Join us for an afternoon of delightful entertainment featuring the captivating talents of Rachel Mercer and Ian Fox.
Rachel brings her stunning vocals to the stage with a repertoire of vintage hits and musical theatre favourites, while Ian’s wealth of experience in musical theatre, operatic roles, and captivating performances will add charm and variety to this wonderful show.
With an unbeatable ticket price of just £5, don’t miss the chance to brighten your Monday afternoon at the Blackburn Empire Theatre!
Living the Life of Riley is a heart-warming, heart-breaking and hilarious tale of a family, trying to negotiate their way through teenage tantrums, autism, and Grandma!
Starring Vicky Entwistle as Joanne Riley and Leah Bell as “Grandma”
• Strutting Player – Its raw! Its uncomfortable! It’s Hilarious! – Edinburgh Fringe • Culture Vulture – Beautifully written and full of touching moments – Edinburgh Fringe
What our audience said: ** A brilliant story, true to life, a couple of tears but many laughs… Highly recommended. ** ** The trials and tribulations of family life with serious issues and serious laughter, a fabulous cast and an amazing show. ** ** Although very real and sad at times, it makes you realise you are not alone. **
Every night is opening night for The Totally Improvised Musical! Returning to Blackburn Empire Theatre following their Totally Improvised Tour last year, this team of top improvisers are back to compose another comedy musical from your title suggestions! If you like musicals and you like comedy, then you’ll love The Totally Improvised Musical!
Selling out at festivals across the country and nominated for Best Variety Show at Leicester Comedy Festival 2024, this is one night at the theatre you won’t want to miss. Scenes, songs and stories are made up on the spot and there may even be some “dancing”.
Previous musical titles have included Vampires from Hull, Lawnmowers: The Musical!, The First Primark in Space, Four Weddings and A Fist Fight, Confessions of a Hotel Cleaner, The Book of More Men, Illegally Ginger and My Grandma Is A Parasite. What will your musical be about? Book now to find out… If the gang use your suggestion, you win a prize! A crowd-pleasing night of live music, laughter and songs with no two shows the same.
“It’s a fun, carefree, and memorable night out that guarantees hilarity, absurdity, fantastic vocals, and catchy songs that you won’t hear anywhere else.” ★★★★½ Frankly My Dear UK
"If you like absurd silliness and musicals, the revolving cast of players is sure to bring the same joy every night." ★★★★Corr Blimey
“This Totally Improvised Musical certainly entertained and satisfied its audience and showed every sign of being able to do it again, and again, and again, and…” Graham Jowett, Buxton Festival Fringe
“Loved it, as did my husband who isn’t a musicals fan like I am! Very highly recommended.” Audience Review edfringe.com 2023
Show devised and presented by The Totally Improvised Company.
Starring Crissy Rock (Benidorm) and Leah Bell (Stage Award Winner) alongside Vanessa Karon and Paul Dunn.
Gladys, Olive and Elsie are three “vintage style” cleaning ladies who, threatened with redundancy, chance on an ‘unconventional’ way of earning some extra cash.
A wrong number requiring a Sex Chat Line rings into the office and gives them a great idea… “Why not start their own Sex Chat Line?” After all, their age and appearance won’t matter on the telephone and providing they can keep this a secret from Dave, their boss…they could be onto a winner!
What could possibly go wrong????
Written by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, this production is directed by Leah Bell who injects this hilarious play with a fresh and lively approach coupled with her own unique comedic style.
The critically acclaimed Women in Rock UK tour is coming
to Blackburn Empire for one night only, and this is a rock concert unlike any
other.
Celebrating the sensationally strong female leaders of
rock, including Blondie, Suzi Q, Janis Joplin, Heart, Joan Jett, Pink, Kiki
Dee, Bonnie Tyler, Cher and so many more!
With a cast of world-class musicians and vocalists that
deliver a blistering 2-hour performance, you’ll be singing, dancing and rocking
out from the off with hit after hit.
A rock show unlike any other with electric costume
changes, soaring vocals, impressive harmonies and audience interaction, you
will not be disappointed. Join us for iconic songs such as Piece Of My Heart,
Black Velvet, You Oughta Know & Left Outside Alone as we show you just what
these women are made of. You’ll be left in awe of the vocal ability of the
Women in Rock cast and feeling like you can take on the world!
Lee Mead, star of Television and award winning West End leading man, is back for 2025!
Lee shot to fame in 2007 on the BBC reality TV show ‘Any Dream Will Do’. Beating 10,000 other hopefuls in the live finals to be crowned as Joseph in Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.
Lee has since starred in a wide range of stage productions, including ‘Wicked’, ‘Legally Blonde’, Chicago, ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ and most recently ‘We Will Rock You” at the London Coliseum last Summer.
