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ROUTE 66 CAST/CREW & BAND

The Doctor - Lead Singer

The Rev Dr Clive Thomas Jackson created Doctor and the Medics 26 years ago. At that time he also ran his 'Alice in Wonderland' nightclub in Soho which won City Limit's night club of the year in 1985! The club helped to raise the profile of the band, who soon became a very popular live act drawing crowds of 900 people.

Relentless touring led to an Indie number 1 hit 'Happy but Twisted'. This was followed by 'Miracle of the Age', recorded with Andy Partridge of XTC. The next single 'Spirit in the Sky', shot to number 1 in 25 countries and allowed the band to tour the world. Often promoted as 1 hit wonders, the band claim to be the only 1 hit wonder to have had 2 hits as their next single 'Burn' got to number 21!! Their last chart entry was 'Waterloo' which they recorded with Roy Wood.

In addition the band has recorded 4 albums and are currently working on a fifth! The band has always been regarded as a great live act with a unique and sensationally flamboyant live show that just has to be seen to be believed. In 1987 they played 245 shows and continue to play regularly up to this date.

Such is the power of their performance that they produced the shock result of the TV show "Hit Me Baby One More Time," last year when they won the studio vote for best act against Jackie Graham, Belinda Carlisle and....................... SHAKIN STEVENS!!!

They kicked off 2008 playing to 8,000 people in Liverpool alongside such bands as Atomic Kitten, The lightening Seeds and The Christians. Alongside the band The Doctor has worked as a compere, MC, and occasional DJ.

His appearance in 'Route 66' is a first for The Doctor, who has rarely performed without The Medics. Being part of a cast is a whole new ball game and one he is relishing!!

Trivia question: The Doctor is the second tallest UK singer to have had a number 1 in this country. Who was the tallest? (Clue; His name gives it away!)

Nathan James - Lead Singer

Nathan discovered his talent for singing when he auditioned for a mass schools concert aged 11 and was chosen to sing solo in front of 2000 people. From that moment on Nathan knew he wanted to perform.

After Nathan's performance he was asked to audition for the Berkshire Boys Choir. He did and stayed there for two years singing alto. In his time there the choir toured all over England and performed in such venues as the Royal Albert Hall and the Royal Festival Hall and competed in many competitions. He also toured Germany, Holland and Denmark with the choir in cathedrals and concert halls.

Aged 13 Nathan joined a part time theatre school and starred in numerous productions in his time there. His voice developed and broke when he turned 14, leaving him with a high but soulful pop/rock sound. Nathan was also an extra in the fourth Harry Potter film 'The Goblet of Fire'.

He left school after his GCSEs and went to work as a male vocalist in a show team on a privately owned holiday park in beautiful south Devon where he performed in 5 themed shows a week. This allowed Nathan to build his repertoire of pop music.

During Nathan's Summer season at the park he appeared on the hit ITV show the X Factor, aged 17, and managed to secure himself a place at boot camp. Nathan did very well at boot camp and got into the last 21 in his category. Nathan was a hit with all of the judges and Simon Cowell described him as 'a male Joss Stone'.

In September of 2005 Nathan moved to Tenerife and worked as a singer in numerous hotels on the island. 2006 saw Nathan's return to England. With the new experiences under his belt he set to work on his own cabaret show to tour round parks and clubs in the U.K. Nathan toured for the whole of 2006 in various bands and duos to gain experience in performance and the world of live performance as himself.

Nathan has recently returned from the United States. He sang on a Royal Caribbean cruise liner where he spent nine months as a lead production vocalist for them, appearing in two production shows per week.

Nathan is thrilled to be in this show and hopes you enjoy his performance as much as he does.he would like to dedicate his performance to his mum and one year old sister Evie.

Wayne Denton - Lead Singer

Wayne Denton is a vibrant, exciting performer, entertaining audiences of all ages in a career that spans an impressive trackrecord.

Many will recognise him after he won TV's NewFaces‚ in the late eighties. From this Wayne toured the UK with many shows appearing with the likes of Cannon and Ball, Jim Davidson and Ken Dodd.

Wayne then concentrated on the cruise market, and for many years performed on the world's most luxurious cruise liners.

