A MUSICAL featuring the music of one of Sunderland’s biggest exports will have its North East premiere in the city.
Ghost The Musical, which features music and lyrics by Grammy Award-winning Dave Stewart, who grew up in Barnes, will run for two weeks on Wearside when it opens at the Empire in November.
The former Eurythmics star and fellow songwriter Glen Ballard breathe new musical life into the 1990 film which starred Demi Moore, Patrick Swayze and Whoopi Goldberg.
Audiences at the show will get to see the musical’s theatrical interpretation of the iconic pottery wheel scene among others.
Speaking about the show when it opened in the West End, Dave said: “What I find really rewarding about musicals is this whole mystical thing can happen in three minutes.
“The set can change numerous times during a song, various characters come in and, by the end, the lead is alone again.”
He added: “Musicals also connect to really deep memories and with Ghost, you’re dealing with death as well as love. It’s been selling out a lot of Kleenex.”
Oscar-winning Bruce Joel Rubin adapted his original screenplay for the stage production, which features hit song Unchained Melody, after winning an Academy Award for the movie.
The musical, which opened in London in 2011, has been seen by more than half a million people and has been nominated for five Olivier Awards and three Tony Awards.
It tells the story of Sam, who has been killed but is then trapped as a ghost between this world and the next and is trying to communicate with girlfriend Molly through a hitherto phoney psychic in the hope of saving her from his ruthless murderer.
The musical’s arrival in Sunderland later in the year will be the first time the show has been performed in the North East. It stars Keisha Atwell, Wendy Mae Brown and Stewart Clarke. Tickets go on general sale from 10am on Monday.
l Ghost The Musical runs at the Sunderland Empire from November 26-December 7. Tickets priced £10 to £39.50 are available from 0844 871 3022 and www.ATGtickets.com/Sunderland.
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