The first-ever UK and Ireland tour of THE DRIFTERS GIRL, the acclaimed new musical which tells the remarkable story of one of the world’s greatest vocal groups, The Drifters, and the woman who made them is here this week.
The show has been an incredible success in London and was nominated for BEST NEW MUSICAL at the 2022 Olivier Awards, this smash-hit show has audiences on their feet night after night with a phenomenal soundtrack packed full of iconic Drifters hits including Saturday Night At The Movies, Save The Last Dance For Me and Stand By Me.
The show is all about Faye Treadwell, the legendary manager of THE DRIFTERS who was the world’s first African American, female music manager and widow of the group’s co-founder George Treadwell. Faye continued to manage the band after George’s death in 1967 and fought for three decades to turn Atlantic Records’ hottest vocal group into a global phenomenon.
From the highs of hit records and sell out tours to the lows of legal battles and personal tragedy, THE DRIFTERS GIRL charts the trailblazing efforts of the world’s first African American, female music manager and how she refused to ever give up on the group she loved. Thirty years, and hundreds of hit songs later, there is no doubt that Faye Treadwell was and always will be, The Drifters Girl.
Here is the amazing CARLY MERCEDES DYER, who stars as Faye Treadwell, with a special performance of Harlem Girl.
CARLY, a former star of Six the Musical who also delighted audiences with her performances as Erma in Anything Goes, will play music industry change-maker, Faye Treadwell. She will star alongside 2018 X Factor winner DALTON HARRIS, ASHFORD CAMPBELL (The Drifters Girl), MILES ANTHONY DALEY (Tina Turner: The Musical) and TARIK FRIMPONG (The Wiz, Aladdin).
Jaydah Bell-Ricketts (A Little Princess, School Of Rock) will be joining the cast in her first touring role as Girl. Completing the cast is Loren Anderson, Tre Copeland-Williams, Ethan Davis, Matthew Dawkins and Linseigh Green.
Faye Treadwell passed away in May 2011 and then it was down to Tina Treadwell (daughter to George & Faye) to continue the legacy of The Drifters. Tina has been in the entertainment industry all her life. She has worked for Disney Channel, and she oversaw careers of the new generation of stars coming through such as Britney Spears & Justin Timberlake. Tina also produced Michael Jackson’s birthday party in Los Angeles in 2003 and today spearheads the TEG (Treadwell Entertainment Group) that deals with artists both in music and acting.
Tina is most excited that The Drifters have continued to be loved and adored by fans worldwide and that the vision her father had for the group along with the determination of her mother has seen the group survive and continue strong 65 years on. Tina is also part of the team of producers who brought this story to life.
With a book by Ed Curtis, The Drifters Girl is based on an idea by Tina Treadwell and is co-created by Beverley Knight, Adam J Bernard, Tarinn Callender, Matt Henry and Tosh Wanogho-Maud. It is directed by Jonathan Church. Set design is by Anthony Ward, choreography by Karen Bruce, costume design by Fay Fullerton, lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Tom Marshall, video design by Andrzej Goulding, orchestrations by Chris Egan and Will Stuart as Musical Supervisor.
THE DRIFTERS GIRL is at the Wales Millennium Centre through to Saturday 11th May, which is the last week of the tour, so that should be quite a party. Performances are at 7:30pm each evening with a 2:30pm matinee on Thursday and Saturday. Tickets start at £18 and you can get yours HERE.
With a soundtrack of some of the most iconic songs in music history, including SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME, UNDER THE BOARDWALK, KISSIN’ IN THE BACK ROW OF THE MOVIES, STAND BY ME, COME ON OVER TO MY PLACE and SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE MOVIES. This is one show that will have you singing long after the curtain falls.