As well as his solo act, Wayne has also appeared in the renowned production‚ Red Hot Country. He also now tours in his own production Country Roads - A celebration of John Denver.

Katie Ashby - Singer/Dancer/
Choreographer

Originally from Wakefield, Yorkshire, now based in Birmingham. Katie was trained in Leeds and has been performing since the age of 12.

Over the years she has worked with such celebrities as Russ Abbott, David Essex,Su Pollard and Jim Davidson to mention a few. Many cruise ships and theatres across the UK have seen Katie performing and appearing in pantos.

She has subsequently started up her big band sound Ocean Eleven.

Laura Jean Clinton - Singer/Dancer

Originally from Coventry, Laura started studying performing arts at Coventry University, she then went on to Blackpool and the Fylde College of Arts to study musical theatre. Since graduating she has had ong oing vocal training at Central Voice Studios by Sarah Wright-Owens and West End musical director Stephen Owens.

After graduating Laura went on to join the Thorpe Park Actors Company during which time she also worked as a backing singer for a soul artist signed by Beverley Knight's first record label, Dome Records.

In 2003, Laura was cast in her dream role as Karen Carpenter in A TributeTo The Music Of The Carpenters. Shortly after went on to play Belle in a tour of Beauty And The Beast which then led to sailing the high seas on board P&O's MV Aurora. Since then Laura has had several exciting contracts at sea onboard Aurora and also P&O's Orianna.

After cruising, Laura went on to work for leading pantomime producers Qdos Entertainment in various shows such as Aladdin and Fame.

In 2007 she was production vocalist/dancer for the Copthorne Theatre in Cardiff, this led her to lots of exciting opportunities such as performing at the great Millennium Stadium, singing the Welsh National Anthem at the rugby and performing alongside lots of stars at the Cardiff Mardi Gras.

She is extremely excited about her next journey along Route 66.

Phoebe Appleby - Singer/Dancer

Phoebe has been singing and dancing since the age of 3 years old. At 15 years old she attended Tring Park Arts school after which she was awarded a scholarship to the Northern Ballet School.

Since graduating in 2006 her credits include Muscat Culture Festival in Oman, National Syrian Dance Company, Viva Las Vegas UK tour, A Night In Rio Christmas Show, backing dancer for The Fratellis Band, dancing for Stars In Their Eyes.

Phoebe not only enjoys performing but also has a love for travelling so plans to work abroad, singing and dancing over the next few years.

She also loves to return home to the Cotswolds and enjoy the beautiful countryside.

Anna Ludford - Singer/Dancer

Anna is Birmingham born. classically trained ballerina and has enjoyed dancing from an early age.

She has toured many theatres across the UK with Exalt and also played to packed houses as Peter Pan in Newark.

More recently she appeared in Mother Goose at the Adam Smith Theatre, Kirkcaldy to rave reviews.

Ian Kimber - Keyboards

Educated at Chethams School Of Music, Guildhall School Of Music and Drama and Tredegar College. Ian became a professional keyboard player age 23, joining a local function band, doing summer seasons, several cruises and generally touring around Great Britain. After 7 years he left and became the musical director at Warners Holme Lacy House Hotel.

Ian left Warners in June 2007 after 10 years and is now an 'International' freelance keyboard player, which basically means he's unemployed all over the world!!!

Ian has played for many artists over the years, Cannon & Ball, Little & Large, Ken Dodd, Frank Carson, Mick Miller, Roy Walker, Gerard Kenny, Bobby Davro, Jimmy Tarbuck and Victoria Wood to name but a few.

James Hartley - Bass

On leaving school, James worked in a music shop selling guitars until joining a leading tribute band that travelled all across Europe and Japan. From there I was head-hunted to join the supporting band on Alice Coopers 2000 European tour. The next three years were a blur of writing, recording & touring.

Since then he has been running his own recording studio, working closely writing with artists and producers, as well as playing guitar with Dr & the Medics.

Phil Walker - Music Director/Guitar

I have been playing guitar since the age of six. As soon as I left school I joined a pro band and hit the road. I have been lucky enough through out my career to have played all over the world in some fantastic venues and studio's.

