Coronation Street star Kym Marsh has stepped back in time to play the first lady of Weatherfield - Elsie Tanner - in the new musical based on the soap.

Marsh, who plays Michelle Connor in the long-running soap, will play the show's original 1960s scarlet woman in Street Of Dreams.

She said: "The strong, determined and indomitable women have always defined Coronation Street right from the very first episode to the present day and Elsie Tanner will go down in history as one of the most gossiped-about women in Weatherfield. She's left some rather big stiletto shoes to fill but to have the opportunity to represent such an iconic character of yesteryear on a stage of this scale is an absolute honour."

Marsh will share the role with West End star Jodie Prenger who will play Tanner in the 1980s.

Tanner, one of the show's most famous characters, was played by Pat Phoenix for more than 20 years.

The musical, which also stars Paul O'Grady, will revisit momentous episodes from more than half-a-century of history on the street.

Prenger said: "The entire production is just gorgeous with infectious songs which stick in your head. The music is fabulous, the orchestration is phenomenal and the cast are truly amazing. To be asked to play such an amazing part in something that people will be telling their grandchildren about in years to come is just a dream."

Also appearing in the show are Coronation Street veterans Julie Goodyear (Bet Lynch), Kevin Kennedy (Curly Watts) and Bill Roache (Ken Barlow).

The show, which plays in venues in Manchester, Dublin, Belfast and Newcastle, opens in May.

Pictures of Corrie stars ready to swap cobbles for curtains here...

1  of  9

FIRST SLIDE

PREVIOUS SLIDE

NEXT SLIDESHOW

Coronation Street stars prepare to swap cobbles for curtains. Pictures: PA

READ WHOLE POST

Made In Chelsea: The Stars

The Changing Face Of Jackie Stallone

Nigella Lawson

Style Evolution: Jennifer Lopez

Top 20 soap moments

Get A Room! Celeb PDAs

PLAY

FULLSCREEN

ZOOM

SHARE THIS SLIDE 

Coronation Street stars prepare to swap cobbles for curtains. Pictures: PA

 

1

 / 9

SHARE THIS SLIDE

Coronation Street stars prepare to swap cobbles for curtains. Pictures: PA

ADVERTISEMENT

SLIDESHOW THUMBNAILS