WINNER OF HIGHLAND QUEST FOR A NEW MUSICAL TO VISIT WICK

17th January 2008

SUNDOWE
WINNER OF THE HIGHLAND QUEST FOR A NEW MUSICAL WRITTEN BY JOHN, GERRY AND JAMES KIELTY AT THE ASSEMBLY ROOMS, WICK
FRI 25 JAN 8.00PM
SAT 26 JAN 2.30PM & 8.00PM

The winner of The Highland QUEST for a New Musical, Sundowe, is visiting Wick for a series of performances as part a Highland wide tour in January and February 2008.

Filmed for the major BBC2 TV series MacMusical, The Highland QUEST has been a two year, international search to create a contemporary musical for a modern Scottish audience. The project is a partnership between Eden Court, The Scottish Government, Sir Cameron Mackintosh's The Mackintosh Foundation and Highland 2007. Sundowe is sponsored by MacLeod & MacCallum, the largest legal practice in the North of Scotland.

Over 130 new musicals from across the world entered into the competition and following a dramatic showcase final in July 2006 Sundowe was declared the winner.

The world premiere of Sundowe took place at the newly constructed 264 seat OneTouch Theatre at Eden Court in November 2007.

Written by Scottish brothers John, James and Gerry Kielty, Sundowe is a vibrant new musical offering irresistible tunes, brilliant lyrics, and the most entertaining story you'll come across in your life, or even your afterlife.

Sundowe tells the tale of what happens when the Vampyres awaken to help save mankind from an army of Zombies. What the Vampyres require to accomplish this task, apart from several vats of human blood, is some "True Music" but unfortunately the Scottish Parliament has just banned busking. Enter the Martians - no, not not those Martians - it's the Kieltys' band, which is not about to be stopped busking by any old law and they are promptly signed up for the scariest gig in history.

The whole story of the Quest and Sundowe's creation was told in a major documentary series, MacMusical, which aired on BBC 2 Scotland on Thursdays 22 and 29 November and 6 December at 8.00pm, with repeats on Sundays at 7.00PM.

Wick Councillor Bill Fernie who is chairman of the Education Culture and Sport commitee of Highland Council said, "I was lucky enough to see the show at its dress rehearsal and is was superb. I am extremely pleased that the whow is going on the road to venues around the Highlands allowing everyone the chance to see a show that might have got stuck in Inverness. I hope that as many folk as p[osible will take this chance to see a hugely lively perofmance full of comedy, music and one of the liveliest perfiomances I have seen in the north. If this show gets good audiences then I hope we wil see more tours around our towns and villages in the future."

Praise for Sundowe:

Enormous fun. The Inverness Courier

It is fast; it is funny; it is fantastical. Sundowe. Don't they mean Sund Wow!
Moray Firth Radio

Very funny…The audience laps it up like Dracula at a blood bank. The Sunday Times

Anyone who would like to book Sundowe tickets should call Eden Court Box Office on 01463 234234 or visit www.eden-court.co.uk.

For further information contact Martin Cameron / Imogen Moody / at Eden Court on 01463 239841.

SUNDOWE INFORMATION

Sundowe is the Kielty brothers' first musical and its wildly imaginative world is rooted in their childhood exposure to BBC science fiction programmes like Dr Who and Blake's Seven. John is a musician and actor who co-wrote a top five selling album and appeared on Top of the Pops with David Sneddon. Gerry works as a tour guide in Edinburgh dungeon whilst James works in Somerfield.

Sundowe features a cast of 13, including some of Scotland's best loved actors. Cora Bissett (River City), Anne Kidd, Peter Kelly Crawford Logan and Mark McDonnell, join John and Gerry Kielty on stage under the direction of veteran Scottish director, Kenny Ireland, who ran the Edinburgh Lyceum for nine years. The Designer is Annette Gillies who was designer for several series of Monarch of the Glen. Jon Beales is Musical Director and Andrew Panton, Head of Musical Theatre at the Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama is Movement Director.

The show boasts a great deal of classic Scottish comedy, accompanied by a score of dynamic, witty and sometimes surprisingly touching songs. The opening number, Our Home, which charts Scotland's history since we saw off the attempted Roman invasion, has already become something of a rousing new national anthem around Inverness.

On its Highland tour Sundowe will visit Fort William's Nevis Centre (15-19 Jan), Wick's Assembly Rooms (25 & 26 Jan), Skye's Aros Centre (29 & 30 Jan) and Ullapool's MacPhail Centre (01 & 02 Feb).

SUNDOWE CAST LIST

THE MARTIANS
RORRY - JOHN KIELTY
JIMMY - GERRY KIELTY
HARRY - STEPHEN HOUSTON

THE AUTHORITIES
ROOTHBY - CRAWFORD LOGAN
FIRST MINISTER - HARRY WARD
POLICEMAN JAPPY - SCOTT GARNHAM
POLICEMAN GEONST - NICK UNDERWOOD
MADAM GOODWIN - CORA BISSETT

THE VAMPYRES
ERICH - PETER KELLY
CLAUS - MARK MCDONNELL
THE QUEEN - ANNE KIDD

THE PREY
VIRGIN - JENNIFER RHODES
ANOTHER VIRGIN (!) - TAMMY JOELLE
YET ANOTHER VIRGIN- CORA BISSETT

THE OTHERS
MUM - ANNE KIDD
DOORMAN - NICK UNDERWOOD
AIDEN - SCOTT GARNHAM

CREATIVE TEAM

DIRECTED BY KENNY IRELAND
DESIGNED BY ANNETTE GILLES
MUSICAL DIRECTOR/ARRANGER - JON BEALES
MOVEMENT DIRECTOR - ANDREW PANTON

LIGHTING DESIGN - PAUL SEED
VIDEO DESIGN - ARTS IN MOTION