Interview with Michael Starke as White Christmas comes to Sunderland Empire

As the Irving Berlin musical White Christmas arrives in Sunderland, I chatted to actor Michael Starke about the show and what audiences in the North East can expect.

For anyone new to White Christmas, what is the musical all about?

The musical is a stage adaptation of the famous movie which originally featured Bing Crosby, for people new to the story. I play the character of General Henry Waverly who is the main thrust of the musical. He has retired from the army but now owns an inn…there are two of his former soldiers involved who meet up with two sisters who are singers, naturally a love story evolves.

For people who are familiar with White Christmas they will discover that that our adaptation is slightly different from the film version although it is still a nostalgic show to see and hopefully they will love it as much as I do appearing in the show.

We have a great cast including Lorna Luft who has appeared in the show previously, she has been a terrific help to me – she never puts a foot wrong, in my eyes Lorna is a legend. I am in awe too of the kids who are in the show – they are wonderful.

Everywhere we have done the show the theatres have been full and there has been standing ovations every night.

Do you enjoy Christmas?

I do, as it is such a big family time for me, some members of my family would celebrate it all year round if they could. I am fortunate this year in being back at home in Liverpool starring in White Christmas at the Empire Theatre in the city. All my family will be coming along to see me in the musical.

Over the years you have appeared in Brookside, Coronation Street and even Benidorm, have you good memories?

I count myself lucky that I have appeared in all those programmes, it wasn’t until I was writing my biography for the programme to go with White Christmas that I realised how many of those TV programmes I had been in. I have fond memories from all of them and I have gained something from everyone of them that I have done – all have been a great experience for me.

Do you still perform your own one man show on the cruise ships?

I did up until the pandemic, I really liked doing them, it helped too with the older demographic on the cruises as they all knew me! 

The pandemic changed my priorities, I now no longer wait for the phone to ring with offers of work coming in – nowadays I take each week as it comes and live in the moment. The most important things in life are things such as family, love and respect for one another.

Did you always want to be an actor?

Yes, I always did though coming off a council estate in Liverpool I did not go around telling everyone that I wanted to act in musical theatre! 

My mum loved musicals, she knew all the story lines, who wrote the songs, who produced the show. I am fortunate even now that my mother-in-law likes musicals and is a big fan

I never knew at the time how to get into acting so I got myself into a comedy show and gained a provisional equity card eventually moving on to appear in Brookside which was ideal as I could still appear in the programme and still be at home and see my children grow up.

You have appeared at the Empire in Sunderland before, did you enjoy being on stage there?

I did Hairspray there and remember what a beautiful theatre the Empire is plus northern audiences are always so welcoming. I had just finished being in Coronation Street and Michael Ball phoned me up and said that he and Brian Conley were going to be doing the show and he said that he thought that I should be in it too!

Going to London and meeting the Broadway legend, Jack O’Brien was a great experience, he liked what I did and I ended up starring in Hairspray.

How do you relax?

I spend a lot of time with my family though when you go out on tour such as now there are so many things for me to organise such as finding a place to stay, booking train tickets. Sometimes I think I am getting too old for all of this then when I get on stage thoughts like that soon disappear.

For now though I am enjoying being in such a great musical, I hope that the people who come along to see White Christmas enjoy the experience, it wicked not be Christmas without hearing the song White Christmas at least once.

White Christmas runs from Monday 28 November until Saturday 3 December at Sunderland Empire.

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