Singer Hawkes cast in Manilow musical’s UK tour

Published Monday 28 July 2008 at 17:15 by Alistair Smith

Pop singer Chesney Hawkes, who is best known for his nineties hit The One and Only, is to star in the UK tour of Can’t Smile Without You, featuring the hits of Barry Manilow.

The appearance will mark Hawkes’ musical theatre debut. He will be joined by Siobhan Dillon, who first came to the nation’s attention as runner up in the BBC TV show How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?.

Dillon later won a record deal with Andrew Lloyd Webber’s company The Really Useful Group and went on to make her West End debut in Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre.

The new production opens at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley on the August 28 and then embarks on a national tour.

With book by Tim Prager and based on an original idea by Bill Kenwright, the musical is endorsed by Manilow and his music executive Garry Kief. It includes more than 30 of Manilow’s hit songs, including Could it Be Magic, Can’t Smile Without You and Mandy.

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