Pop star and former EastEnders actor Michelle Gayle, and Benidorm and Coronation Street star Alice Barlow will play the roles of Alison and Kat respectively in Son of a Preacher Man – a new musical that plays at Cardiff’s New Theatre next week from 15 – 19 May as part of a major UK tour. Directed by Strictly Come Dancing’s Craig Revel Horwood, it features the soulful music of Dusty Springfield.
Craig said:
“I am delighted to bring this wonderful new story by Warner Brown to life. The music from Dusty Springfield’s iconic catalogue is legendary and the warm-hearted spirit of the show left me uplifted. I hope that audiences love it as much as I do.”
In Son of a Preacher Man three random strangers, generations apart but all in need of help with their hopeless love lives get inexplicably drawn to the site of a Soho nightclub. Back in the swinging 1960s it was the club where the kids danced the night away and dared to dream of love while its legendary owner, The Preacher Man, dispensed advice to cure the loneliest of punters. Now, with the Preacher Man long gone, his son, with help from the wonderful Cappuccino Sisters, finds it in himself to channel the spirit of the Preacher Man and once more give these three lovesick strangers the look of love!
The show includes Dusty Springfield’s greatest songs including “The Look Of Love”, “I Only Want To Be With You”, “Spooky” and the classic “Son Of A Preacher Man”.
Michelle Gayle is one of the rare people who have crossed over from child star in Grange Hill to adult success playing Hattie Tavernier in EastEnders for four years before signing a record deal with BMG. She achieved six top 20 hits selling a million records, with “Sweetness” being the biggest. On stage, Michelle has played the leading role of Belle in Disney’s West End production of Beauty and The Beast. Her most recent role has been as Imara in the cult hit children’s show Wolfblood. Michelle is also a writer with three published novels and she is currently developing a number of series for television.
Alice Barlow’s previous credits include Nancy in Coronation Street, Annie in Benidorm, Rae Wilson in Hollyoaks, and was a contestant on The Voice.
The cast also includes film and television star Michael Howe and West End leading man Nigel Richards, alongside Michelle Long, Kate Hardisty, Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong, Jon Bonner, Lewis Kidd, Liam Vincent-Kilbride, Ellie-Jane Goddard, Rachael McAllister, Jess Barker and Gary Mitchinson.
Son of a Preacher Man runs from 15 – 19 May and tickets are available from the Box Office on (029) 2087 8889 and newtheatrecardiff.co.uk.
