News
Sheila starring as Miss Sherman in Fame, The Musical
If anyone has "The Luck of the Irish", Sheila Ferguson does...we can now announce that Sheila will be starring as Miss Sherman in FAME, THE MUSICAL which opens in Dublin and goes on to tour Ireland from August 19th - October 10th.
When RTE, Ireland's National Broadcasting Station, first launched it's Primetime National Talent Search Show for the lead performers of FAME The Musical, thousands applied, 50 enrolled in Fame School but only 12 made it to the finals. Now the show's winners Ben Morris and Jessica Cervi are going to find that if they really want Fame, well Fame costs...as they embark on a prestigious nationwide live tour, along with the iconic Sheila Ferguson as their teacher.
The musical will be launching at the brand new 2000 + seater 'The Grand Canal Theatre', Dublin's flagship performance venue and then travelling across the country from Mayo in the West of Ireland to the historic Belfast Opera House, as well as the equally legendary Cork Opera House.
Sheila, Ben, Jessica, along with the cast of Ireland's most talented young performers will be in great company. Not only is this spectacular new show to be choreographed by Gary Lloyd - the man behind huge West End hits 'Dancing in the Street' and who was up for an Ivor Novello award for his choreography of the musical 'Thriller Live', but Gary (along with Kim Gavin) also choreographed Sheila in one of her own musical, the hit show 'Oh What A Night. Most of you will already know that the role of Miss Sherman was originally played on and off Broadway, at The Shubert Theatre in Sheila's home town of Philadelphia and had the likes of the great Debbie Allen, Irene Cara and many other great talents working in various productions, the movie and TV shows all over the world. So people will be flocking by the thousands to see this new updated production.
Another Irish legend with whom Sheila is keen to work is director, Brian Flynn whose credits include Jesus Christ Superstar, The Sound of Music, Oliver, Beauty and the Beast, Man of La Mancha and many many more. Too many to mention. But quite recently Brian directed West Side Story for the Cork Opera House.
FAME will open at Dublin's brand new 2,000 + seater The Grand Canal Theatre and go on from there.
The schedule is as follows:
Rehearsals begin 26th July in Dublin.
Previews begin 19th August at the Grand Canal Theatre, Dublin.
Opening Press Night - 21st August.
14th - 19th September - Royal Theatre, Castlebar, Co Mayo
21st - 26th September - Belfast Opera House
28th September - 10th October - Opera House, Cork
Full more details see: http://www.rte.ie/tv/fame/tour.html or
Sheila’s facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/sdferguson
Motown Tour
Sincere thanks to the many people who have contacted us regarding the upcoming Motown tour featuring the Three Degrees. While we wish the event every success please note that Sheila is NOT involved in this tour either as a group member or solo artist. Details of her own upcoming schedule will be posted on Facebook and at www.sheilaferguson.com in due course.
Sheila Ferguson Management.
Stop Press:
Click below to Listen to the radio documentary on the legendary Philadelphia International record label, featuring never before heard interviews and narration by Sheila Ferguson.
The Philadelphia International documentary was originally broadcast on Sunday March 22nd and is now being replayed this Sunday (28th Feb 2010) at 1pm. The radio station website and link to play the documentary is:
http://www.smoothradionorthwest.co.uk/
Sheilas Panto Reviews
First Night Review, The Sentinel:
''The American star Sheila Ferguson, formerly of The Three Degrees, is a vision in purple and sparkling silver as Fairy Oatcakes. She brings wit and style to the role, and her rendition of When Will I See You again is probably the musical highpoint of the show.''
The Stage:
''Sheila Ferguson makes a great Fairy Oatcakes''
http://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/review.php/26585/dick-whittington
Pits N Pots:
‘’Fairy Oatcakes is played by the wonderful Sheila Ferguson. Good lord can this lady belt out a decent tune! The ex Three Degrees lead singer gave a marvellous performance. This year perhaps the panto should have been Peter Pan because she still looks amazing too! ‘’
http://pitsnpots.co.uk/news/2009/12/dick-whittington-stokie-style-panto-review
Sheila's Panto Interview
Read the interview with Sheila Ferguson for the Staffordshire Sentinel here
Panto meets Pudsey Bear!
