Rachel Tucker Will Lead ANNIE GET YOUR GUN at the London Palladium Next Year

West End and Broadway star Rachel Tucker is to lead the cast in a special one-night only concert of smash hit musical Annie Get Your Gun at the world-famous London Palladium.

Acclaimed leading lady Rachel Tucker (Come From Away, Wicked, We Will Rock You) will star as the legendary sharpshooter Annie Oakley in the first-ever UK concert production of Irving Berlin's classic musical on Friday, April 7.

Rachel's performance will mark her return to the West End after starring as Annette / Beverley Bass in Come From Away on Broadway, a role she originated in the London production, receiving best supporting actress nominations for the 2019 Olivier Awards and 2020 WhatsOnStage Awards.

Joining Rachel will be star of stage and screen, Julian Ovenden as love interest Frank Butler. Julian has recently starred as Emile de Becque in the UK tour of South Pacific, and has featured in TV dramas The Crown, Bridgerton and Downton Abbey.

Speaking about taking on the role of Annie Oakley, Rachel Tucker said: "It's an absolute delight to be coming back to London and the West End to play such an iconic role as Annie Oakley at the legendary London Palladium.

"I can't wait to be back, and to be taking part in this special concert production celebrating the music of Annie Get Your Gun - there really is 'No Business Like Show Business'!"

When Buffalo Bill's Wild West show comes to town, it only takes one glance for sharp-shooting country girl Annie Oakley to fall head over heels for its star marksman, Frank Butler. Both have truly met their match, as the two compete and flirt, with plenty of ups and downs along the way.

Celebrating this fictionalised version of the real-life sharp-shooter Annie Oakley and her romance with Frank Butler, Annie Get Your Gun boasts a score of Irving Berlin classics including 'There's No Business Like Show Business', 'I Got Lost In His Arms', 'I Got The Sun In The Mornin'', 'Anything You Can Do,' and 'They Say It's Wonderful'.

Annie Get Your Gun first opened on Broadway in 1946 and then in the West End a year later in 1947. Both productions were a hit and the Oscar-winning film based on the musical followed in 1950.

A concert production was staged in New York in 2015 but Annie Get Your Gun will be the first time a concert production has ever been staged in the UK.

Annie Get Your Gun at The London Palladium is presented by live music and event promoters Cuffe and Taylor and Live Nation, in association with theatre producers Lambert Jackson Productions.

Lambert Jackson Creative Director Eliza Jackson said: "Annie Get Your Gun is a wonderful classic musical, full of memorable showtunes - who can forget the iconic song There's No Business Like Show Business?

"We can't wait to bring Rachel Tucker back to the West End to lead this one-off concert performance alongside Julian Ovenden, who we just know will be a wonderfully dashing Frank Butler."