Photo Flash: In Rehearsals for THE BAND

Tim Firth's new British musical, THE BAND, featuring the music of Take That, begins previews this Friday 8 September at Manchester Opera House before opening officially on 26 September. It will then embark on a major UK tour until July 2018.

Check out photos of the cast in rehearsals below!

THE BAND stars AJ Bentley, Nick Carsberg, Curtis T Johns, Yazdan Qafouri and Sario Solomon, collectively known as Five To Five, winners of BBC's Let It Shine, who will play The Band. It also stars Rachel Lumberg, Alison Fitzjohn, Emily Joyce, Jayne Mckenna, Faye Christall, Katy Clayton, Rachelle Diedericks, Sarah Kate Howarth, Lauren Jacobs, Martin Miller and Andy Williams.

THE BAND is a musical about what it's like to grow up with a boyband. For five 16 year-old friends in 1992, 'the band' is everything. 25 years on, we are reunited with the group of friends, now 40-something women, as they try once more to fulfil their dream of meeting their heroes.

THE BAND is directed by Kim Gavin and Jack Ryder, designed by Jon Bausor and choreographed by Kim Gavin. It is produced by David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers and Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Mark Owen, Robbie Williams.

Photo credit: Matt Crockett