Michael Harrison and David Ian today announce cast changes for the UK and Ireland tour of the hit musical THE BODYGUARD, directed by Thea Sharrock. The new cast members will join the musical from Wednesday 3 February 2016 as the production opens at the Grand Opera House Belfast and the tour enters its second year.
Joining Alexandra Burke and Stuart Reid who continue to star as Rachel Marron and Frank Farmer respectively will be Rachel John as Nicki Marron, Carole Stennett who will play the role of Rachel Marron at all matinee performances, Mark Holden as Bill Devaney, Dominic Taylor as Sy Spector, Alex Andreas as Tony and Matthew Stathers as The Stalker. Glen Fox continues to play Ray Court.
The rest of the company includes Faye Best, Pablo Ceresuela, Carlos Crespo, Lisa Darnell, Raul Garcia, Charles Hagerty, Ibinabo Jack, Christopher Jeffers, Verity Jones, Emma Joy Hopkins, Phoebe Liberty, Michael W Peters, Mary Lynn Tiep, Matthew Wesley, Emmy Willow and Mark Willshire.
Alexandra Burke rose to fame after winning the fifth series of The X Factor. Her debut number one single Hallelujah sold over one million copies in the UK, a first for a British female soloist. Burke’s first album, Overcome saw the release of her subsequent number one singles Bad Boys and Start Without You. In 2011 she embarked on her first solo tour and was invited by Beyoncé to support her I Am… Tour. Her second album, Heartbreak on Hold, was released in June 2012. Stuart Reid appeared in the West End production of The Bodyguard at the Adelphi Theatre. His other theatre credits include the international tour of Mamma Mia! and the UK tours of Grease and Guys and Dolls.
Rachel John’s West End credits include We Will Rock You, Sister Act, The Lion King and most recently Memphis. Carole Stennett played Nicki Marron in the West End production of The Bodyguard. Her other West End credits include Nala in The Lion King and Thriller Live. Her UK tour credits include Little Shop of Horrors. Mark Holden has appeared in Fame – The Musical and as Aslan in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. His Shakespeare credits include The Merchant of Venice and Much Ado About Nothing. Dominic Taylor’s West End credits include The Bodyguard and South Pacific. He has also appeared in Jesus Hopped the A Train at Trafalgar Studios and the national tour of An Inspector Calls. Alex Andreas has appeared in the international tour of Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story and the film Snatch. Before training in musical theatre, Alex worked as real life bodyguard. Matthew Stathers has appeared in Deathtrap, Brassed Off, On the Piste and Wuthering Heights. Glen Fox has appeared in The Honourable Woman for the BBC and his stage credits include A Midsummer Night’s Dream.
Based on Lawrence Kasdan’s 1992 Oscar nominated Warner Bros. film, which starred Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner, the musical of THE BODYGUARD was nominated for four Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and Best Set Design and won Best New Musical at the Whatsonstage Awards.
Former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. Each expects to be in charge; what they don’t expect is to fall in love. A romantic thriller, THE BODYGUARD features a host of irresistible classics including Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, I’m Your Baby Tonight, Run to You, I Have Nothing, I Wanna Dance with Somebody and one of the biggest selling songs of all time – I Will Always Love You.
3 – 13 FEBRUARY
BELFAST GRAND OPERA HOUSE
15 – 26 MARCH
LEICESTER DE MONTFORT HALL
29 MARCH – 9 APRIL
WOKING NEW VICTORIA THEATRE
12 – 23 APRIL
MILTON KEYNES THEATRE
26 APRIL – 7 MAY
LIVERPOOL EMPIRE
10 – 21 MAY
LEEDS GRAND THEATRE
24 MAY – 4 JUNE
NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL
7 – 18 JUNE
EASTBOURNE CONGRESS THEATRE