Katie Birtill to Lead SWEET CHARITY at New Wolsey Theatre

The New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich is producing a new actor-musician production of the classic swingin' sixties musical SWEET CHARITY which runs from Thursday 3 to Saturday 26 September, directed by Artistic Director Peter Rowe.

They are pleased to announce Katie Birtill will be playing the lead role of Charity Valentine,

Meet Charity Hope Valentine - a woman who always gives her heart and dreams... to the wrong man! Despite her dead-end job as a dance club hostess in the dubious Fandango Night Club she still manages to remain an incurable optimist. One day she meets sweet, unassuming Oscar and believes her luck has changed. But has she found true love and will all her dreams come true?

With brassy, toe tapping hits including Big Spender, If My Friends Could See Me Now, The Rhythm of Life and I'm A Brass Band, you won't want to miss this story of a girl who just wants to be loved!

Katie was initially studying medicine at Bristol University before she decided to take the plunge and go into theatre. Leaving Bristol with a BSc she then graduated from the postgraduate musical theatre course at The Royal Academy of Music in 2010.

Theatre credits include Monique in The Boy who fell into a Book (SJT), Diva & u/s Marian in Priscilla (UK Tour), Sue in Dreamboats and Petticoats (UK Tour), Charlotte in A little Night Music (Sir Jack Lyons Theatre); Maid Marian in Robin Hood (The Marlowe Theatre Arena); Multiple roles in Femme Fatale (Upstairs at the Gatehouse); creating the role of Hayley in the original cast for Jet Set Go! (George Square, Edinburgh and Theatre 503, London); Woman2 in I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (George Square); Wendy in Never Land (Merton Abbey Mills). She also played Sophie the Psephologist for More or Less on BBC Radio 4 (Simon Terrington).

Vocal credits include; backing vocals for Ramin Karimloo's Road to Find Out Tour 2012, backing vocals for Russell Watson's La Voce UK tour, 2011, backing vocals for KT Tunstall, Fyfe Dangerfield, Jon Allen, Michael Ball, Mica Paris, Fran Healy, Craig David, Tony Hadley, Marti Pellow, Suzi Quatro and Elio Pace at Hyde Park Arena for Elvis Forever, recorded live for BBC Radio 2; backing vocals for Radio 2's Friday Night is Music Night's Christmas Eve Special with Barbara Windsor ; backing vocals for Il Divo's album; lead vocals for function band Down for the Count and for The One Night Stand Big Band.

A full cast announcement will be made this July.