Mobile Theatre Guild

Twin boys, separated at birth, one raised in poverty while the other in luxury, are destined to be reunited - as rivals.

This moving British musical by the author of "Shirley Valentine" and "Educating Rita" has never failed to bring audiences cheering to their feet.

On Broadway, the lead roles have been played by a succession of pop music stars including Petula Clark, the Cassidy brothers, and Carole King.

"The final 10 minutes of "Blood Brothers" pack a punch"

- David Richards, NYTimes

"Powerfully bittersweet! Marvelously hummable songs!"

- Gail Campbell-Thomson, Liverpool Daily Post

"A Knockout!"

- Alan King, Bristol Evening Post

BLOOD BROTHERS

Book, music and lyrics by Willy Russell

Directed by Louis Courie

May 16, 17, 18, 23, 24, 25

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Blood Brothers opened in 1983 just as the patriotic fervor resulting from the Falklands War swept across Britain and temporarily shored up Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's sagging political career.

Born into a working class family in 1947, Willy Russell (book, music and lyrics) was no stranger to the people and struggles that inspired this heartfelt musical. Immediately after finishing school, Russell took a job as a hairdresser. Soon he was running his own salon and all the while writing folk songs for local artists in his free time. By twenty he was enrolled in college, married, and graduated to become a school-teacher. His first major play, John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert was produced in 1974.

Russell's three biggest theatrical hits were Educating Rita, which had an even more successful second life as a film starring Michael Caine, Blood Brothers, and Shirley Valentine, which also became a hit film and garnered actress Pauline Collins an Oscar nomination for playing the role she originated in the stage production.

Blood Brothers has had two successful runs on Broadway with casts headed by such musical stars as Petula Clark, Carole King, Helen Reddy, and Shawn and David Cassidy. In Australia, a young Russell Crowe played the role of Mickey in 1988.

The current London revival has been running for twenty years

Links:

The author and composer's website

http://www.willyrussell.com/blood1.html

CAST

Narrator............................................Gene Murrell

Mrs. Johnstone.....................................Buffi Peter

Mickey...........................................Zebulon Brown

Eddie....................................Christopher Spencer

Mrs. Lyons......................................JoAnn Olivera

Mr. Lyons.......................................John Richards

Linda...............................................Whitney Rayl

Sammy...........................................Jake Coleman

Donna Marie & others................Allison Bliss Leger

Policeman & others............................Brent Murrill

Miss Jones..........................................Kate Lotito

Neighbors, Kids & others.....................Abby Dean

Alpha Dixen, and Tina Lovett

MUSICIANS

Director, Bass, Midi.......................Stan Chapman

Keyboards..............................Gretter Diaz-Suarez

Zach Freeman

Drums................................................David White

PRODUCTION

Director..............................................Louis Courie

Musical Director...............................Stan Chapman

Set Design/Construction................Constance Smith

Lighting Design.....................................Philip Tapia

Stage Manager..................................Cookie Baylor

Choreography.........................................Terry Trent

Lighting/Sound Control.......................Ashley Dennis

Follow Spot Operators....................Bridget Chapman

Debbie Lake

Costume Coordinator...........................E. A. Keeble

Make-Up..................................Christopher Spencer

Set Construction Assistants........Allison Bliss Leger,

Zebulon Brown, Christopher Spencer,

and Michael Waldren

Stage Crew.......................Damon Blaschka, Marina

Clotworthy, Andrew Crider, Debbie Simpson,

and Barbara Ann Westbrook

Properties............................................Libba Tallant

Publicity, Graphic and Web Design....Rudy Auerbach