Borough-born Thriller Live star returns home from West End to headline North West show

Borough-born singer David Julien is to celebrate two years starring in Thriller Live in the West End by headlining the show in the North West.
David Julien in actionDavid Julien in action
David Julien in action

The former Winstanley College student from Leigh will make his city stage debut at Manchester Opera House between February 10 and 15.

David studied performing arts at Winstanley, performing in the musicals West Side Story, Crazy For You, The Full Monty and Blood Brothers, and first came to public attention in 2012 as an unforgettable finalist on the very first series of The Voice UK.

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He joined the West End cast of Thriller Live as a lead vocalist during its record-breaking 10th year in the West End, and performs the Michael Jackson hits Dirty Diana, Bad, She’s Out of My Life and Beat It in the spectacular concert created to celebrate the greatest music ever written.

He said: “To finally get the opportunity to perform these iconic songs in my home city is a dream come true.”

Thriller Live has to date played a staggering 7,000 performances worldwide and has been seen by over five million people in over 30 countries.

It continues to Moonwalk around the world, taking audiences on an audiovisual journey through an unparalleled catalogue of non-stop hits from pop to rock, soul to disco as the cast pay homage to a musical legacy and iconic choreography executed with flair, precision and passion.

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The latest UK tour coincides with the release of My Life with Michael, a revealing autobiographical look at director Gary Lloyd’s journey working with the legacy of Michael Jackson and 10 years of Thriller Live in the West End.

Thriller Live was launched at the Lyric Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue in 2009 and it holds the record as the longest ever run of a show since the theatre opened in 1888. On April 7 2019, the 4,625th West End performance saw it overtake Miss Saigon to become the 13th longest running West End musical of all time.

Now in its 11th year, Thriller Live is a non-stop playlist featuring highlights from Michael Jackson’s 45-year career, from his time with the Jackson 5 to Thriller, the world’s best-selling album, with an estimated 66 million copies sold to date.

Originally scheduled from January 2009 to May the same year, the show’s run has been extended numerous times since and continues to draw fans to sold-out shows at the Lyric.

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Unlike other West End musicals, there is no script or plot but an eye-popping celebration of the Jacksons’ music legacy, full of high-energy dancing and the pulsating sound of pop hits.

The show changes each year with new numbers added, and features specially created video footage and effects and dazzling choreography by the show’s award-winning director/choreographer, Gary Lloyd.