CHITTY’S FLYING BACK TO SUNDERLAND!
David Ian for Crossroads Live is delighted to announce a new production of the most fantasmagorical musical of all time, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, is coming to Sunderland Empire from Tuesday 22 to Sunday 27 April 2025.
Emmerdale star Liam Fox will play Grandpa Potts with further casting to be announced.
Liam Fox is probably best known for playing the role of Dan Spencer in ITV’s Emmerdale, where he featured in more than a thousand episodes. His many other TV credits include Stephen Poliakoff’s Dancing on the Edge, Cold Feet, Coronation Street, Hollyoaks, Clocking Off, A Touch of Frost, Always and Everyone, At Home with the Braithwaites and Dinnerladies. His many theatre credits include The Collector and Tuesday’s Class, both at The Lowry Studio and Iron at Manchester’s Royal Exchange.
Based on Ian Fleming’s timeless story for children and later made into the famous 1968 film, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG features the unforgettable songs by the Sherman Brothers including Toot Sweets, Hushabye Mountain, Truly Scrumptious and the Academy Award-nominated title song, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.
This new production will be directed by Thom Southerland (Titanic, Parade), choreographed by Karen Bruce (BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, The Bodyguard) with Set and Costume design by Morgan Large (Newsies, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat), Musical Supervision by George Dyer (The Wizard of Oz, Annie, Billy Elliot) and casting by Debbie O’Brien.
In CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG we meet absent-minded inventor Caractacus Potts who restores a broken-down old racing car with the help of his children Jemima and Jeremy. Soon the family discover the car has magical powers, and along with the delectable Truly Scrumptious, the family end up on a hilarious fantastical adventure to far off lands.
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG has Music and Lyrics by Richard M. Sherman and Robert B. Sherman, Music by Special Arrangement with Sony/ATV Publishing and is Adapted for the Stage by Jeremy Sams. Based on the MGM Motion Picture the Licensed Script is adapted by Ray Roderick. It was Originally produced by Eon Productions, Dana Broccoli, Frederick Zollo, Nicholas Paleologos, Jeffrey Sine, Miriam Productions and Michael Rose at The London Palladium.
This production is presented by permission of Music Theatre International.
CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG will fly on to Sunderland Empire’s stage from Tuesday 22 – Sunday 27 April 2025. Tickets available online now at ATGTickets.com/Sunderland *
*A £3.65 transaction fee applies to online bookings.