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Full cast announced for Cilla The Musical

Cilla The Musical arrives at Blackpool's Opera House for one week only from the 17 October.

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Andrew Lancel and Carl Au have been confirmed for the cast of Cilla The Musical, written by BAFTA award winning Jeff Pope. The adaptation is based on the hit ITV television series, telling the extraordinary tale of Cilla Black’s rise from an ordinary girl from Liverpool to becoming one of Britain’s best-love entertainers of all time.

Lancel and Au join Kara Lily Hayworth, who plays the role of the presenter, singer and all-round entertainer. Hayworth beat thousands of hopefuls in nationwide open auditions.

The cast for the musical tribute now looks like this:

Andrew Lancel (Brian Epstein); Carl Au (Bobby); Amy Bridges (Rose Willis); Gemma Brodrick-Bower (Pauline); Paul Broughton (John White); Bill Caple (Ringo Starr); Tom Christian (Kenny Willis); Tom Dunlea (Hutch); Pauline Fleming (Big Cilla); Joshua Gannon (Paul McCartney); Billie Hardy (Pat); and Michael Hawkins (John Lennon).

Dunlea, Hawkins and Brodrick-Bower have previously starred together in Pope’s original ITV mini-series on which the musical is based. Andrew Lancel has previously played the role of Epstein in the critically acclaimed Epstein – The Man Who Made The Beatles. He is best known for his turn as super-villain Frank Foster in Coronation Street, and as DI Neil Manson in the TV series The Bill.

The iconic Liverpool based Merseybeat sound is completed by further cast members Alan Howell; Jay Osbourne; Alex Harford; Will Kinnon; Jenny Murphy; Tom Sowinski; and Christopher Weeks.

Cilla Black, then known as Priscilla White, rose to fame following an introduction by a young John Lennon to music mogul Brian Epstein. Jumping to the forefront of the Brit-Pop music scene by the age of 25, audiences can expect to hear tracks such as Anyone Who Had A Heart, Alfie, and Something Tells Me, as well as classic tracks by The Beatles, The Mamas and The Papas and many more.

Her musical career blended into her career as an iconic television presenter, working on the likes of Surprise Surprise and Blind Date, now presented by friend Paul O’Grady. The former surprised audiences by offering the opportunity for them to live out their long-held wishes, while Blind Date offered contestants the opportunity to find love in front a live studio.

Cilla Black launched on the music scene with her 1965 debut Cilla, going on to release eighteen studio albums over the course of her career.

The musical acts as a fitting tribute, following her passing in August 2015 in Spain, aged 72.

The Cavern Club in Liverpool, where Cilla Black first rose to fame, recently unveiled a statue to the one-of-a-kind celebrity, commemorating the life of the presenter, singer, comedian, and iconic British institution.

Cilla The Musical opens at Blackpool’s Opera House for one week only from the 17 October 2017 as part of a wider UK tour. T

Tickets are available now through Ticketmaster.co.uk.