Theatre News

Susan Boyle Joins Cast of New Musical I Dreamed a Dream

| London's West End |

11 October 2011

As previously tipped by Whatsonstage.com, Susan Boyle will join the cast of I Dreamed a Dream, the new musical based on her life story, which tours the UK and Ireland from March 2012.

But Boyle, who rose to fame as a contestant on Britain’s Got Talent, will not be playing herself – that role has instead gone to Scottish actress Elaine C Smith, who recently appeared in Calendar Girls in the West End.

Susan Boyle said: “I am thrilled to be a part of the musical about my life story and very much looking forward to stepping on stage and performing with the cast. It is an honest portrayal of my life and has been a cathartic process to be involved in.”

Producer Michael Harrison told Whatsonstage.com: “It’s very exciting to have an international star such as
Susan appearing in the musical we have been developing about her own
story. Susan continues to surprise everyone and I hope the musical will
do the same. This is a strictly limited 11-week tour of the UK before
the show moves onto an international platform.”

I Dreamed a Dream, which takes its title from the Les Miserables
standard that shot Boyle to fame on the 2009 UK television competition,
receives its world premiere next spring at the Theatre Royal Newcastle,
where it runs from 23 to 31 March 2012.

Following Newcastle, I Dreamed a Dream
will embark on a 22-week UK tour – including Aberdeen and Inverness in
Boyle’s native Scotland, as well as Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and Dublin. Simultaneous productions will then launch extensive tours in
the US and Australia, where Boyle has attracted widespread followings,
in spring 2013.

Famous moment

Speaking to Whatsonstage.com in June, producer Michael Harrison revealed that the show would probably feature a “cameo appearance” by Boyle but that it wouldn’t
include a recreation of her breakthrough moment. He explained: “We all
know what happened on Britain’s Got Talent. The musical will
probe more into Susan’s early life and some of what’s happened to her
since she found fame. There’s no need to replicate that famous moment
we’ve all seen on YouTube.”

“I Dreamed a Dream” will, however, be included in the show, as well
as other numbers from Boyle’s albums and songs that have influenced her
life. Harrison told Whatsonstage.com: “This isn’t a spoof – it’s a
proper book musical. And Susan couldn’t be more involved.”

I Dreamed a Dream came about following an interview in which
Boyle said, if there was a film of her life, she’d like Elaine C Smith to play
her. After reading the interview, Harrison, who has
worked closely with Smith on various stage productions including The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, approached the actress and Boyle with the idea for the musical, which Harrison says “has all the qualities of a fairytale, but with the added bonus of being absolutely true.”