Sheila and the Dick Whittington cast will be hitting the phones at the Stoke-on-Trent Call Centre as part of the BBC's National Children in Need Telethon on 20th November.
Sheila should be doing her stuff between 7 - 8pm. Watch the live broadcast on BBC, as the event will be filmed and you never know which region may pop up and if you are in the area do pop down and say hi!
Diva Time on Radio Devon...
Sheila recently took time out from panto preparation to catch up with one of the living legends of BBC Pop radio Tony Blackburn on his morning show where they swapped ''I'm a Celebrity'' experiences, views on the current record scene, and insights into the relative merits of logs and oatcakes (!) You can hear the interview here..
Stop Press: Sheila's 2009 Pantomime announced!
Watch the skies...the funkiest Fairy in all of showbusiness is taking wing again, as Sheila once again partners with Britain's premier pantomime company, First Family Entertainment for Dick Whittington at the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent
Sheila will be joining Stoke’s favourite panto star Jonathan Wilkes who is back following an astonishing run of four record-breaking years with Mother Goose, Aladdin, Cinderella and Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
Joining Jonathan and Sheila will be West End superstar Steven Serlin as the wicked King Rat and Christian Patterson one of the top ''Dames'' in the business.
The show runs from Thurs 10th Dec 2009 to Sunday 10th January 2010 and as in previous years is expected to sell out long before opening night, so to book early and secure your ticket call 0870 060 6619 or visit http://www.ambassadortickets.com/Regent-Theatre
For Sheila's dazzling panto career to date, check out our brand new storybook feature and watch this space for exclusive for more pics, news and panto updates as 2009's opening night draws near.
New Patron Post for Sheila
Sheila has been appointed an Honorary Patron of The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America. The Guild is a registered charity, originally founded in 1985 by its Artistic Director Adrian Barry and its chairman Neil Morkunas, whose aims are to keep the spirit of Music Hall, Variety, Vaudeville and Pantomime alive.
Through research and the collecting of archive material, The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America utilises this information to stage educational projects that include travelling exhibitions, professional theatre productions, talks and guided tours, reminiscence projects for the elderly, as well as educational projects for young people.
The Music Hall Guild of Great Britain and America cares, maintains, restores and erects memorials to Music Hall performers and other members of the theatrical profession with the aim of commemorating their contribution to the world of entertainment which has helped to shape the cultural history of entertainment as we know it.
Exclusive Report from 2009 'Pirates' Charity Premiere in Mallorca
Sheila has just returned from attending the Premiere Charity Event at the prestigious Pirates venue in Mallorca on May 2nd 2009. All of the proceeds from the night will be going to the Great Ormond Street Hospital to help them continue the fine work they do for children around the world.
We won't know the exact amount of money raised until after the raffle next week, but we do know that the actual celebrity auction itself earned in excesss of €80,000.00 with items such as montage of photos of Sir Winston Churchill attracting over €5,000 euros and a jumpsuit and helmet signed by Lewis Hamilton going for over €4,000.00 euros.
The event was covered by both Hello! and Ok! magazines so keep an eye out for the official photos and articles, but meantime, exclusively for us, here is Sheila's own diary of what was a star studded event:
''I must say that it amazed me to see just how much people were willing to pay for signed tee-shirts of footballers? Umph!!! We each must follow the sound of our own drums, I suppose? While mine surely wouldn't include the distant flapping of a sweaty shirt, it just might hear the heartbeat of the particular footballer!
At any rate, it was indeed a night to remember. I immediately bonded with Claire Sweeney star of Chicago and many other stage and screen hits, and one of the queens of uk drama and comedy, Pauline Quirke. It as also great to meet Joe Swash, of Eastenders fame and the 2008 and most recent winner of 'I'm A Celebrity - Get Me Outta Here'. Boy did we have a lotta notes to compare... we laughed until we cried about the smell of the burning wood (that took weeks to get from out of your hair) the spiders, snakes, ants, hunger, longest-cooking beans on the planet which still went pop when you bit down to eat them!!! I said to him (as Mike Reid most graciously said to me upon my departure from the jungle) "well ya did it Sheil's....welcome to the most exclusive club in the world!" By then, I knew exactly what he meant (and I could see that Joe Swash did as well!!!) Then he, Claire and I went on into talking about last and this year's pantos, etc.
