A NEW musical charting the life of global singing sensation Susan Boyle will get its world premiere in Newcastle.

I Dreamed A Dream will debut at the Theatre Royal on March 23 next year, produced by Tyneside-born Michael Harrison.

Michael is the brains behind the hugely successful pantomimes at the Royal and also the award-winning revival of Chess, which also premiered at the venue last summer.

Charting Susan Boyle’s meteoric rise from obscurity to international stardom, the musical I Dreamed A Dream will then tour internationally. Tickets for the Newcastle run will go on sale on July 7.

The Susan Boyle phenomenon resonated around the world when she stepped on to the Britain’s Got Talent stage in 2009. She confounded the judges, the audience and over 300 million with access to YouTube who watched her dazzling performance of I Dreamed a Dream.

Two albums later she has smashed multiple music records, selling over 14 million albums.

Susan will be played by Elaine C Smith, famed for her role as Mary Doll in Rab C Nesbitt and a particular favourite of Susan’s.

“About a year ago Susan said if they made a movie about her life she would like Elaine to play her. She is a big fan,” explained Michael, who grew up in Wallsend.

“I produced and directed Elaine in The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, various pantomimes and other plays, and we knew each other quite well.

“She mentioned what Susan had said and we laughed about it and said wouldn’t a musical be a good idea.