Michael Rose Ltd and Ambassador Theatre Group present

Monkee Business The Musical

World Premiere of a brand new musical prior to the West End

Opera House, Manchester

Thursday 29 March – Saturday 14 April 2012

On sale 10am on Friday 4 November

Following on from the phenomenal success of the world premiere of Ghost the Musical, the Opera House, Manchester is proud to reveal the next major new musical to be launched at the theatre will be Monkee Business the Musical, a landmark new production for the whole family featuring the hit songs of the iconic band The Monkees.

Monkee Business is premiering at the Opera House as part of Manchester Gets It First,  Ambassador Theatre Group’s commitment to making Manchester the UK’s official city for launching theatre’s biggest and best new musicals, a scheme which has won the backing of the city council.

Ghost the Musical was the first Manchester Gets it First show, with almost 100,000 tickets being sold during its seven-week run earlier this year. Now Manchester audiences will again get the chance to enjoy a brand new musical here before anywhere else in the world.

With a cast of 20, a live band of eight, fabulous costumes and sets, amadcap ‘Austin Powers-style’plot featuring all new characters and a score packed with iconic hits of the swinging sixties, Monkee Business, from the producers of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Spamalot, will premiere in Manchester March 2012.

Made instant world-wide stars by the famous 1960s TV series, The Monkees, made up of Manchester’s Davy Jones, Micky Dolenz, Peter Tork and Michael Nesmith, became one of most successful bands of their generation – at one time even outselling The Beatles and The Rolling Stones – releasing 121 songs on nine albums and influencing many future artists.

Monkee Business will pay homage to both the crazy chaos of the Emmy Award winning TV series and the brilliant music of The Monkees featuring hit after hit including I’m A Believer, Last Train to Clarksville, My Boy Lollipop, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me, Hey, Hey We’re The Monkeesand the smash hit Daydream Believeralongside many more iconic songs from the era.

Monkee Business follows four normal young lads who with the help of a few sexy Russian spies, nonsensical nuns and the odd tambourine, unwittingly get caught up in a memorably madcap adventure!

With a hilarious mix of groovy adventure, dreamy romance and zany comedy, Monkee Business is the ultimate feel-good family musical which will have audiences of all ages twisting and monkeeing in the aisles.

Howard Panter, ATG’s Joint Chief Executive & Creative Director, said: “Following the incredible success of the world premiere of Ghost the Musical at the Opera House earlier in the year, we’re delighted to be premiering yet another landmark new musical, Monkee Business, as part of our Manchester Gets It First campaign. This major new stage musical will be packed with iconic hit songs from the Sixties, Austin Powers-style zany humour, romance and adventure, which Manchester audiences will get to enjoy before anywhere else in the world. Manchester is the ideal place for the original creative process necessary for developing large-scale new musicals like Monkee Business, as it is a city with a great foundation in music with knowledgeable and sophisticated audiences who love and understand fantastic musical theatre.”

Michael Rose said:“I am so excited that Michael Rose Ltd together with ATG are premiering a brand new musical at the Manchester Opera House as part of Manchester Gets It First. Monkee Business the Musical is a real feel-good night out for all the family and I am so pleased we are getting to share it with Manchester first, having seen what great audiences the city has when we brought Chitty Chitty Bang Bang there in 2006 and  2010. It is a real privilege that EMI have given the production musical access to some of the greatest songs of the 20th Century. I can’t wait to hear the Manchester response.”

Welcoming the news about Monkee Business, Councillor Mike Amesbury, Executive Member for Culture and Leisure at Manchester City Council, said: “These are exciting times for Manchester, and this is yet another world first which has come to Manchester before going to London's West End or Broadway. Manchester has become an artistic powerhouse, bringing thousands of people into the city who will also spend their money in our hotels, bars and restaurants.

"This is added to the success of last summer's Manchester International Festival (MIF), a world-class event which was hosted in the city and drawing massive audiences. As well as their huge economic benefit, events such as MIF and major musicals like Monkee Business, also boost the production capacity of Manchester, using our expert creative skills and creating further jobs in the industry.”

Listing information:
Monkee Business the Musical
Opera House, Manchester,
Thursday 29 – Saturday 14 April 2012
Mon-Sat 7.30pm, Thurs & Sat mats 2.30pm
Tickets from £18.50-£45
Booking line: 0844 871 3018* subject to booking fee
Groups of 10+ Mon-Fri 10am-6pm: 0844 871 3038
www.atgtickets.com/manchester