, with the RSC and at the National Theatre. She created the role of ‘Mrs Banks’ in Disney and Cameron Mackintosh’s “Mary Poppins” and was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance as ‘The Narrator’ in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat”. Her many other West End credits include ‘Donna’ in “Mamma Mia!”, ‘Roxie’ in “Chicago”, ‘Rizzo’ in “Grease” and ‘Eponine’ in “Les Misérables”. She most recently appeared in the National Theatre’s smash hit production of “London Road”.

This production of “BARNUM” opened at Chichester Festival Theatre’s acclaimed state-of-the-art Theatre in the Park in July last year playing to almost 70,000 people. The musical follows the irrepressible imagination and dreams of Phineas T Barnum, America’s Greatest Showman. The story of his life and his marriage to Chairy reveals a couple who looked at the world from opposite sides of the spectrum, and also reveals that she was the practical one who made Barnum’s dreams come true. The production follows the legendary showman’s life as he lit up the world with the colour, warmth and excitement of his imagination and finally teamed up with J A Bailey to create Barnum and Bailey’s Circus – the Greatest Show on Earth.

Cy Coleman’s wonderfully exuberant score includes the hits Come Follow The Band, The Colours Of My Life and There Is A Sucker Born Ev’ry Minute.

“BARNUM” has music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Michael Stewart and a book by Mark Bramble in a revised version by Cameron Mackintosh and Mark Bramble.

“BARNUM” was a smash-hit when it opened on Broadway in 1980. Starring Glenn Close and Jim Dale, it won three Tony Awards and a Drama Desk Award. When Barnum opened at the London Palladium in 1981 Michael Crawford took the lead, winning an Olivier Award for his performance.

BARNUM – 2014/2015 TOUR

2014

FRIDAY 5 – SATURDAY 13 SEPTEMBER

LEICESTER CURVE – www.curveonline.co.uk

Box Office – 0116 242 3595

On Sale Now

TUESDAY 16 – SATURDAY 27 SEPTEMBER

BRISTOL HIPPODROME – www.atgtickets.com/bristol

Box Office – 0844 871 3012

On Sale Now

TUESDAY 30 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 4 OCTOBER

SOUTHEND’S CLIFFS PAVILION – www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk