An actor who starred in Coronation Street will take on the role of 'Da', in the smash-hit musical The Commitments.
The all-new stage production, directed by Andrew Linnie, will be kicking off a huge nine-month tour opening at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley from Monday, September 26 to Saturday, October 1, 2022.
The Commitments will star Coronation Street legend Nigel Pivaro, who appeared in the hugely popular ITV soap between 1983 – 2012 as the lovable rogue Terry Duckworth.
He will be swapping the cobbles for the stage and performing the role of ‘Da’ in this all-new production.
READ MORE: South east London will be an ‘energy crisis hotspot’ when price cap rises
The Commitments musical has been adapted from the novel by Booker prize-winning author Roddy Doyle and tells the story of Jimmy Rabbitte - a young working-class music fan - who transforms an unlikely bunch of amateur musicians into an amazing live act, which becomes the finest soul band Dublin has ever produced.
Placing a classified advert in a music paper, Jimmy auditions several wannabes before finalising the members of his new band, which he names ‘The Commitments’.
Humor kicks in as the band get to know each other and their instruments, grappling with inter-group differences as they muddle their way through early rehearsals for the band’s first gig.
Nigel Pivaro said: “I am thrilled to be marking my return to the stage in this production of The Commitments.
“It's an iconic story that resonates across the years, about people who though distant from the music's origins find communion and expression in the Motown style.
“A musical genre which was borne out of oppression and which the characters embrace as their own.
“The Motown sound is as vibrant today as it was when it first burst through in the Sixties.”
Featuring an electric playlist, The Commitments showcases more than 20 soul classics performed live on stage, including Night Train, Try A Little Tenderness, River Deep, Mountain High, In The Midnight Hour, Papa Was A Rolling Stone, Save Me, Mustang Sally, I Heard It Through The Grapevine and many more.
Author Roddy Doyle added: “I'm delighted that The Commitments are coming back in 2022 & 2023 and I'm particularly looking forward to seeing how Nigel Pivaro tackles the part of Jimmy Rabbitte's Da.”
Other casting includes Olivier Award nominee Ian McIntosh as Deco, James Killeen as Jimmy, Stuart Reid as Joey, Ciara Mackey as Imelda, Michael Mahony as Oustpan, Ryan Kelly as Billy, Conor Litten as Dean, Guy Freeman as Derek, Stephen O’Riain as James, Ronnie Yorke as Mickah, Eve Kitchingman as Natalie, and Sarah Gardiner as Bernie.
Get tickets here
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here