It was also great to see my old mate, presenter Richard Arnold over here as well. He and I did a stint on 'Celebrity Master Chef'. But as he works regularly for a television company in England called GMTV as does my daughter Alicia, we really are no strangers to one another.
The show put on by the cast at Pirates was top-notch with all of the acrobatics, comedy and dancing skills of a great cast. They were really buzzing that night.
One of the highlights of the night was a speech given by a 12 year old boy by the name of Jake Peach. He insisted on telling his story during the interval at Pirates. Jake had been hospitalised at Great Ormond Street Hospital and in an induced coma for over four months. Once he came out of his coma, he had to re-learn how to use his arms and legs, how to talk, eat, etc and all due to the efforts of the physio-therapy he underwent. But had Great Ormond Street not continued to find out just what it was that was making Jake ill, he wouldn't have been here to tell his impassioned story. They discovered that Jake had had a rare case of leukaemia and when they finally found it, they began the correct treatment. And Jake was here to tell us all about it. This kid is a fantastically brave and gregarious lover of life, whom I feel will succeed at whatever he attempts to do and go far in life.
The after-show-party was no exception to the grandeur of the night. I think I must have been accosted by what felt like hundreds of fans... each with their own distinct stories and memories of the Three Degree days, or of seeing me in 'Thoroughly Modern Millie'', 'Soul Train' , 'Hot Flush' or one of my other musicals. It was all very humbling as well as great fun. But it had also been quite a long day. So I only stayed for an hour, then split. A lady never outstays her welcome...especially if her feet are killing her!!!
Photography courtesy of Stuart Pearce.
Pirates Premiere 2009
Sheila joins Celebrity Pirates Crew for Charity Sheila Ferguson will be amongst a star-studded cast of celebrities who will be hosting the Gala Premiere for this season's opening night at the prestigious Pirates venue in Mallorca.
The event is being held on Saturday, May 2nd with proceeds going to London's famous Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital. €400,000 has already been raised over the past five years and the aim is increase that sum by a substantial amount as such a worthwhile cause deserves. As part of the undraising effort, five families will be flown over to enjoy a week on the island and meet the celebrities, which in addition to Sheila will include stars from Eastenders, GMTV and the Harry Potter Movies.
IMPORTANT NOTICE: ''SONGS OF SISTER ACT TOUR'' 2009.
Just a quick word to make it clear that Sheila Ferguson has nothing to do with the 'Songs of Sister Act Tour, 2009. We have received many many emails asking whether or not Sheila is involved with this show. We're afraid it is a case of inaccurate billing, and have requested the promoter involved to put it right on several occasions.
We are very sorry that several of you appear to have booked tickets on the assumption that Sheila was taking part, and can only suggest you take this up with the theatres and tour promoters involved.
Stop Press:
Click Here to Listen to the brand new radio documentary on the legendary Philadelphia International record label, featuring never before heard interviews and narration by Sheila Ferguson.
The Philadelphia International documentary was broadcast this Sunday March 22nd at 1.00pm. The radio station website is:
http://www.smoothradionorthwest.co.uk/
If you were not able to catch it then, the programme is available on the Listen Again facility - here is a link which will take you to that page directly:
Sheila's New Website Launched.
Sheila's new website is here, bringing you everything Sheila represents in one great place. Remember to sign up to the newsletter or even join our Facebook page, that way you'll be the first to know what Sheila's up to and when she is appearing next live where you are! Simply click the tab above or click here to sign up.
Me and My Money
"I spent £10,000 on a dress I wore once."
Sheila Ferguson sang in The Three Degrees - Prince Charles's favourite band. Sheila, 60, who has homes in Majorca and Amersham, Bucks, talks to Lorraine McBride about her money. Click here to see the Daily Mail Article.
