June Whitfield Joins Cast Of On The Town At London Opera

June Whitfield is to play the role of Madame Maude P. Dilly in ENO's smash hit production of the original 'New York, New York' musical ON THE TOWN. The production, which broke Box Office records in 2005, returns to the London Coliseum for 20 performances only from 20 April-25 May 2007.

returns to the London Coliseum for 20 performances only from 20 April-25 May 2007.

June Whitfield returns to the London stage for the first time since the 2002 production of Bedroom Farce in which she starred opposite Richard Briers. From playing the nurse in Tony Hancock's blood donor sketch to the matriarch of the Monsoon family in Absolutely Fabulous, June Whitfield is one of this country's most enduring and popular actresses. From radio success with the long-running The Glums and The News Huddlines, to film appearances with the Carry On team, television success opposite Terry Scott in Happy Ever After and Terry & June and more recently in Last of the Summer Wine, June Whitfield has worked almost continuously since the 1950s. She was awarded an OBE in 1985, a CBE in 1998 and the British Comedy Awards Lifetime Achievement award in 1994.

Returning to recreate their 2005 performances are: Helen Anker (Ivy Smith), Rodney Clarke (Master of Ceremonies), Janine Duvitski (Lucy Schmeeler), Alison Jiear (Dolores Dolores), Caroline O'Connor (Hildy Esterhazy), Lucy Schaufer (Claire de Loone) and Andrew Shore (Judge Pitkin*). Full casting will be announced shortly.

With music by Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story), book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green (Singin' in the Rain) and based on an idea by Jerome Robbins, the story of ON THE TOWN was famously filmed by MGM starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra.

With a cast and orchestra of 105, ON THE TOWN is directed by Jude Kelly, choreographed by Stephen Mear, conducted by Simon Lee, designed by Robert Jones with lighting Mark Henderson.

Set in 1940s New York, 3 sailors on shore leave embark on the biggest adventure of their lives with just 24 hours to find fun and romance in the world's most exciting city"¦ -- www.eno.org