Bad Girls: The Musical

Bad Girls
The Musical
Bad Girls Original Poster
Music	Kath Gotts
Lyrics	Kath Gotts
Book	Maureen Chadwick Ann McManus
Basis	ITV1 television series Bad Girls
Productions	2006 Leeds 2007 West End

Bad Girls: The Musical is a musical with a book by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus and music and lyrics by Kath Gotts. It is based on the popular ITV1 prison drama series, Bad Girls, also by Chadwick and McManus.

The original production was developed and directed by Maggie Norris. It had a tryout at the West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds in June 2006. The West End production began previews at the Garrick Theatre on 16 August 2007 and officially opened on 12 September 2007; however, it closed two months later with the final performance staged on November 17, 2007. The rights to produce the musical are now available through Josef Weinberger Ltd. An Original Cast Recording CD of the musical is now available and a DVD recording of the London production was released in February 2009. It is also available to view on demand through Vimeo.com and Amazon. Nicole Faraday, who portrayed the role of Shell Dockley in both productions won the prestigious TMA Award for Best Supporting role in a Musical in 2006 and was a nominee again for the role of Shell at the Whatsonstage.com Awards 2007/8.

New inmate Rachel Hicks arrives in prison terrified – not helped by the brusque manner of jaded Senior Officer Sylvia "BodyBag" Hollamby. The new Wing Governor Helen Stewart tries to be a more re-assuring presence as she takes Rachel through to G-Wing. We meet the women of Larkhall in "I SHOULDN’T BE HERE" and Rachel is introduced to life inside. Principal Officer Jim Fenner – who believes he's been unfairly passed over for the position of Wing Governor – is dismayed to see Helen making yet another appearance on the wing. He and Sylvia both wish she would stay in her office and stop meddling with the way they like to run things.

Fenner is quick to take Rachel under his wing. He's got her a cell on her own – nice and private. Rachel is upset about having her baby taken away, but Fenner reassures her that he could help sort things out for her on the outside. He can see Rachel is special and he’s going to be keeping a very special eye on her…