As the Curtains Lifted, Susan Boyle Emerged, Radiating Elegance in a Dazzling Red Dress That Gleamed Under the Stage Lights.

The Audience Fell Silent, Captivated by the Power of Her Voice as It Rushed Through the Theater, Telling the Story of an Unlikely Heroine Who Overcame Every Obstacle. With Each Note, She Weaved Magic, Reigniting the Spark That Once Stunned the World. This Was No Ordinary Performance—It Was a Triumphant Return, A Beautiful Reminder That No Dream, No Matter How Humble Its Origins, Is Ever Too Big to Achieve

The premiere of a musical that tells the story of the unemployed Scottish woman in her late 50s who became famous after winning a radio talent show in 2009 gave Susan Boyle a standing ovation Tuesday night in Newcastle, in northern England.

Although Susan Boyle didn’t portray herself, she did perform two songs at the end of the performance. She played the hit song that made her famous, “I Dreamed a Dream,” to an enthralled audience that yelled, “Susan, we love you.” She was gorgeous in a red outfit and had been restyled since her debut.

Susan Boyle had not performed in the United Kingdom since she sang for the Pope during his September 2010 visit.

The musical comedy revisits the fairy tale of this working-class girl raised in a family of ten children. A scapegoat at school due to a slight mental retardation, and suffering from great shyness, she found refuge in singing.

Three years ago, Susan Boyle was still a frumpy spinster living with her parents in a small house in Blackburn, Scotland. She sang in choirs, churches and pubs. Her life changed when she sang on Britain’s Got Talent. The sarcastic comments that greeted her on the set stopped when she started singing.

Her version of the hit from the musical “Les Misérables” won over the show’s judges and audience. The recording has since been viewed 500 million times on YouTube, and she has released three albums that have sold 16 million copies.

Elaine Smith, personally chosen by Susan Boyle to play her role and co-writer of the show, explains that she “didn’t want to make a saccharine story”, acknowledging that “there is a delicate balance between happy moments and those of great emotion”.

Susan Boyle has been heavily involved in the show, choosing songs from her albums and music associated with key moments in her life, but she has not yet had the courage to watch it from start to finish. The singer, who spent time in a clinic after the shock of her success, remains fragile.

The musical “I Dreamed a Dream”, playing for a week in Newcastle, begins a tour of the United Kingdom before heading to Europe, Canada, the USA and Australia.