Ben Richards Joins PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, Extends Thru May 28 2011

Ben Richards, best known on television for playing PC Nathaniel Roberts in the long running TV drama The Bill and Bruno Milligan in ITV's Footballer's Wives, is to join the West End cast of Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical from 1 June 2010. Richards, who takes over the role of Tick from Jason Donovan, joins Don Gallagher (Bernadette), Oliver Thornton (Adam) and John Bowe (Bob) in the Olivier award-winning musical at the Palace Theatre, where booking is now extended until 28 May 2011.

As well as his roles in The Bill and Footballer's Wives, Ben Richards played Justin Fuller in Holby City. His many leading roles in musical theatre include Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls on tour and in the West End, Danny Zuko in Grease at the Victoria Palace Theatre and on tour, Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever at the London Palladium, and on tour and Jerry Lukowski in The Full Monty at the Prince of Wales Theatre.

In March this year, before celebrating its first birthday in London, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical won the 2010 Laurence Olivier Award for Best Costume Design as well as the Whatsonstage.com awards for Best Musical, Best Supporting Actor in a Musical (Oliver Thompon), Best Set Design (BrIan Thomson) and Best Choreographer (the late Ross Coleman).

Based on the Oscar® award-winning film and written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott and directed by Simon Phillips, Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical tells the story of Tick, Bernadette and Adam, a glamorous Sydney-based performing trio who agree to take their show to the middle of the Australian outback.

Priscilla is a heart-warming, uplifting adventure of three friends who hop aboard a battered old bus searching for love and friendship and end up finding more than they could ever have dreamed. With a dazzling array of outrageous costumes and featuring a score of dance-floor classics, Priscilla is a sensational journey to the heart of fabulous.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical had its world premiere in Sydney in October 2006 and has subsequently wowed audiences and critics alike in Melbourne and New Zealand, becoming the most successful Australian musical of all time. After a return Sydney season last year due to popular demand, the London production now celebrates its first year in the West End. Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical will open at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Toronto on 12 October and with plans for a Broadway transfer to open early 2011. Further international dates are also in discussion for productions in Brazil, Scandinavia and Germany.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical - adapted from the Oscar®-winning film The Adventures of Priscilla Queen of the Desert starring Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce - is written by Stephan Elliott and Allan Scott. Direction is by Simon Phillips, Choreography is by Ross Coleman, Musical Supervision and Arrangements by Stephen ‘Spud' Murphy and Production Design is by BrIan Thomson. Tim Chappel and Lizzy Gardiner have re-created their Oscar®-winning Costume Designs, which were originally designed for the film. BAFTA Award winning Make Up design is recreated by Cassie Hanlon. Lighting is designed by Nick Schlieper and Sound design by Michael Waters.

Priscilla Queen Of The Desert The Musical is produced in London by Liz Koops and Garry McQuinn for Back Row Productions, Michael Hamlyn for Specific Films, Allan Scott, John Frost, Michael Chugg, David Mirvish and The Really Useful Group, in association with MGM On Stage, Darcie Denkert and Dean Stolber, based on the Latent Image/Specific Films Motion Picture, distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Inc.

Dates: booking until 28 May 2011

Address: Palace Theatre, Cambridge Circus, London W1

Performances: Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm
Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm

Summer Celebration Performance Times

From 6 June - 5 September 2010
Tuesday - Saturday at 7.30pm
Thursdays and Saturdays at 2.30pm
Sundays at 3pm

Website: priscillathemusical.com
Ticket prices: Monday to Thursday evenings at 7.30pm and
Thursday matinees at 2.30pm: £60, £45, £25, £20
Saturday matinees at 2.30pm & Friday &
Saturday evenings at 7.30pm and Sunday matinees: £65, £45, £25, £20
NB All tickets include a 75p Theatre Restoration Levy Booking Fee
£2.00 booking fee applies for all tickets purchased except postal and personal bookings at the Palace Theatre
Box Office: 0844 755 0016