More recently I have been musical director and drummer in a very successful touring theatre show. I like to keep busy all of the time and working for the show providers definitly see's to that!!!

REVIEWS:

A Brilliant Show

John Bayley - 3J's Pomotions - Northwich

What a Brilliant show - the feedback has been fantastic

I look forward to seeing you again next year.

Fabulous Show

Vince Hope - Manager - Alnwick

Route 66’ was a fabulous show. Thank you very much indeed for making that happen for us here. Such energy and professionalism, and once again a fantastic cast and crew to work with!!

Great Show in Derby

Louise - Assembly Rooms - Derby - Fan

I just wanted to say 'thank you' for putting on a great show lastnight in Derby! Such a great mix of performers - all extremely talented!

My husband and I did Route 66 for our honeymoon in September last year so it was great to come along to a show like yours and enjoy some memories from our time over there!!

Also, it was really nice of you all to do the meet and greet at the end of the show!! Very much appreciated! Everyone was so polite and lovely.

All the best with the rest of your shows!!!

Kind regards,

Louise

A Really Great Evening

Annette & Clive Bryant - Playhouse - Weston Super-Mare

We attended the Route 66 show at the Playhouse in Weston Super-Mare. We weren't sure what to expect but had a really great evening.

The cast sang brilliantly and the choreography was superb. The Film footage of Route 66 projected into screens on stage and pulled the whole thing together and I loved the Harley Davidson on stage!!

The songs brought back memories of old favouites and we ended up singing along to the whole show.

The Best show I have seen for a while

Russ Brewster - CBS Group

Last nights show was simply fantastic. I have to say that it was one of the best shows we have seen for a while

We were only going to stay for the first half, but as it was that good, we stayed right until the end.

The vocalists were all great..however the blonde girl (singer/dancer) and one of the lead male singer/dancer was exceptional.

The Show was fantastic

Bill Macdonald - Bristol - Fan - Evening Post I thought the show was fantastic,the energy from the cast spread among the audience.I have been to a number of shows in london,and i can honestly say this was one of the best put together shows i have seen.The vocal quaility of the singers kept me clapping and stamping my feet, and would happily watch and listen to the show again,realy looking forward when the dvd is on sale,i will be first in the que.Thanks for a lovely night,wish you all the best for The rest of your tour. Bill

Fantastic Show

Mike Forest-Walker - Manager - Leatherhead Theatre Thank you for a fantastic show on Tuesday. The audience obviously much enjoyed it. Many Thanks

ROUTE TO SUCCESS!

JIM KENNEDY - ENCORE MAGAZINE - Ferneham Theatre, Fareham - June 2008. For those who lack imagination, ROUTE 66 is nothing more than a 2,448 mile strip of concrete that runs from Chicago in the East to Los Angeles in the West. To those of a more agile mind, however, the very name conjures up magic in story and song, as the road wends its way through eight American States on its journey from Coast to Coast. Such was the essence of this new show - sponsored by Harley-Davidson, and for those who love the music of the 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's, I can promise an evening of great enjoyment. The songs range from the driving force of heavy rock to the more gentle tones of John Denver, interspersed with some Elvis, Neil Diamond, Cher and Tina Turner. Providing the male vocals are a trio, all with excellent voices, ..The Reverend Dr. Clive Thomas Jackson, lead singer of the hit band 'Doctor and the Medics', Wayne Denton, a ringer for John Denver, and the special Nathan James, tall, good looking and a fine dancer - surely a star waiting to be discovered. If the male principals take front stage, it is the four attractive young ladies who are the catalyst in this enjoyable production. All four - Katie Ashby, Laura Jean Clinton, Anna Ludford and Phoebe Appleby - look shapely and sing and dance with great style, but it is their polish that lifts their show to a higher plane. Whether at the front of stage in dance routines, or upstage as cosmetic background, their hand and leg movements are polished and beautifully choreographed. With over 65 songs on offer, backed by an excellent band, it really is a musical cornucopia driven with great energy and enthusiasm. Because of their sponsorship the theatre car park was well filled with Harley-Davidson motorbikes, with their owners occupying a healthy number of seats on offer - and with 30 Harley Dealerships throughout Great Britain, and all promising to boost attendances, the show will surely prove successful, not just because of the bikers, but mainly because this production is rich in talent and strong in content, with all the well known songs of a special era. A safe and well tried policy faithfully adopted by The Show Providers on every show they present.

