CODA Is Coming to The Lantern

Introducing Ourselves

Before we have the pleasure of performing at your theatre on 5th April 2025, we wanted to take a moment to introduce ourselves—we’re CODA, a musical theatre duo made up of Gemma Ashley and Mark “The Man in the Hat” James. 

Gemma and Mark | CODA

Our show, Songs from Stage and Screen, is a heartfelt celebration of the musicals we all know and love. From the haunting beauty of Phantom of the Opera and the powerful ballads of Les Misérables to the fun and energy of The Rocky Horror Show and The Blues Brothers, we’ll be bringing you a night of unforgettable music and storytelling. 

A bit about us: we first met as judges on BBC One’s All Together Now, where we worked alongside Geri “Ginger Spice” Horner. It didn’t take long for us to discover our shared passion for musical theatre, and in 2022, we combined forces to create CODA. Since then, we’ve been touring across the UK, selling out theatres and performing at incredible venues like Warner Hotels. 

This tour is very close to our hearts because it’s dedicated to supporting local, independent theatres like yours. We believe these venues are the beating heart of the arts, and after the challenges of recent years, we’re on a mission to encourage everyone to rediscover the magic of live performance. 

We’re so excited to share this experience with you and hope to meet as many of you as possible after the show—it’s always such a joy to connect with audiences who share our love of theatre. 

Thank you for welcoming us to The Lantern. We can’t wait to bring Songs from Stage and Screen to life for you. See you soon! 

With excitement and gratitude, 

Gemma & Mark (CODA)

Songs from Stage and Screen 

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