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Tess selected for West End showcase

3/4/2018

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New British musical TESS has been chosen to be featured in a special showcase evening in London’s West End later this month.
Staged by Baxter & Batten Productions, the Composure event aims to shine a spotlight on new work “composed by provocative emerging writers”.
ABOVE THE ARTS

The showcase, in association with the Arts Theatre in the heart of the West End, will be hosted in the exclusive Above the Arts bar at 8pm on Wednesday, April 18.

​NEXT 'HAMILTON'
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The producers promise the opportunity to “experience the forefront of bold, innovative musical writing before anyone else”, adding: “This relaxed evening is perfect for sharing a drink with friends and creative associates, and keeping your eyes peeled for the next Hamilton.”
TESS is a new adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s much-loved novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles, composed by Michael Blore with book and lyrics by award-winning playwright Michael Davies. A concept album of the show has been released and is available to listen to online at tessthemusical.com/album where you can also sign up to #TeamTess for the latest news and updates.
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WHAT'S ON STAGE

Meanwhile, Davies is blogging about the pair’s journey towards a professional production at the leading theatre website whatsonstage.com under the title ‘How to Make a Musical’.
Other shows featured at the Composure night include Turning 30 by Harry Style and Amy Le Rossignol, Mess by Michael D Rasmusson and Imogen Halsey, Obella by Stephanie Jayne Amies and Teddy Clements, and Perfectly Ordinary by Joe Wilson and Matthew Rankcom.
COMPOSURE

​For more information follow @BaxterandBatten
on Twitter, where you can also find @MusicalTess,
or visit www.artstheatrewestend.co.uk 
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NEW MUSICAL TESS UNVEILS LEADING LADY

31/5/2016

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​NEW MUSICAL TESS UNVEILS LEADING LADY
The iconic title role in the forthcoming album recording of new British musical TESS is to be played by West End star Siobhan Dillon.
 
The television favourite, who first rose to fame in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s hunt for a Maria in The Sound of Music, has been unveiled as the eponymous heroine in the musical adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s iconic novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles.
Written by Michael Blore and Michael Davies, the album is the culmination of two years’ work. Siobhan’s co-stars have already been revealed as Tam Mutu, playing the villainous Alec d’Urberville, and Simon Bailey as her great love Angel Clare.

'BLOWN AWAY'
 

Composer Blore and lyricist Davies said they were “absolutely blown away” that Siobhan had agreed to step into the shoes of the tragic country girl battling her fateful destiny. They added: “There was a very short shortlist for this role, and Siobhan was on it. We didn’t dare hope we might be able to secure her fantastic talent, so we are more than excited that she is so keen to support this new work".
Siobhan Dillon
Siobhan Dillon will sing
​Tess of the d'Urbervilles
SUNSET BOULEVARD
​
Siobhan’s first professional appearance was understudying Sandy in the 2007 revival of Grease (Piccadilly Theatre). She went on to tour the UK in Bill Kenwright’s Can’t Smile Without You and as Sally Bowles in Cabaret before playing the role of Vivienne in the Olivier award-winning Legally Blonde (Savoy), Claire in EX (Soho Theatre) and the leading role of Molly in Ghost The Musical (West End).
 

She recently played opposite Glenn Close in Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard at English National Opera (Coliseum) and before that appeared as Ellen in Miss Saigon (Prince Edward).
 
Workshops include Jules in Bend It Like Beckham and Karen in From Here To Eternity, and her concert appearances include performing with Paul Gambaccini and the BBC Concert Orchestra on BBC Radio 2’s Friday Night is Music Night.
 

TESS is a new, fully sung-through adaptation of the much-loved novel. Pre-production is already under way on the album, which will be produced by Sunim Koria with orchestrations by Michael Blore. Recording is scheduled for the summer of 2016.
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Broadway leading man joins TESS album

27/5/2016

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BROADWAY LEADING MAN JOINS TESS ALBUM
Broadway and West End leading man Tam Mutu has signed up as one of three headline names on an album recording of new musical TESS.
 
Tam, who made his Broadway debut last year in the title role of Dr Zhivago (“utterly perfect” - Washington Times), is to sing the role of the villainous Alec d’Urberville in the new adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s much-loved novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles.

​
Written by Michael Blore and Michael Davies, the show is to be recorded as an original album later this year, with a fully staged production expected to follow.
A multi-award-winning performer and West End favourite, Tam alternated the role of the Phantom in Love Never Dies  with Ramin Karimloo (Adelphi), starred as Anatoly in Chess (Princess of Wales Theatre, Toronto) and won a clutch of awards as Javert in Les Miserables (Queen’s), including best performance in a long-running musical and best performance of a song for “Stars”.
 
