The full cast for the world premiere of NOW That’s What I Call A Musical, a brand-new British musical written by award-winning comedian Pippa Evans and directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood has been announced. NOW That’s What I Call A Musical will begin performances on 6 September 2024 at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre before commencing a major UK and Ireland tour.
Joining the company are Kieran Cooper (Strictly Ballroom – UK tour) as Younger Tim, Christopher Glover (The Kite Runner - 2024 Ireland UK Tour) as Dad, Chris Grahamson (Phil Spector in TINA – The Tina Turner Musical) as Tim, Maia Hawkins (Cassie in A Chorus Line at Doreen Bird College) as Younger April, Lauren Hendricks (Much Ado About Nothing at the East London Shakespeare Festival) as Ms Dorian, Shakil Hussain (Frankie Goes to Bollywood – UK tour) as Frank, Nikita Johal (Wendla in Spring Awakening at Hope Mill Theatre) as Younger Gemma, Luke Latchman (Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre) as Younger Frank, Matthew Mori (professional debut) as Younger Steve, Phil Sealey (TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] - UK Tour) as Steve, Callum Tempest (Miss Saigon at Sheffield Crucible) as Barney and Poppy Tierney (Cabaret at Lido 2, Paris) as Mum.
The cast is completed by Emily Barnett-Salter (Annie - UK Tour), Molly Cheesley (Jane Austen’s Emma - UK Tour), Lizzy Ives (professional debut), Stefanos Petri (professional debut) and Martha Pothen (Oliver! at Leeds Playhouse).
They join the previously announced Nina Wadia who will star as Gemma, Melissa Jacques as April from 6 September 2024 (Aylesbury) up to and including 7 December 2024 (Brighton) and Sam Bailey who will then take over the role from 14 January 2025 (Southampton) to 12 April 2025 (Wimbledon) as well as an be an array of special guest stars playing themselves and singing the songs that made them NOW icons. In 2024 Sinitta will perform in Aylesbury, Sheffield, Canterbury, Nottingham and Norwich with Sonia in Newcastle, Cardiff, Milton Keynes and Brighton, Carol Decker in Truro, Belfast and Woking, and Jay Osmond in Bradford.
In 2025 Sinitta will be appearing in Dublin, Hull and York with Sonia in Southampton, Southend, Bristol, Liverpool, Wimbledon and Birmingham and Carol Decker in Oxford. For further detail, patrons are advised to check their local websites.
Get ready to relive the playlist of your life by celebrating 40 years of the iconic and chart-topping compilations brand NOW That’s What I Call Music, which has sold an estimated 200 million copies worldwide. This fun-filled evening is bursting with hits from Whitney Houston, Wham! Blondie, Tears For Fears, Spandau Ballet and so many more.
It’s Birmingham, 1989. Two school friends, Gemma and April, are busy with very important business - planning their lives based on Number One Magazine quizzes and dreaming of snogging Rick Astley. Cut to Birmingham 2009 and it’s the most dreaded event of their lives– the school reunion. Drama, old flames and receding hairlines come together as friends reunite and everything from the past starts to slot into place. The biggest question is: what was with all that hairspray?
The creative team will include Set and Costume Design by Tom Rogers & Toots Butcher, Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements by Mark Crossland, Lighting Design by Ben Cracknell, Sound Design by Adam Fisher, Wigs & Hair Design by Sam Cox, Associate Direction by Guy Woolf, Associate Choreography by Aaron Renfree, Associate Sound Design by Ollie Durrant, Casting by Annelie Powell CDG and Production Management by Setting Line.
NOW is produced by ROYO, Universal Music UK, SONY Music Entertainment and Mighty Village.
2024 / 2025 TOUR SCHEDULE
6 – 7 September Aylesbury Waterside Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/Aylesbury
10 – 14 September Sheffield Lyceum 0114 249 6000
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
17 – 21 September Canterbury Marlowe Theatre 01227 787787
www.marlowetheatre.com
24 – 28 September Nottingham Theatre Royal 0115 989 5555
trch.co.uk
1 – 5 October Norwich Theatre Royal 01603 630 000
www.norwichtheatre.org
8 – 12 October Newcastle Theatre Royal 0191 232 7010
www.theatreroyal.co.uk
15 – 19 October Bradford Alhambra Theatre 01274 432000
www.bradford-theatres.co.uk
29 October – 2 November Cardiff New Theatre 0343 310 0041
newtheatrecardiff.co.uk
5 – 9 November Truro Hall For Cornwall 01872 262466
www.hallforcornwall.co.uk
12 – 16 November Milton Keynes Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/milton-keynes-theatre
19 – 23 November Belfast Grand Opera House
www.goh.co.uk
26 – 30 November Woking New Victoria Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/new-victoria-theatre
2 – 7 December Theatre Royal Brighton
www.atgtickets.com/Brighton
14 – 18 January 2025 Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre 02380 711811
www.mayflower.org.uk
21 – 25 January Dublin Bord Gais Energy Theatre 0818719 377 (ROI)
bordgaisenergytheatre.ie 08442485101 (UK)
28 January – 1 February Manchester Opera House
www.atgtickets.com/Manchester
4 – 8 February Hull New Theatre 01482 300 306
www.hulltheatres.co.uk
11 – 15 February Southend Cliffs Pavilion
www.thecliffspavilion.co.uk
18 – 22 February Glasgow Kings Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/Glasgow
25 February – 1 March Edinburgh Playhouse
www.atgtickets.com/Edinburgh
4 – 8 March Liverpool Empire Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/Liverpool
11 – 15 March Birmingham Alexandra
www.atgtickets.com/Birmingham
18 – 22 March York Grand Opera House
www.atgtickets.com/York
25 – 29 March Oxford New Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/Oxford
1 – 5 April Bristol Hippodrome
www.atgtickets.com/Bristol
8 – 12 April London New Wimbledon Theatre
www.atgtickets.com/Wimbledon