Aayyy! Sugababes' Heidi Range to Star in U.K. Premiere and National Tour of Happy Days

The stage musical version of the classic TV series Happy Days will launch a national tour following its U.K. Premiere at the Churchill Theatre Bromley in January 2014. Heidi Range (of the Sugababes) will lead the cast as Pinky Tuscadero, with additional casting to be announced shortly.

Directed and choreographed by Olivier nominee Andrew Wright, the show boasts a book by Garry Marshall (creator of the legendary series) and music and lyrics by Paul Williams. Series star Henry Winkler (a.k.a. The Fonz) serves as a creative consultant.

Based on the popular American sitcom which ran from 1974-1984, Happy Days — A New Musical will find the Cunninghams and the rest of the gang—including Potsie, Ralph Malph, Joanie, Chachi and The Fonz—battling to save their beloved diner Arnold’s from demolition. Happy Days premiered in 2006 at the Falcon Theatre in Burbank, California (with Broadway stars like Andy Karl and Rory O'Malley) before playing the Goodspeed Opera House in Connecticut and New Jersey's famed Papermill Playhouse. The musical then launched its first national tour across the U.S. and even received an Italian translation in 2011 by Compagnia della Rancia.

The creative team includes John McDaniel (arrangements and orchestrations), Tom Rogers (production design), Philip Gladwell (lighting design) and Ben Harrison (sound design).

Following the U.K. premiere, Happy Days will continue onwards through Brighton, Hull, Dublin, Southampton, Sheffield, Glasgow, Bristol, Norwich, Southend, Woking, Cambridge, Sunderland, Cardiff, Aberdeen, Dartford, Canterbury, Wolverhampton and Milton Keynes, with more venues to be announced soon.