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Blood Brothers (musical)
''Blood Brothers'' is a musical with book, lyrics, and music by Willy Russell. The story is a contemporary nature versus nurture plot, revolving around fraternal twins Mickey and Eddie, who were separated at birth, one subsequently being raised in a wealthy family, the other in a poor family. The different environments take the twins to opposite ends of the social spectrum, one becoming a councillor, and the other unemployed and in prison. They both fall in love with the same girl, causing a rift in their friendship and leading to the tragic death of both brothers. Russell says that his work was based on a one-act play that he read as a child "about two babies switched at birth ... it became the seed for Blood Brothers." Originally developed as a school play, ''Blood Brothers'' debuted in Liverpool before Russell transferred it to the West End for a short run in 1983. The musical won the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Musical and went on to a year-long national tour before r ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Willy Russell
William Russell (born 23 August 1946) is an English dramatist, lyricist and composer. His best known works are ''Educating Rita'', ''Shirley Valentine'', '' Blood Brothers'' and ''Our Day Out''. Early life Russell was born in Whiston, Lancashire (which is now Merseyside). On leaving school, aged 15, he became a ladies' hairdresser, eventually running his own salon, until the age of 20 when he decided to go back to college. This led to him qualifying as a teacher. During these years, Russell also worked as a semi-professional singer, writing and performing his own songs in folk clubs. At college, he began writing drama and, in 1972, took a programme of two one-act plays to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where they were seen by writer John McGrath, who recommended Russell to the Liverpool Everyman, which commissioned the adaptation, ''When The Reds…'', Russell's first professional work for theatre. Career Russell's first play was ''Keep Your Eyes Down'' (1971), written while ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Liverpool John Moores University
, mottoeng = Fortune favours the bold , established = 1823 – Liverpool Mechanics' School of Arts1992 – Liverpool John Moores University , type = Public , endowment = , coor = , administrative_staff = 1,095 , chancellor = Nisha Katona , vice_chancellor = Professor Mark Power , students = () , undergrad = () , postgrad = () , city = Liverpool , state = England , country = United Kingdom , campus = Urban , colours = Navy blue Lime green , affiliations = University Alliance EUA NWUA Northern Consortium , website = Liverpool John Moores University (abbreviated LJMU) is a public research university in the city of Liverpool, England. The university can trace its origins to the Liverpool Mechanics' Sch ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bernie Nolan
Bernadette Therese Nolan (17 October 1960 – 4 July 2013) was an Irish actress, singer and television personality, formerly lead vocalist of the girl group the Nolans. She was the second youngest of sisters Anne, Denise, Maureen, Linda and Coleen. From the age of two, she was brought up in Blackpool, Lancashire, England. The Nolans began in 1974 and went on to have seven UK Top 20 hits, including " I'm in the Mood for Dancing" (1979), "Gotta Pull Myself Together" (1980) and "Attention to Me" (1981). They won the 1981 Tokyo Music Festival with "Sexy Music". She left the group in 1995 to become an actress. On television, she had roles in the Channel 4 soap opera ''Brookside'' from 2000 to 2002 and the ITV police drama ''The Bill'' from 2002 to 2005, while her numerous roles in stage musicals included Mrs. Johnstone in '' Blood Brothers'' (1998–2000), Hannah Owens in '' Flashdance: The Musical'' (2008–2009) and Mama Morton in ''Chicago'' (2012). She was also a member of the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Linda Nolan
Linda Nolan (born 23 February 1959) is an Irish singer, actress and television personality. After moving with her family to Blackpool, at the age of three in 1962, she attained fame as a member of the girl group The Nolans in 1974, along with her sisters Anne, Denise, Maureen, Bernie and Coleen. As a member of the Nolans, she toured with Frank Sinatra in 1975, won the Tokyo Music Festival in 1981, and had seven UK top 20 hits between 1979 and 1982. Soon after leaving the group, she supported Gene Pitney on his 1984 UK tour. She then went on to perform in theatre, including an eight-season residency as Maggie May on Blackpool's Central Pier (1986–93), where she clocked up over 1,000 performances, followed by two seasons as Rosie O'Grady on Blackpool's South Pier (1994–95). She reunited with the Nolans for the 2009 '' I'm in the Mood Again'' album and tour, and in 2014, she took part in the 13th series of ''Celebrity Big Brother''. In 2018, she was a recurring guest pane ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Nolans
The Nolans are an Anglo-Irish girl group who formed in Blackpool in 1974 as the Nolan Sisters, before changing their name in 1980. Often referred to as Ireland's ''First Family of Music'', they were the first Irish performing family to achieve international success, preceding the likes of the Corrs. Between 1979 and 1982, the group had seven international hits, including " I'm In the Mood for Dancing", "Gotta Pull Myself Together", "Who's Gonna Rock You", "Attention to Me" and "Chemistry". They are one of the world's biggest selling girl groups. They were particularly successful in Japan, becoming the first European act to win the Tokyo Music Festival with "Sexy Music" in 1981, and won a Japanese Grammy (Tokubetsu Kikaku Shō) in 1992. History 1962–1974: Early career Tommy (26 September 1925–1998) and Maureen Nolan (15 December 1926–30 December 2007) met at Clerys Ballroom in Dublin and raised their family in Raheny, Dublin. Tommy had a radio show on RTÉ. Due to the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Siobhan McCarthy
Siobhán is a female given name of Irish origin. The most common anglicisations are Siobhan (identical to the Irish spelling but omitting the acute accent over the 'a'), Shevaun and Shivaun. A now uncommon spelling variant is Siubhán. It is derived from the Anglo-Norman and .. (Modern French ), which were introduced into Ireland by the Anglo-Normans in the Middle Ages. The name first appears in the surviving Irish annals in the early fourteenth century. The name is thus a cognate of the Welsh ''Siân'' and the English ''Joan'', derived from the Latin and (modern English ''Joanna'', ''Joanne''), which are in turn from the Greek (). This Greek name is a feminine form of the Greek (), which is in turn a shortened form of the Hebrew The popularity of the actress Siobhán McKenna (1923–1986) helped the resurgence of the name in the 20th century.. The webpage cited the following book: The Scottish Gaelic form of the name is Siobhàn,. (which is sometimes anglicised '' Jud ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Clodagh Rodgers