Trip Down Memory Lane on Route 66

Heather Annis - Evesham Observer - June 2008. WHEN the Route 66 tour came to the Evesham Arts Centre, I could not believe my luck in being invited to attend and write a review of the evening. I was so excited as it meant I was going to meet Doctor Clive himself from The Doctor and the Medics. I remembered him from when I was in my teens when they got to number one with Spirit In The Sky. The show was an amazing non-stop of American country rock, pop and classics of Route 66, with songs from Meatloaf,Cher, Eagles, Elvis and Tina Turner. The highlight for me being a collection of hits by Jon Bon Jovi sung by Nathan James. It was like Jon Bon Jovi himself was on the stage. The whole cast brought such life and fun to the show with their energetic dancing and brilliant voices, you just could not help joining in with the singing. The audience seemed to be enjoying themselves and we all certainly made plenty of noise in applauding, singing and dancing. The show was produced by the Showproviders who are also producing the critically acclaimed and very successful Irish show titled the Essence of Ireland, which is touring throughout the UK and Europe this year and next. If Route 66 is anything to go by, this show will be well worth seeing.

A Fantastic Night Out

Heather Pickstock - Bristol Evening Post - June 2008 The engines roared, the lights went up and the story of the most famous highway in the world began. Complete with Harley Davidson parked on stage, the Somerset Hall in Portishead became the venue for a musical journey along the 2,448 miles of America's famous Route 66. The show was put on by production company The Show Providers, and the 10-strong cast was headed by the Doctor from Doctor and the Medics - famed for their number one hit Spirit in the Sky. The show kicked off with an obvious choice Steppenwolf's Born to be Wild. but it certainly got the audience rocking. Although with slightly more wrinkles than in his 80s heyday, The Doctor - aka Clive Jackson - gave a sterling performance, still wearing his black spider-like make-up and a selection of colourful, floor-length overcoats. He was powerful on stage as country legend Johnny Cash singing tracks including Walk the Line, but not so good as the king of rock and roll Elvis - especially with the wild hair and make-up. Vocally, The Doctor was excellent, but a catsuit and wig - an obvious Elvis look, I know - may have made him more believable. However, the audience went into a frenzy when he reverted to his 80s form to belt out Spirit in the Sky. He was fantastic as Meatloaf, too. The show was polished and slick, with excellent vocals - especially from Katie Ashby, the production's choreographer, and lead vocalist Wayne Denton. Special mention must go to lead guitarist and musical director Phil Walker that man made his guitar sing. Wayne, who won New Faces in 1987, came on as John Denver, singing You Fill up My Senses and Country Roads, a nice diversion from the heavier rock tunes from the first part of the show. And the show, being run in association with Harley Davidson Europe, had a secret weapon in the form of 19-year-old rocker Nathan James who was equally at home clad in leather as Bon Jovi singing You Give Love a Bad Name as he was trussed up in a white suit singing Michael Bolton ballads. If Simon Cowell had been in the audience he would have snapped this chap up without a thought. It was a first tour for Nathan, but certainly the start of a very promising career. He had great stage presence, a fantastic voice and looked great in leather. Overall, Route 66 was a fantastic night out and a definite date for the diary.

Fantastic Show

Josie & Dave Howard - Evesham Arts Centre - Observer Newspaper. ON MAY 28 at Evesham Arts Centre we watched Route 66 which was a fantastic show by very professional enthusiastic performers. We would recommend anyone with a love of American rock and country music to see this show. Route 66 are to return later in the year and we shall again be there to join in the fun. We are so lucky in Evesham to have such a super entertainment facility so let us support it.

