Ghost The Musical yesterday won three Whatsonstage.com awards – Rob Howell won Best Designer (also for Matilda), Hugh Vanstone won Best Lighting and Richard Fleeshman won Best Actor in a Musical for his performance as the production’s original Sam.

 
With a cast currently led by Siobhan Dillon and Mark Evans, Matthew Warchus’ stage musical version of the Academy Award® winning film Ghost The Musical originally opened at the Piccadilly Theatre in 2011.  Sharon D Clarke (Oda Mae Brown) and Andrew Langtree (Carl) continue in the roles they originated on stage when the production premiered.  
 
A New York production of Ghost The Musical opens on Broadway on 23 April 2012 at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, with previews beginning on 15 March.  Richard Fleeshman and Caissie Levy will lead the company as Sam and Molly, reprising the roles they created for the production’s world premiere here in the UK.  A further production will open at the Her Majesty's Theatre in Melbourne, Australia, in August 2013.
 
A timeless story about the power of love, Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next trying to communicate with his girlfriend Molly through a phoney psychic in the hope of saving her from his murderer. Ghost, based on the Oscar® winning Paramount pictures film, features new music and lyrics as well as the classic Unchained Melody.
 
Ghost The Musical has music and lyrics by Grammy® award winning Dave Stewart and Glen Ballard as well as featuring the iconic song Unchained Melody.  Oscar® winning Bruce Joel Rubin has adapted his original screen play for the stage.  Set and costume designs are by Rob Howell, choreography is by Ashley Wallen with musical supervision and arrangements by Christopher Nightingale, illusions by Paul Kieve, lighting by Hugh Vanstone and projection design by Jon Driscoll.
 
The cast, from 20 February 2012, comprises Siobhan Dillon (Molly Jensen), Mark Evans (Sam Wheat), Sharon D Clarke (Oda Mae Brown), Andrew Langtree (Carl Bruner), Ivan de Freitas (Willie Lopez), Craig Stein (Subway Ghost), Ashley Knight (Hospital Ghost), Lisa Davina Phillip (Clara) and Jenny Fitzpatrick (Louise).  They are joined by ensemble and swing members Paul Ayres, Darren Carnall, Samuel Edwards, Callum Francis, Francesca Hoffman, Louise Lawson, Scott Maurice, Spencer O'Brien, Olivia Phillip, Jennifer Saayeng, Kirstie Skivington, Spencer Stafford, Rebecca Trehearn, Jez Unwin, Amy Webb and Sally Whitehead.
 
Ghost, the highest grossing film in the UK in 1990, starred Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Tony Goldwyn and Whoopi Goldberg and was directed by Jerry Zucker. Winning two Academy Awards®, Bruce Joel Rubin's script won the Oscar® for Best Original Screenplay and Whoopi Goldberg won the Oscar® for Best Actress in a Supporting Role.  The film's iconic love scene at a potter's wheel was famously performed to The Righteous Brothers’ Unchained Melody.

Book Ghost The Musical tickets online now.

[posted 20/02/2012]

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