Written by Derek Webb, opening at Swansea Grand Theatre - Arts Wing
Wed 11 - Thurs 12 Sept and then touring
This year is the 50th anniversary of the start of Dusty Springfield's solo career. The iconic singer, who for millions was the definitive pop diva, launched her first solo hit record 'I Only Want to Be With You' in 1963. Celebrating this fact is a new play by Derek Webb called 'Call Me Dusty'.
With Jessica Sandry in the title role, the play attempts to disentangle myth and facts, and begin to understand the very complex character who was Dusty Springfield. She was born Mary Isabel Catherine Bernadette O'Brien - a shy, chubby, Catholic convent girl.
'Call Me Dusty' explores the dichotomy of the quiet, shy private person and her alter ego with her extravagant black mascara and backcombed hair; while at the same time celebrating the music which still ranks amongst the best of its kind. Not for nothing is Dusty Springfield heralded as the finest white soul singer ever.
Jessica Sandry, who plays Dusty, is in the new series of Stella with Ruth Jones on Sky TV and her numerous stage appearances have included portraying another singing legend, Doris Day, in the acclaimed show Being Doris Day which toured nationally. Playing her manager Vic Billings and other characters is James Scannell whose stage credits include Romeo & Juliet, The Caucasian Chalk Circle, Hamlet, A Christmas Carol, Romeo & Juliet, and Of Mice and Men. And playing Dusty's secretary Pat Rhodes and other characters is Jayne Stillman, whose credits include Varya in The Cherry Orchard, Miss Ronberry in The Corn is Green and Emilia in Othello.
The play covers the time from when she first decided to reinvent herself as Dusty Springfield to a period in the early 1970s when she had seen the meteoric rise in her career begin to falter and decided to move to the US. Dusty herself in fact tried several times to reinvent herself, and achieved a reawakening in her fortunes and discovered a brand new fan base in the late 1980s when the Pet Shop Boys asked her to sing on the No 1 hit 'What Have I Done to Deserve This?'. Dusty Springfield died of breast cancer in 1999 just short of her 60th birthday.
Call Me Dusty is produced by Ignition and plays at the Swansea Grand on September 11th and 12th before touring:
September 20- The Miners' Theatre, Ammanford
September 26- The Metropole, Abertillary
September 27 - The Savoy Theatre, Monmouth
October 4 The Congress, Cwmbran
October 17 - Memorial Hall and Theatre, Barry
October 24 - Riverfront, Newport
November 6 - Theatr Mwldan, Cardigan
November 13 - The Torch Theatre, Milford Haven
November 14 - The Swan Theatre, Worcester
November 22 - Stiwdio Stepni, Y Ffwrnes, Llanelli
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