Bringing Back the Memories

Alan Stokes - Harley Great Western Chapter - Bristol. I attended your show on Sunday 1st June 2008 at the Somerset Hall, Portishead. I am a member of the Great Western Chapter in Bristol and obviously ride a Harley. It was for this reason and the connection with Harley Davidson that I decided to come along and see what it was all about. I must say, I really did not know what to expect, and I was absolutely astounded by what I saw. The set, the music and the cast were all superb. I cannot remember when I enjoyed an evening so much. The songs brought back many pleasant memories, and both my wife and I found ourselves singing along to the whole show. The screen shots were a masterpiece and I thought pulled the whole show into context. It certainly made me feel like jumping on the bike and heading off into the sunset. It was absolutely brilliant and I found the interaction with the audience really pleasing. Having spoken to many of my fellow chapter members, I know they feel the same way. On behalf of the Great Western Chapter, may I once again thank you all for a tremendously entertaining night. Best wishes for the future and I will be looking out for future productions.

Great Show

Jill Gilbert - Fan - Ludlow Assembly Rooms. Just to let you know how much I enjoyed your 'Route 66' show at the Ludlow Assembly Rooms last night - I drove Route 66 last year, using as much of the old road as possible, so watching your show allowed me to re-live it! Great show, excellent cast! - thanks!

Clive Greeney - Theatre Manager - Lowther Pavilion - April 2008

The Show providers certainly provided their Lytham St Annes audience a lively trip along Route 66. The journey from Chicago to Los Angeles raced along as song after song was belted out. The gleaming Harley Davidson on stage and the projected scenes of Route 66 and Americana all added to the excitement. Wayne Denton, Nathan James and The Doctor sang in the style of such greats as Meatloaf, Bon Jovi and Johnny Cash to name a few. With classic songs like Born to be Wild, Drove All Night, Bat Out of Hell and Holding Out For a Hero it would be hard to go wrong. The girls gave tribute to Tina Turner and Cher amongst others. I liked the way each song led smoothly to the next and the artists supported each other by providing backing vocals and dancing when they weren't in the spotlight themselves. The music was excellent. Keyboard, drums and the two guitarists had the theatre jumping. The set was nice with a bar which The Doctor made good use of and there were some fantastic lighting effects. The night ended with everyone on their feet clapping and stamping along to Summer of 69 and of course Route 66.

Simon Findel-Hawkins - Manager - Exmouth pavilion - May 2008

Great feedback from Monday night, one customer claimed it was the best show the pavilion has ever had !!! Great audience paticipation and interaction,very professional and the audience loved it. When can we re-book ?

Howard & Pauline - Fan Medina Theatre Isle of White May 2008

Great show tonight on the island. We really liked the pace of the show and it's great to see live music and dance being performed by artistes who clearly really enjoy their work. Keep up the good work and hopefully we will take in the show again in the autumn this year.

Terry Gregory - Entertainments Director - Cooper Avon - Annual Gala Event

The Route 66 was sensational last Sunday. The show rocked the place from start to finish. It was the best we have ever had. Thank you for making our night such a special one.

A Fast paced, vibrant and beautifully choreographed show

Gordan Edwards - British Airways Club - Heathrow. The Showproviders have done it again. Following the recent success of the Essence of Ireland, The Showproviders have presented their preview of their new show 'Route 66', which is being produced in association with Harley-Davidson. This fast paced, vibrant and beautifully choreographed show brings together the very best of American music featuring some of America's best loved artists including Elvis, Bruce Springsteen, Cher, John Denver, Bon Jovi, Leanne Rhymes, Tina Turner to name but a few. Clive, the Dr from Doctor and the Medics leads an extremely talented cast, which includes 4 sensational girl vocal/dancers along side Wayne Denton (New Faces Winner) and Nathan James (X Factor) and not forgetting the multi-talented 'Route 66' band. Video footage is cleverly introduced throughout the show giving us all an insight into this iconic piece of American history. This commercial fast moving show will appeal to all ages, young and old and our audience gave the show a deserved standing ovation.

Upcoming Shows

Just to let you all know the Forum is now open on http://www.theshowproviders.biz so please pop in and say hi.

Also The competition has been posted on the Forum so please come and join us if you fancy winning

Two tickets to see either Route 66, Essence of Ireland, Red Hot Musicals or Red Hot Abba and Summer Nights, a Route 66 CD, Signed Brochure and bottle of champagne on arrival at the theatre you choose!!!

SEE YOU THERE :)

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