His credits also include Love’s Labour’s Lost, Anything Goes, South Pacific and The Royal Hunt of the Sun at the National Theatre and a season with the RSC, where he played Tybalt in Romeo and Juliet and Edmund in King Lear. Other leading roles include Dinos Chapman in Rupert Goold’s Dr Faustus for Headlong.
Tam Mutu
Tam Mutu will sing Alec d'Urberville
On screen, Tam has appeared in TV’s Waking the Dead, Holby City, Doctors and Footballers Wives as well as the feature film The Butcher’s Shop. He’s also no stranger to radio, having appeared on the BBC’s Friday Night is Music Night,  Masked Heroes and A Celebration of the Western.
 

'Dreamland'
​

Composer Michael Blore said: “To say it will be an honour to work with Tam is an understatement. He is dream casting and will bring not only his stunning talent but also an incredible wealth of West End and Broadway experience to the role of Alec d’Urberville. When we set out on planning an album of the show, it’s safe to say we never imagined that we could secure the services of so many truly wonderful performers. We really are in Dreamland.”
 

Two years in the writing, TESS is a fully sung-through new British musical. Recording is scheduled for the summer of 2016, with orchestrations by Blore and production by Sunim Koria. West End star Simon Bailey has already been announced to play Angel Clare, and the casting of the title role is due to be unveiled shortly.
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TESS SCOOPS WEST END STAR FOR ALBUM RECORDING

20/5/2016

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TESS SCOOPS WEST END STAR FOR ALBUM RECORDING
WEST End star and musical theatre heart-throb Simon Bailey has been named as one of three headliners for the album recording of new British musical TESS.
 
Writers Michael Blore and Michael Davies said they were “thrilled” Bailey would be starring in their musical adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s much-loved novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles playing the role of Tess’s great love, Angel Clare.
 
Currently appearing as Bob Gaudio in the West End production of Jersey Boys, Bailey has performed in some of the biggest shows in musical theatre history. He’s played Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s), Enjolras in the 21st anniversary cast of Les Miserables (Queen’s) and Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (New London).
Other credits include We Will Rock You (Dominion), 
​Passion (Donmar Warehouse) and I Can’t Sing! The X-Factor Musical (Palladium). He played Officer Starnes and Tom Watson in the critically acclaimed Parade at the Southwark Playhouse, for which he was nominated in the Broadway World awards as best featured actor in a musical.
 
Bailey is also a founder member of Teatro, Theatreland’s first supergroup. Teatro achieved gold status with their eponymous debut album after just three weeks, making them one of the fastest selling musical theatre acts of all time. They’ve performed across the world, as well as at the Royal Variety Performance. Simon’s solo concerts, meanwhile, have won him fans all over the UK and further afield, including Kuala Lumpur, Egypt and the US.
Simon Bailey
Simon Bailey will sing Angel Clare
Lyricist Michael Davies said: “We are thrilled and rather awed to have Simon on board. His extraordinary voice and amazing track record in the world of musical theatre will add something wonderful to the role of Angel.”
 ​
TESS is a new, fully sung-through adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s much-loved novel. Pre-production work on the album of the show is already under way, with further casting news expected over the coming weeks and recording scheduled for the summer of 2016.
 

The album will be produced by Sunim Koria, with orchestrations by Michael Blore. Casting announcements for the other two leading roles - Alec d’Urberville and Tess herself - are expected in the next few weeks.
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Latest star announced for new musical album

10/5/2016

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TESS writers Michael Blore and Michael Davies have announced the casting of another key role for the forthcoming album recording of their new British musical.
Tess’s ale-addled father John is to be played by musical theatre veteran James Dinsmore.

Recently appearing in Corbyn the Musical at the Waterloo East Theatre in London, James has worked for leading producer Bill Kenwright in productions of An Ideal Husband and Half a Sixpence. Other credits include Annie, Little Shop of Horrors, Darling of the Day, The Sound of Music, Oliver! and Chess.
He has sung with Scottish Opera in performances of La Boheme
and Wagner's Ring cycle and appeared in Die Fledermaus, 
The Mikado and The Gondoliers with the Carl Rosa Opera Company.

 
'QUALITY SINGERS' 

Lyricist Davies said: “The quality of singers who are willing to support this exciting project has been quite extraordinary. We are absolutely delighted that James, with his hugely impressive track record in musical theatre and opera, has joined our talented cast, and we’re really looking forward to working with him.”

