Greatest Days Take That Musical announces initial casting: Kym Marsh and Emilie Cunliffe

Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical has announced initial casting for the show, ahead of its UK and Ireland tour.

The Take That musical will feature pop star Kym Marsh as Rachel, and her real-life daughter Emilie Cunliffe as Young Rachel.

More casting is to be announced.

Greatest Days – The Official Take That Musical follows a group of five best friends in the 1990’s who are obsessed with their favourite boy band. The girls then reunite more than 20 years later with a plan to see their heartthrobs one last time in what could be the Greatest Days of their lives.

This original musical includes more than 15 of Take That’s classic songs, and has a book by award winning playwright Tim Firth (Calendar Girls).

The tour kicks off from 6 May 2023 at Bromley Churchill Theatre London – Book tickets here.

Kym Marsh is an actress, presenter and singer, who appeared on the hit reality TV show, Popstars in 2000. She went on to win a place in the band Hear’Say. During her time in the band, Kym achieved two UK number one singles and a number one album before leaving in 2002 to pursue a successful career as a solo artist. She went on to star in London’s West End, playing the role of Annette in the critically acclaimed musical, Saturday Night Fever. She appeared in BBC One’s Doctors and Channel 4’s Hollyoaks: In The City before joining the cast of ITV’s Coronation Street in the role of Michelle Connor in 2006, a part she would play for almost 14 years and during which time she won a string of prestigious awards for her work. Since then she has appeared in hit BBC One drama The Syndicate and can currently be seen on BBC One’s continuing drama, Waterloo Road, where she plays the role of Nicky Walters. In 2022 Kym made it to the quarter final of Strictly Come Dancing on BBC One with professional partner Graziano Di Prima and also played the iconic role of Alex Forest in a nationwide theatre tour of Fatal Attraction. She is a weekly presenter on hit daytime TV show Morning Live on BBC One.

Emilie Cunliffe is a singer and performer who trained with Carol Godby’s Theatre Workshop. She has appeared on BBC One’s The Voice and ITV’s Britain’s Got Talent. Emilie has recently finished recording her debut album which will be released later this year.

Kym Marsh said in a press statement: “I’m delighted to be returning to theatre and joining the cast of Greatest Days. I was in my early twenties when Take That were at the height of their fame and, of course, I was a huge Take That fan – who wasn’t? Their music takes me back to so many special times in my life as it will for so many other people. I’m thrilled to be working with my daughter, Emilie, too. She’s a real talent and I can’t wait to share the stage with her. Greatest Days is a wonderful, uplifting show with iconic music, a great storyline and I know people will love it.”

Emilie Cunliffe said: “I’m really excited to be joining the cast of Greatest Days. I grew up listening to Take That with mum, so what an honour it is to be part of this brilliant musical celebrating their music. I’m really close to my mum and getting to work with her is a dream come true.”

The official movie version of Greatest Days is also set to be released this Summer 2023, starring Aisling Bea and Jayde Adams, and also coincides with the 20th Anniversary of Take That’s first ever UK number 1 single – Pray.

Take That – Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen – are one of the most successful band’s in British chart history, with over 45 million records sold worldwide and 12 number 1 hits in the UK.

Writer Tim Firth’s credits include recent Gary Barlow collaboration Gary Barlow – A Different Stage at the Duke of York’s and Savoy Theatre; Olivier Award winning musical Our House, This is My Family, Neville’s Island, and Calendar Girls.. Tim’s film credits include Calendar Girls and Kinky Boots.

The show was originally produced as The Band and toured in 2017 to 2019, including a run at the Theatre Royal Haymarket at Christmas 2018.