Jackie The Musical will play at Blackpool Grand Theatre from April 19 to 23, as part of a nationwide tour.
Written by Mike James, with choreography by Arlene Phillips and directed by Anna Linstrum, it’s supported by Jackie publishers D C Thomson, and former magazine editor Nina Myskow joins the production as Editor-in-Chief to head up a brand-new digital/online channel Jackie TV.
The magazine appealed to millions of girls through their teenage years in the '70s and '80s, chronicling boy trouble and ironing hair or problem solving with resident agony aunts, Cathy and Claire.
Jackie The Musical revisits those days and tells the story of a 50-something divorcée who revisits her stash of well-thumbed magazines for the same reason she first read them nearly 40 years ago: advice on how best to navigate the opposite sex.
With a soundtrack featuring the era’s pop idols Donny Osmond, David Cassidy and Marc Bolan played live on stage, the show stars Janet Dibley as Jackie. Janet co-starred with Nicholas Lyndhurst in ITV’s '80s primetime comedy The Two of Us and has a host of other TV and stage credits.
Best known for his role as Anthony Trueman in EastEnders, Nicholas Bailey plays John and Graham Bickley plays Max.
The show opens in Dundee in March and then goes on national tour.