James Dinsmore
James Dinsmore will sing
​John Durbeyfield
TESS is a fully sung-through adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s much-loved novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Pre-production work on the album of the show is already under way, with further casting news expected over the coming weeks and recording scheduled for the summer of 2016. 
​
The album will be produced by Sunim Koria, with orchestrations by composer Blore.
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West End star signs up for new musical album

22/4/2016

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THE first star in the final round of casting for new British musical TESS has been announced.
 
Writers Michael Blore and Michael Davies have been working on casting the five principal roles for the album recording of their adaptation of Tess of the d’Urbervilles
.
Now they have revealed that the part of Tess’s mother, Joan Durbeyfield, is to be played by West End star JACQUELINE TATE.
 
Tate has performed in shows and concerts around the world, including appearing as Bloody Mary in South Pacific (Barbican and national tour), Christmas Eve in Avenue Q (Wyndham’s, Gielgud and national tour) and Madame Giry in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre).
 
Trained at the Royal Northern College of Music and the London School of Musical Theatre, her international credits include My Fair Lady in Singapore and Evita in Beirut for Nikolai Foster, as well as The Pirates of Penzance and The Merry Widow for the Carl Rosa Opera Company on tours of the UK, USA, Canada and South Africa.
In concert, she’s sung with the London Symphony Orchestra in the Bernstein Mass (Barbican, Marin Alsop, broadcast on BBC Radio 3), the Armenian Symphony Orchestra in a performance of Adiemus, the Israel Chamber Orchestra (Bach Mass in B Minor) and at the Bridgewater Hall under the baton of Kent Nagano (L’Enfance du Christ).

​
Composer Michael Blore said: “From a very strong field of actors we are thrilled to be working with someone of the calibre of Jacqueline. This album already promises to be something quite special and securing such an experienced professional in the role of Joan brings that promise one step closer to reality.”
Jacqueline Tate
Jacqueline Tate will sing Joan Durbeyfield
TESS is a new, fully sung-through adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s much-loved novel. Pre-production work on the album of the show is already under way, with further casting news expected over the coming weeks and recording scheduled for the summer of 2016.

​The album will be produced by Sunim Koria, with orchestrations by Michael Blore.
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Tim Rice backs new British musical TESS - press release

12/1/2016

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​LEGENDARY lyricist Sir Tim Rice has put ​his considerable support behind the new British musical TESS.

The wordsmith behind some of the world's best-loved musicals - including Evita, Joseph, Chess and From Here to Eternity - praised material from the new show as “very well crafted” and “very professional in all departments”.

The giant of musical theatre was commenting on
tracks released by composer Michael Blore and lyricist Michael Davies as part of their drive to bring TESS to the stage. Now, as Rice astutely points out: 
“What you really need is a producer.”
Sir Tim Rice

Legendary lyricist Sir Tim Rice
Rice’s pedigree is unmatched in the world of musicals. From his early partnership with Andrew Lloyd Webber, which produced global successes including Jesus Christ Superstar, he has gone on to work with pop luminaries such as Sir Elton John and Benny and Bjorn from Abba.
 
He described TESS as “based on a very strong story and the songs I have heard [are] very well crafted”, adding: “I wish you all the very best.”
Almost two years in the making, TESS is a sumptuous new adaptation of Thomas Hardy’s classic novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles. Three demo tracks are already available for free online at tessthemusical.com and the writers have announced that studio time has been scheduled in 2016 to record a full album version of the show.
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    ​MORE NEWS

    BACK IN THE STUDIO​​
    ​HITTING THE AIRWAVES

    ​​BACK IN THE STUDIO
    ​SELL-OUT WORKSHOP SHOWS
    NEW LONDON SHOWCASE

    BANBURY LITERARY FESTIVAL
    ​​
    TESS WEST END SHOWCASE 
    DUET GETS LONDON OUTING
    ​ELAINE PAIGE ON SUNDAY

    1ST WHAT'S ON STAGE ARTICLE
    FIRST SONG PERFORMANCE
    BBC HOST SINGS ON ALBUM
    LEADING LADY UNVEILED

    BROADWAY STAR JOINS ALBUM
    TESS SCOOPS WEST END STAR
    LATEST STAR ANNOUNCED
    WEST END STAR SIGNS UP 
    CASTING NOTICE
    CASTING GROBY & TRINGHAM
    CASTING THE DAIRYMAIDS
    FIRST CASTING FOR ALBUM
    TIM RICE BACKS TESS
    TESS ALBUM ANNOUNCEMENT
    IN CONVERSATION WITH CTP
    TESS ON THE BBC


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