BEV Jones is taking to the road from Tuesday to Saturday for the Northern Musical Theatre Company’s first major production away from its traditional York base: the high-tempo musical extravaganza Strictly Spectacular at the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford.

Yet the veteran musical director is fearful of the long-term consequences of the decision he took when York Theatre Royal could not accommodate him this year. “The ticket sales are simply too disappointing for words, and it was never going to be a cheap production, not at a theatre of the Alhambra’s magnitude,” says Bev.

He is accustomed to playing to full houses in York, as he did at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre with Showtime Spectacular last October, or to 94 per cent capacity as he did when staging Summer Holiday in March, but he sounds a warning: “If we do not generate an audience in Bradford next week, then the result will mean no more Bev Jones in York, or anywhere else for that matter, after 40 years.”

His latest show accommodates more than 60 leading musical theatre performers from across Yorkshire, plenty of them familiar faces from York, who will perform 34 songs from the best-loved musicals, such as Hairspray, Bombay Dreams, Les Miserables, Singin’ In The Rain and The Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Professional choreography, an eight-piece orchestra and 500 costumes will add to the production costs of Bev’s independent company. “It has to be the biggest and the best, to simply sit alongside the professional productions that choose to perform at the Alhambra, but we don’t have the celebrity names.

“Yet I believe we have better talent than some of the similar professional shows that are doing the rounds with four or five people who just happened to have been in the chorus of a West End Show and now call themselves ‘West End stars’,” says Bev, himself a former professional singer, who was director of the York Light Opera Company before founding the Northern Musical Theatre Company.

Among the principals from York will be Sally Lewis, who is to play Anita in NMTC’s production of West Side Story in York in July.

“Strictly Spectacular is a wonderful show to be involved in,” Sally says. “Everybody knows the big musicals, even if you’ve never seen the show. There’s something for everybody, from Miss Saigon to 42nd Street.”

Craig Kirby, another York performer, is looking forward to the “great challenge” of playing in Bradford.

“The Northern Musical Theatre Company has a fantastic reputation in York, so going to another prestigious venue like the Bradford Alhambra, where we’re less well known, will be a tremendous experience,” Craig says.

Abby Wells, who studies dance at York St John University, is proud to be part of the performance. “It’s a real privilege working with Bev. He has so much experience in the business and I’m always learning when I’m in his shows,” says Abby, who played Alma in NCMT’s production of Summer Holiday at the Joseph Rowntree Theatre in March.

Lucy McVay, a former York St John University student, specialises in dance and says the choreography is as spectacular as the show’s title would suggest: “It’s not just about the songs; the choreography is vital to a number of the performances and we have some very good routines within the show.”

Among the York singers taking part are Guildhall Opera regular Simon Trow, Caroline Dixon, Ash Stilborn, Joe Wawryzniak and Jenna Howlett, who will appear next in West Side Story this summer.

Two members of the York dance group Attitude will be in the show: Georgina Sykes, from Bishopthorpe, and George Stagnell, from Copmanthorpe. So too will all-rounders Nathan Lodge and Brad Sheriff, from York College; dancer Tilda O’Grady, from Fulford School; Paul Hampshire, from York Light Opera Company; Jordan Gould and Will Fitzpatrick.

* Tickets for Strictly Spectacular are on sale on 01274 432000.