Last year’s panto princess, Jenny Jones, returns to The Grand this July in 42nd Street!

Winner of the 1980 Tony Award for Best New Musical and the 2001 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, 42nd Street is the timeless, inspiring tale of small town Peggy Sawyer’s rise from chorine to Broadway star.

Jenny Jones, Snow White in The Grand’s 2011’s fabulous family pantomime, takes on the role of Lorraine in 42nd Street. The foot tapping musical returns to Blackpool’s Grand Theatre from Tuesday 24th July starring Dave Willetts as Julian Marsh and musical theatre star Marti Webb.

Jenny Jones is best known as the star of worldwide hit kid’s TV show Hi-5 shown on Cartoonito, Boomerang and ITV4. Following the huge success of the television series Jenny recently toured the UK and Ireland in Hi-5 Surprise Party and in various high profile events including performing for the Royal Family in Abu Dhabi!

She spent last Christmas at The Grand playing Snow White in the hugely popular family pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

On her return to the Grand Theatre Jenny said, “After spending last Christmas at the Grand Theatre, Blackpool now feels like my second home and I can’t wait to come back in July and show the rest of the 42nd Street cast around!

I love The Grand and am so excited to be returning to the theatre – I’m also looking forward to seeing Blackpool in the sunshine this time around!”

Dave Willetts is something of an enigma in musical theatre as he has had no formal singing, dancing or acting lessons! He became interested in amateur dramatics in his twenties and caught the attention of Bob Hamlyn, artistic director of the Belgrade Theatre, Coventry. Hamlyn cast him in Annie and and Willetts begain his rise to the top!

Trevor Nunn cast Willetts in the chorus of the original London production of Les Misérables and within a year he was understanding Colm Wilkinson in the lead role of Jean Valjean. Dave Willetts took over this role in 1986.

1987 he succeeded Michael Crawford in Phantom of the Opera. He took the show on tour, winning an Evening News Theatre Award.

Since then Dave Willetts has appeared in a concert version of Jesus Christ Superstar, taken the lead role in Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd and appeared in the twentieth anniversary of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats as well as returning to his role as Jean Valjean for the tenth anniversary production of Les Misérables in Sydney, Australia.

Most recently he has appeared in the West End revival of Sunset Boulevard, Anderw Lloyd Webber’s Aspects of Love and starred as Professor Callaghan in the first UK tour of Legally Blonde.

Marti Webb is best known for her roles in Evita and Tell Me on a Sunday, which included her biggest hit single, Take The Look Off Your Face (a UK top three hit).

In the mid eighties she succeeded Elaine Paige as Grizabella in Cats and in 1995, at the age of 50, reprised her role in Evita in the UK tour. In recent years Marti has appeared alongside Sheila Ferguson and Rula Lenska in Hot Flush (the musical about the menopause!) and in 2008 she played Mrs Johnstone in the UK tour of Blood Brothers. During 2010 she starred as Aunt Eller in a UK tour of Oklahoma.

Marti Webb has released over ten studio solo albums and sung on eight cast recordings.

"You're going out there a youngster, but you've got to come back a star!"

Peggy Sawyer, fresh off the bus from Allentown, Pennsylvania, arrives in New York and is spotted by Julian Marsh, director of Pretty Lady. An opening night accident means leading lady, Dorothy Brock, can’t perform and the show may close. The chorus girls, spotting Peggy’s talent, persuade Julian to give her a chance at taking on the lead role...

Come and meet those dancing feet at Blackpool’s Grand Theatre when 42nd Street dances on to stage and gets your feet tapping! And those songs! Lullaby of Broadway, We’re in the Money, Shuffle off to Buffalo, Keep Young and Beautiful, I Only Have Eyes For You. Not forgetting the spectacular title number, danced down a flight of steps that lights up as brightly as the faces of the cast!

Directed by the show’s author and Broadway director, Mark Bramble, the show features the stunning sets and costumes from the US production.

42nd Street is at the Grand Theatre from Tuesday 24th to Saturday 28th July.

Tickets from £17.00 - £30.00 Booking/transaction fees apply

To book call the Box Office on 01253 743339 or click here to book online, or visit us at the Grand Theatre information sales point in the Houndshill Shopping Centre. Booking/trans fees apply.