Singer and actress Sarah Harding will make her stage debut this autumn in Bill Kenwright’s new production of the timeless story of love, despair and hope: GHOST – THE MUSICAL. She will star as ‘Molly’ opposite Andy Moss, best known for starring as ‘Rhys Ashworth’ in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, as ‘Sam’.
Taking its inspiration from the classic movie, this innovative reimagining will feature an expanded book, new music and original staging, and will tour the UK this autumn, opening at the New Wimbledon Theatre on Thursday 1 September 2016, with this year’s dates culminating on 3 December at Theatre Royal Nottingham.
For over ten years Sarah Harding was part of one of the most successful pop acts in UK history, Girls Aloud. With 20 consecutive Top Ten singles, including 4 Number 1’s, 2 Number 1 albums and 6 Platinum Albums in the UK, Girls Aloud received 5 Brit Award Nominations and became the first girl group since the Spice Girls to achieve 6 consecutive Top 3 singles. Sarah’s acting credits include Bad Day, Freefall, Run For Your Wife, Coronation Street and St Trinians 2: The Legend of Fritton’s Gold.
Sarah Harding said:
“I’m absolutely delighted to be making my theatre debut in Ghost – The Musical. The film is one of my all-time favourites, so to get the opportunity to play ‘Molly’ in Bill Kenwright’s new production is a huge honour for me and I can’t wait to get started!”
Joining Sarah on stage is Andy Moss. Andy is best-known for starring as Rhys Ashworth in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks, one he played for 8 years. His credits also include Cutting It, Coronation Street and most recently he appeared as ‘Paul Cuthbert’ in the long running BBC soap opera Doctors.
The Double Academy Award winning movie is a huge success story, both critically and at the box office, where it was the highest grossing film in the year of its release. It starred the late Patrick Swayze, Demi Moore, Tony Goldwyn and Whoopi Goldberg and was directed by Jerry Zucker. 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 most iconic and moving scene was famously performed to The Righteous Brother’s Unchained Melody, which also features in the musical version.
Walking back to their apartment late one night a tragic encounter sees Sam murdered and his beloved girlfriend Molly alone, in despair and utterly lost. But with the help of a phony storefront psychic Sam, trapped between this world and the next, tries to communicate with Molly in the hope of saving her from grave danger…
Bill Kenwright said: “Ghost is a story full of hope, and is one of those films which never leaves you. The book by Bruce Joel Rubin and score by Dave Stewart and Glenn Ballad come together wonderfully in one of my favourite new musicals in years.”
Bruce Joel Rubin said: “This is a show with such a strong emotional and musical life that it can mould to many visions and interpretations. It can be performed on any scale, and its vibrant heart will still captivate an audience and allows the imagination to flourish. It is purely theatrical in the greatest sense. We are very excited by the potential that the new version holds and elated it will tour the UK with Bill Kenwright”.
Further casting to be announced.
