Actress to lead cast in Tiger Bay musical

A SOUTH Wales woman will lead the cast for the world premiere of Tiger Bay the Musical in Cardiff after an “outstand- ing” performance in previews in South Africa.

Vikki Bebb, from Abercynon, will join musical legend John Owen-Jones at the Wales Millennium Centre when the musical opens this November.

And actor and singer Mr Owen-Jones was so impressed with Vikki, he has also recruited her for a separate show, which will see her tour Wales with him.

Vikki was cast as Rowena Pryddy, a shop girl from the Welsh Valleys, for the preview performances in Cape Town, but it has now been confirmed she will keep the role when the show arrives in Cardiff Bay.

Vikki, 26, said: “It is an absolute honour to play Rowena for the world premiere of this new musical in Cardiff and performing with John on his tour is a fantastic opportunity. I went to Cape Town looking to learn as much as I could from the extremely talented people around me, and being cast for Cardiff is beyond anything I expected.”

In the show, Rowena journeys to the big city, finding love in her quest for a place in society.

The musical takes us back to the early 1900s in old Butetown, the docklands and Cardiff city centre at an extraordinary turning point in history, when coal was king and the industry booming.

Vikki, who attended the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama, has been invited by Mr Owen-Jones to join him on his homecoming tour, Bring Him Home: A Collection of Musical Favourites, this month.

The world premiere of Tiger Bay the Musical will take place on November 15.

Tickets are on sale now for the show at www.tigerbaythemusical.com