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Smash Hit Under The Mersey Moon Musical

THERE are just 2 weeks to go until acclaimed new country musical Under the Mersey Moon returns to the Floral Pavilion.

The inspiring new show received its premiere at the New Brighton venue’s Blue Lounge in 2025 when it enjoyed sold out houses and standing ovations. Now, due to popular demand, it is returning, this time playing the theatre’s 800 seat auditorium!

It has previously been announced that:- radio legend Billy Butler and actress wife Lesley Butler will reprise their roles as:- Grandad Harry and Carol in the hit show. And now it can be revealed they will be joined on stage by:- Sam Heller, Sam Alton, Christopher Lee Power, Adam Johnson, Catherine Howard, Leslie Longley, Sarah Lou Fletcher, Jodie White, Jimmy Rae and Al Peters.

Under the Mersey Moon is created by well known Liverpool songwriters Jimmy Rae and Pete Davies and features 13 original songs which are performed by a live, 6 strong band and cast of 12. It is directed by Birkenhead’s Brian McCann.

The musical tells the uplifting story of one man’s determination to follow his dream, and the enduring power of love, home and family.

Inspired by his ailing grandfather, Danny Rogers; a struggling country musician from Liverpool; embarks on a make or break pilgrimage to Nashville, hoping to be discovered at last.

Will he fulfil his dream? Or will it prove a very different journey of discovery?

Sam Heller will appear as Danny. The Birkenhead born actor and singer discovered his love of musicals at the age of 14 and has performed on many stages across the country in plays like:- Down Our Street, Bully, Life, Red Skies and Eva.

He also sings with jazz / swing quartet Night and Days and has run community choirs across the Northwest for more than 10 years.

Samantha Alton plays Louise. Samantha has been acting professionally for more than a decade, most recently in Irish Annie’s, Jim Cartwright’s 2 and the lead role in The Hammer and Helena. Other stage credits include:- By The Waters of Liverpool (UK tour), Kitty, Queen of the Washhouse, and Nessa in 3 of the:- Desperate Scousewives quartet of plays.

Away from acting, she is an award-winning director and an up-and-coming stand up comedian.

Christopher Lee Power plays Kenny/Traveller. Christopher is a graduate of Richmond Drama School with an Oxford diploma in acting and additional training at RADA. Recent credits include:- playing Brian Leveson QC in Happiness; the Ken Dodd Story and The General in First World War drama One Night by BAFTA award winning director Christopher Swann. His acting credits also include roles in Shakespeare, Chekhov and Brecht along with television appearances on:- BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Amazon Prime and Sky.

Young Harry is played by Adam Johnson. As well as being the youngest member of the cast, Adam is also lead guitarist in the house band. He has been performing all his life, touring the country as a singer and multi instrumentalist and regularly performs in the Liverpool local music scene, most recently as the lead singer and songwriter with the popular indie band:- The Drivers Club. He also performs with:- Ukebox.

Catherine Howard appears as:- Jackie / Carer Linda / Traveller. Catherine has been performing since the age of 5 and as a singer and dancer has entertained audiences around the world with P&O Cruises as part of the Stadium Theatre Company. She has appeared in many pantomimes and summer seasons as well as singing with various bands, most recently:- The Poppies. TV credits include:- BBC, ITV and Channel 4.

Liverpool-based Leslie Longley will play Mike and Fries Man. Leslie graduated in media and performance from the University of Salford, in 2017. His previous credits include:- Charlie in Under the Concrete, Waiting at the Lowry, Demetrious in:- A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Gladstone Theatre, Steve in Tom Cain’s 97+ at the Edinburgh Fringe and Liverpool Olympia, Brian in Little White Feathers at the Hope Street Theatre, and most recently, Irish Annie’s.

Ellie is played by Sarah-Lou Fletcher. Better known as 1 ½ of close harmony acoustic country duo Tennessee Waltz with her partner Jimmy Rae, Sarah Lou has been a performer on and off for much of her life; from heading up choirs to singing in bands and more recently as a session musician and voiceover artist. She is also a songwriter in her own right, and among numbers in the show she will perform her own song:- A Different Road, the title track of Tennessee Waltz’s recent album.

Jodie White is Amy. Jodie is an established singer songwriter from Liverpool, now based in Scotland, who regularly performs under the name SheBeat and has recently released her 1st album:- 'From Liverpool to Leith.' Prior to picking up a guitar, she worked for many years in commercial production, performing as a voiceover artist and narrator on radio commercials and digital content. She also produces and presents a monthly grassroots music show called:- SheBeat’s Scottish Music Scene for Louder Than War Radio.

And Jimmy Rae and Al Peters play drunks. Jimmy Rae is a singer-songwriter from the Wirral who has been writing and performing since the age of 17. In his 20s he was signed to RCA Records and EMI Music Publishing as 1 ½ of the 50s influenced pop duo:- The Reverb Brothers. Championed by the late Janice Long, the duo supported OMD across the UK and Europe and recorded three singles and four Radio One sessions before going their separate ways in 1987. Jimmy has continued to write and perform throughout his life while holding down a:- 'proper' job and it was in 2009, while decorating one of his children’s bedrooms, that the words and melody came to him for Under the Mersey Moon, his epic love song to Liverpool which has subsequently become a mainstay of his live shows and has been played many times on local radio. He continues to play the song as part of Tennessee Waltz with his wife and partner Sarah Lou Fletcher.

Al Peters is a musician, singer, songwriter, artist, poet and political activist who has been part of the Merseyside cultural landscape for six decades. His band The Almost Blues performed at the Cavern, supporting the likes of Little Stevie Wonder, The Exciters and Doris Troy, recorded at Abbey Road Studios for EMI and released an EP on Vee-Tone Records. Al later performed or led a range of rhythm and blues bands including:- Supercharge, 29th and Dearborn and the Lawnmower, who recorded sessions for Paul Jones on Radio 2 and played many Blues festivals. In the 1980s he ran a successful recording studio, promoted gigs and managed Craig Charles. Al still performs regularly around Northwest as both a singer and a poet.

Under the Mersey Moon received huge acclaim when it was staged at the Floral Pavilion’s Blue Lounge earlier this year, with critics calling it:- "a fantastic production that truly had everything:- emotion, drama, humour, great music and twists" and music broadcaster and writer Spencer Leigh describing the musical as having:- "the potential to be another Twopence to Cross the Mersey."

Meanwhile songwriters Jimmy Rae and Pete Davies are firm favourites with Merseyside roots and acoustic music fans through their respective duos, Tennessee Waltz and Good Intentions.

Liverpool born Pete is also known to followers of Granada TV's landmark:- 'Up' documentary series which has followed his life, along with 13 others born in the same year, every 7 years since 1964.

Wirral born Under the Mersey Moon  Co-writer Jimmy Rae said:- "I can't wait to bring Under the Mersey Moon back to the Floral Pavilion this month, this time on the main stage. I'm also really proud and excited to be able to reveal the exceptional performers who will be bringing the musical to life for New Brighton audiences. The cast is absolutely bursting with talent, from our youngest member Adam Johnson to the incomparable Liverpool music legend that is Al Peters. We had a fantastic response from audiences when we premiered the musical in the Floral Pavilion’s Blue Lounge last year, and I know people are going to love it just as much this time around on a much larger stage. I composed Under the Mersey Moon, the song from which the show takes its title, as a musical love letter to Liverpool, so it’s particularly apt that it opened on Valentine's Day."

Tickets are available from the booking office at:- Floral Pavilion, Marine Promenade, New Brighton, or purchase them online at:- FloralPavilion.Com.

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