Jimmy Osmond To Star In Musical Chicago At Birmingham Hippodrome
Birmingham Mail
by Harriet Alexander
January 6, 2009
HE’S the Long Haired Lover from Liverpool, but he is on his way to Birmingham.
Jimmy Osmond, youngest member of The Osmonds singing group, is to perform in the musical Chicago at the Hippodrome, it was announced today.
And fans of the showbiz pin-up are sure to be flocking to see him in action as Billy Flynn, the slick 1920s Chicago lawyer.
Stuart Griffiths, chief executive of the Birmingham Hippodrome, said: “Chicago is one of theatre’s most thrilling musicals.
“We are delighted to welcome the show with such a great cast to Birmingham Hippodrome for the first time.”
Jimmy will tread the boards alongside Emma Barton, the actress who played Honey Mitchell in EastEnders.
The show, which begins in Bradford in March, will travel to ten cities before finally ending its run in Birmingham, from June 1-13.
But Little Jimmy, who rose to fame as part of the 1970s family band, has never stopped performing.
The 45-year-old owns a chain of theatres in the States, and still tours. Having sold more than 100 million albums as part of the Osmonds, he went on to record six solo albums and sing in Swedish, Japanese and Spanish.
A devoted Mormon, Jimmy lives in Utah with his wife and four children.
His family follow him wherever he goes. “I hate being without them for a single minute,” he said.
But the teen idol shows no signs of taking life easy.
In 2005 he finished fourth in I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! and in June last year performed alongside his siblings in Birmingham, as part of the group’s 50th anniversary world tour.
Later this month Jimmy will be strutting his stuff on the West End stage alongside X Factor star Ray Quinn in Grease – the fulfilment of a long-held ambition.
“It has been a lifelong dream of mine to play in the West End and what better show than Grease. It is fast, fun, energetic and full of talent and I am just thrilled to be playing Teen Angel. In 10 years’ time, I hope to be still working and doing new things. I don’t like doing nothing, I am a do-er in every sense.”
Birmingham was last hit by Osmond-mania in May last year when the whole band held a sell-out concert at the National Indoor Arena.
It was their first appearance in the city for almost 30 years, and thousands of fans held vigils to make sure they got tickets.
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