Clodagh Rodgers (born 5 March 1947) is a retired singer and actress from Northern Ireland, best known for her hit singles including " Come Back and Shake Me", "Goodnight Midnight", and "Jack in the Box". Career Rodgers was born in Warrenpoint and began her professional singing career at 13 when she opened for Michael Holliday. Her father, a dancehall tour promoter, helped her sign with Decca in 1962, where her earliest singles were produced by Shel Talmy. Her UK TV debut came on 26 September 1962, appearing as a guest on BBC TV's ''Adam Faith Show'' performing ''Let's Jump the Broomstick''. She made four singles with Decca, before moving to EMI's Columbia label in 1965, where 'Cloda Rogers' made the 1966 single " Stormy Weather"/" Lonely Room". Although none of her Decca or Columbia singles made the UK Singles Chart, Rodgers became a regular face on British television and appeared in the musical films '' Just for Fun'' (1963) and '' It's All Over Town'' (1964). She also appear ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Stephanie Lawrence
Stephanie Lawrence (16 December 1949 – 4 November 2000) was a British musical theatre actress. Background Stephanie Lawrence was born in 1949 in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. She was the daughter of a Welsh singer, to whom she credited her voice, and a classically trained dancer. She moved to Hayling Island at the age of four. From an early age she was close friends with another famous Islander, Peter Chilvers, who, in 1958, invented the windsurfer. Career Theatre Having trained at the Arts Educational School, Tring, Hertfordshire (now Tring Park School for the Performing Arts), she made her debut in ''The Nutcracker'' at the Royal Festival Hall in London in 1962. She became a member of the corps de ballet at the Royal Festival Ballet at the age of 12 with the intention of becoming a ballerina, however, her plans were disrupted when she was forced to miss a year after contracting pneumonia aged 15. Her West End debut came in April 1971, playing the part ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Angela Richards
Angela Richards (born 18 December 1944 in London) is an English actress. A graduate of RADA, she is also known for her body of work in musical theatre. Biography Theatre Richards has starred in several West End productions such as ''Robert and Elizabeth'' (her debut in 1964), '' Cats'' (following Elaine Paige as Grizabella), ''High Society'', '' Blood Brothers'', ''Cole'' and the title role in ''Liza of Lambeth''. Later musical theatre work includes: '' Dorothy Fields Forever'' and '' Call Me Merman''. In March 2006, over two nights at the King's Head Theatre, Richards returned to the songs she created for '' Secret Army'', in a show entitled ''An Evening at Le Candide'', which was subsequently made into a studio-recorded CD. Between September 2007 and June 2008 she appeared as Fraulein Schneider in the musical ''Cabaret'' in London's West End opposite Julian Clary and Amy Nuttall. Television Richards is best known to television viewers for her leading role in the BBC drama ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Mark Michael Hutchinson
Mark Michael Hutchinson is an English actor who won the 1993 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical for his performance as Eddie in '' Blood Brothers''. His partner is Tony Slattery Tony Declan James Slattery (born 9 November 1959) is an English actor and comedian. He appeared on British television regularly from the mid-1980s, most notably as a regular on the Channel 4 improvisation show ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' His ..., a British comedian and actor. They met while performing in the musical '' Me and My Girl'' in the West End in 1986. References External links * English gay actors Drama Desk Award winners Year of birth missing (living people) Living people Place of birth missing (living people) English male musical theatre actors {{UK-stage-actor-stub ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Lyn Paul
Lyn Paul (born Lynda Susan Belcher; 16 February 1949) is an English pop singer and actress. She came to fame as a member of the international chart-topping pop group the New Seekers in the early 1970s. She has more recently found success and critical acclaim starring in the long-running West End musical, '' Blood Brothers''. Early life Paul began her career in show business as a child actress in 1960, while attending regular classes in dance and musical theatre. In the early 1960s she led her own teenage girl band the Crys-Do-Lyns, touring all over Wythenshaw. She subsequently qualified as a teacher of dance. In the late 1960s she changed her name to Tanzy Paul and began a solo career as a pop singer, before joining the well-respected Manchester group the Nocturnes along with Eve Graham, before Graham left to join the New Seekers. The New Seekers When Sally Graham (no relation) left the New Seekers, Eve Graham recommended Paul as a replacement. Graham sang lead on most of their ea ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Con O'Neill (actor)
Robert "Con" O'Neill (born 15 August 1966) is an English actor. He started his acting career at the Everyman Theatre and became primarily known for his performances in musicals. He received critical acclaim and won a Laurence Olivier Award for playing Michael "Mickey" Johnstone in the musical '' Blood Brothers''. Subsequently, he was nominated for a Tony Award and a Drama Desk Award for the same role. He has also appeared in many films and television series. Early life O'Neill was born on 15 August 1966 in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset. Career O'Neill trained at the Elliott-Clarke College in Liverpool and began his acting career at Liverpool's Everyman Youth Theatre. He was awarded the Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical in 1988 for his performance in Willy Russell's '' Blood Brothers'', and was nominated for Broadway's 1993 Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for ''Blood Brothers''. In the 1980s, he had a walk-on role in ''One Summer'' as Jackson. He star ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