He has also released several successful albums that showcase his powerful vocals and impressive range.
This production features Lee’s outstanding live band and stunning musical arrangements. Selected songs from his musical influences and celebrate a career lasting over twenty years.
Join Lee for an evening of unforgettable music from the world of Musical Theatre, contemporary hits and his brand new EP.
Get Ready for an unforgettable
night with The Sixteen Piece Northern Swing Orchestra at The Blackburn Empire
Theatreon Sunday
28th September 2025!
It’s all systems go for
Yorkshire’s premier Big Band, The Sixteen Piece Northern Swing Orchestra, as
they gear up for an electrifying performance.
Prepare yourself for an
evening packed with timeless music, irresistible rhythms, and entertainment
guaranteed to have you tapping your feet and singing along. With their
sensational Rat Pack and Big Band Show, this will be an event to
remember!
Featuring the legendary hits
of Frank Sinatra, Dean Martin, and Sammy Davis Jr., alongside the
swingin' classics of Count Basie, the night will transport you back to
the golden age of music. Expect to hear iconic songs like “The Lady Is a
Tramp”, “Me and My Shadow”, and “Ain’t That a Kick in the Head”,
along with swinging instrumental numbers like “Flight of the Foo Birds”, “Splanky”
and “Sweet Georgia Brown”.
With three incredible
vocalists delivering smooth, powerful performances, you’ll be swept away by
the charm, energy, and unforgettable tunes that defined the Rat Pack era.
Don’t miss this chance to
experience a night of world-class music and nostalgia! Join us for an evening
that promises to be a highlight of the year.
Join Ray, International Bubbleologist and Guinness World Record Holder, and help him in his quest to complete the bubble game and make the ultimate bubble. This is a fast paced show full of high energy and surprises as Ray uses various different gases to create incredible bubble sculptures, effects and magical displays.
Watch in amazement as Ray creates a volcano bubble, a soap bubble carrousel, a bubble ghost and even a tornado inside a bubble!!!!!
Join Ray and see if he can make THE ULTIMATE SQUARE BUBBLE!
When we were young, we’d listen to the radio, waiting for our favourite songs. Now they’re back again, like a long-lost friend, all the song we loved so well…
The UK’s leading Carpenters show, featuring the amazing voice of Maggie Nestor and eight top-class musicians, captures the sights and sounds of the amazing talents of Richard and Karen Carpenter.
Karen’s silky contralto is combined with Richard’s delightful piano and seamless harmonies in this big production that brings Close To You, We’ve Only Just Begun, Top of the World, Rainy Days and Mondays, Solitaire, Goodbye to Love, Please Mr Postman, For All We Know, Only Yesterday and dozens more classic songs to the stage.
The Carpenters Experience is coming to town for an evening of non-stop hits – it’s yesterday once more…
Following on from their SOLD OUT production run of Disney's Frozen JR. in July 2024, Lancashire based Performing Arts School, Act One Beginners, are back for three more nights in 2025 with their latest production of DreamWorks Shrek The Musical JR.
Shrek The Musical JR. follows an ogre named Shrek who has learned the hard way that “people hate the things they cannot understand.” For many years he has protected himself from the hurtful actions of those who are scared of him by living as a recluse in a cosy cesspit. One day, his peaceful swamp is disturbed by new tenants: fairy-tale misfits — including Pinocchio, the Ugly Duckling, the Wicked Witch, Peter Pan, the Three Pigs and the Big Bad Wolf — have been banished there by the villainous Lord Farquaad.
In order to gain back his land, Shrek makes a deal with Farquaad to rescue the feisty princess Fiona from a tower guarded by a fierce dragon. Setting off with his faithful companion, Donkey, Shrek begins the journey of a lifetime filled with adventure, romance, and hilarity.
With music by Jeanine Tesori, book and lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire, Shrek The Musical is based on the Oscar®-winning DreamWorks Animation film and the book Shrek by William Steig. The original Broadway production, starring Brian d'Arcy James as Shrek and Sutton Foster as Fiona, ran for twelve months and received a total of twelve Drama Desk Awards and eight Tony Award nominations, including Best Musical.
Running time is approximately 90 minutes, including an interval.
Further details about Act One Beginners can be found on their website actonebeginners.uk or via the usual social media links. Shrek Jr. Based on the DreamWorks Animation Motion Picture and the Book by William Steig. Book and Lyrics by David Lindsay-Abaire. Music by Jeanine Tesori. Originally produced on Broadway by DreamWorks Theatricals and Neal Street Productions. Original Production Directed by Jason Moore and Rob Ashford. “I’m a Believer” by Neil Diamond. This amateur production is presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International. All authorised performance materials are also supplied by MT I www.mtishows.co.uk
Monday 3rd February 2025 at 2:00pm
