West End's Grease Celebrates 1,000th Performance, Announces New Class for 2010

By Mark Shenton
16 Dec 2009

The current West End production of Grease, now in its third year at the Piccadilly Theatre, celebrates its 1,000th performance Dec. 16. It has been seen by nearly 900,000 theatregoers since it opened there in July 2007, and is now the longest-running show in the venue's history.

It has also been announced that Siobhan Dillon, who has previously appeared in the show as Patty Simcox when the production first opened, will return to the company to play Sandy, joining Noel Sullivan who is currently playing Danny. She will begin performances Jan. 25, and is currently contracted through July 24, 2010.

The new class of Rydell High enrolling from Jan. 25 also includes Matthew Goodgame (Kenickie), Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (Rizzo), Lucas Rush (Roger), Hayley Gallivan (Jan), Benjamin Ibbott (Doody), Faye Brookes (Frenchy), Bennett Andrews (Sonny), Robyn Mellor (Marty), Michael Vinsen (Eugene), Susannah Allman (Patty), Jason Capewell (Vince/Teen Angel), Kerry Winter (Miss Lynch) and Stephanie Powell (Cha Cha), with other parts played by the ensemble.

Dillon was discovered through BBC1's "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?," the first series in which Andrew Lloyd Webber searched for a West End star, and in which she was one of the three finalists. After finishing the program, she went on to co-write and record her debut album. She is currently working on a new album. In addition to Grease, she has also toured in Can't Smile Without You and as sally Bowles in Cabaret.

To book tickets, which are currently on sale through September 2010, call the box office on 0844 412 6666, or visit www.greasethemusical.co.uk