IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS…
MIRACLE ON 34th STREET
THE CLASSIC CHRISTMAS MUSICAL
RETURNS FOR A UK TOUR
Based on one of the most popular and best-loved Christmas films of all time, classic musical MIRACLE ON 34th STREET will return for a third UK Tour, opening at Croydon’s Fairfield Halls on Thursday 29 October 2015.
Based on the 1947 motion picture, Miracle on 34th Street is the heart-warming story of Susan, a young girl who dreams of a father and brother to make her family whole, and Kris Kringle, a kindly old bearded man who claims he is the real Santa Claus. When employed as a Santa at a department store grotto, Kris quickly spreads a wave of love through New York City, but can he help make Susan’s wish come true? This dazzling musical is an uplifting family tale about what it truly means to believe.
“Sparkle and magic lit up the stage”
MAIDENHEAD ADVERTISER
“A beautifully staged production”
EALING GAZETTE
Miracle on 34th Street originated as a 1947 motion picture starring Maureen O’Hara, John Payne, Natalie Wood and Edmund Gwenn. The film became a perennial Christmas favorite, winning three Academy Awards and nominated for Best Picture. The stage version, originally entitled Here’s Love, opened on Broadway in 1963. A hugely popular remake of the film was also released in 1994 starring Richard Attenborough as Kris Kringle.
Miracle on 34th Street has a book, music and lyrics by Meredith Willson, best known for writing and composing The Music Man which premiered on Broadway in 1957 and was adapted twice for film in1962 and 2003. It won the 1958 Tony Award for Best Musical and the cast recording won the first ever Grammy Award for Best Original Cast Album. His work for film includes composing the score for Charlie Chaplin’s The Great Dictator for which he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Score.
The cast features Danny Lane as Kris Kringle, Hannah Thompson as Susan Walker, Claire Hawkins as Doris Walker, Carl Lindquist as Fred Gaily, Michael Adams as R.H Macy and Brendan Matthew as Marvin Shellhammer. The cast also includes Joanna Gregory, Emily Barnett-Salter, Charlotte Jay,Jessica Lucy, Kate Hulme, Jack Warren, Frank Derrington, Dann Kharsa, Toby Joyce and David Muscat.
Miracle on 34th Street is directed by Max Reynolds and choreographed by Russell Smith and Philip Joel, with musical direction by Lee Freeman, musical supervision by Mark Crossland and design by David Shields. It is produced by Paul Taylor-Mills Ltd.
A second production of Miracle on 34th Street will also open for a festive season at the Madinat Theatre in Dubai from Saturday 19 to Wednesday 30 December 2015.
LISTINGS
Thursday 29 October 2015
CROYDON Fairfield Halls
Sunday 1 – Monday 2 November 2015
LANCASTER Grand Theatre
Tuesday 3 – Wednesday 4 November 2015
RHYL Pavilion Theatre
Thursday 5 – Saturday 7 November 2015
BILLINGHAM Forum Theatre
Monday 9 – Wednesday 11 November 2015
LINCOLN Theatre Royal
Thursday 12 – Saturday 14 November 2015
NEWCASTLE Tyne Theatre
Tuesday 17 – Wednesday 18 November 2015
TUNBRIDGE WELLS Assembly Halls
Thursday 19 – Saturday 21 November 2015
GLASGOW Kings Theatre
Monday 23 – Wednesday 25 November 2015
MANCHESTER Opera House
Thursday 26 – Saturday 28 November 2015
CHESTERFIELD Winding Wheel
Tuesday 1 – Saturday 5 December 2015
CARDIFF New Theatre
Wednesday 9 – Saturday 12 December 2015
EASTBOURNE Royal Hippodrome
Monday 14 – Thursday 17 December 2015
WORTHING Connaught Theatre
Friday 18 – Saturday 19 December 2015
PETERBOROUGH Broadway Theatre
Monday 21- Monday 28 December 2015
WATFORD Colosseum
BIOS
Max Reynolds | Director
Recent credits include Through the Mill (London Theatre Workshop), Ushers: The Front of House Musical (The Arts Theatre), September Tide (Theatre Royal, Windsor), Our House (Orchard Theatre, Dartford), When Midnight Strikes (The Marlowe Studio), The Witches of Eastwick, Zombie Prom and Little Shop of Horrors (The Quarterhouse Theatre) and I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change (The Tower Theatre).
Russell Smith | Choreographer
Recent credits include Dirty Dancing – Live on Stage (Paris), Miracle on 34th Street (UK Tour), Ushers: The Front of House Musical (Arts Theatre), The Snow Queen (Nuffield Theatre and Royal & Derngate Theatre), A Little Night Music (Stanwix Theatre), The Marriage of Figaro (King’s Head) and The Three Musketeers (UK Tour). Russell was also Choreography Supervisor for Dirty Dancing – Live on Stage on K Tour and in the West End.
Philip Joel | Choreographer
Credits include Closer To Heaven (Union Theatre), Ivor Novello and the Great British Musical (St. James Theatre), One Twenty One Guns (Bridewell Theatre), Sweet Charity (Sadler’s Wells), An Evening with David Hasselhoff (indigO2), Aladdin (Milton Keynes Theatre) and Cinderella (Bristol Hippodrome).