Willy Russell Willy Russell William Russell (born 23 August 1947) is an English dramatist, lyricist and composer. His best known works are "Educating Rita", "Shirley Valentine", "Blood Brothers" and "Our Day Out". Russell was born in Whiston in Lancashire. On leaving school, aged 15, he became a ladies' hairdresser eventually running his own salon until the age of 20 when he decided to try to go back to college, eventually qualifying as a teacher. During these years Russell also worked as a semi-professional singer, writing and performing his own songs on the then flourishing and vibrant folk scene. At college, he began
Amanda Muggleton Amanda Muggleton Amanda Lillian Muggleton (born 1951) is an English Australian theatre, television and film actress. She is best known for her role as Chrissie Latham in the television soap opera "Prisoner" (1979–1983). Her stage work in Australia includes the title roles in "Shirley Valentine" and "Educating Rita", and as Maria Callas in "Master Class", for which she won the 2002 Helpmann Award for Best Actress in a Play. She won a second Helpmann Award in 2005, for her role as Mercedes Cortez in the musical "Eureka!". Muggleton was born in Stepney, London, England in 1951 and emigrated to Australia