Jackie Burns to Star as Tess, the Role Made Famous by Cher, in Burlesque the Musical

Broadway veteran Jackie Burns has joined the UK cast of Burlesque the Musical, a stage adaptation of the 2010 movie of the same name. Burns will play club owner Tess, the role made famous by Cher in the film. The show will play Manchester Opera House from June 13 through June 29, followed by a run at Glasgow Theatre Royal from September 11 through September 28 and a return Manchester engagement from October 3 through November 2. Dates for the musical's subsequent West End run have not yet been announced. 

Burns is best known as longest running Elphaba in the Broadway production of Wicked, a role she also played on tour. She also performed in the 2009 revival of Hair and served as Idina Menzel's understudy in the 2014 musical If/Then, which she also later performed on tour. Burns was most recently seen as Celine Dion in the off-Broadway hit Titanique.

As previously announced, the cast of Burlesque the Musical will also feature Jess Folley as Ali Rose, Todrick Hall as Sean, George Maguire as Vince, Michael Mather as Jackson and Nina Ann Nelson as Nikki and the Alternate Ali Rose. Rounding out the ensemble are Joe Atkinson, Jade Albertsen, Callum Aylott, Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Lucy Campbell, Lewis Easter, Yasmin Harrison, Elly Jay, Billie-Kay, Stefan Lagoulis, Hollie-Ann Lowe, Callum MacDonald, Alessia McDermott, Tom Mussell, Ian Oswald, Amber Pierson, Jess Qualter, Tom Scanlon, Ope Sowande, B Terry and Lily Wang.

Burlesque the Musical is written by Steven Antin (writer and director of the original film) and directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, with additional material by Kate Wetherhead. The show features songs by Christina Aguilera, Sia and Diane Warren, as well as additional songs by Hall and Folley. The story follows Ali, who heads to New York in search of her mother. She soon finds herself drawn into a dazzling underground world where the beat of the music and the heat of the dance moves will change her life forever. 

The creative team inclues Soutra Gilmour (set designer), Ryan Dawson Laight (costume designer), Tom Curran (musical arrangements and orchestrations), Phil Bateman (musical supervisor), Nina Dunn (video designer), Jack Knowles (lighting designer), Ben Harrison (sound designer), Carole Hancock (hair and wigs designer), Dominic Skinner (make-up designer), Ben Hart (illusion designer), Harry Blumenau (casting director) and Chris Poon (musical director).