A THEATRE in Hereford is hoping two familiar television stars will entice audiences in to watch its first professional production of 2005.

The Courtyard has just announced that Educating Rita will star Stephen McGann - now appearing on the soap Emmerdale - and Zoie Kennedy, recognisable from her role as staff nurse Meryl Taylor in ITV's The Royal.

It is a welcome return for Zoie who was born in Herefordshire and is looking forward to coming back to the area.

"I realised whilst playing Cardiff New Theatre last year that there's a real sense of achievement in appearing in theatres you used to frequent growing up," she said.

"It takes you back to the days when you sat in the third row saying to yourself: 'One day that'll be me'!"

Zoie, who said she was very excited about playing the role of hairdresser Rita, added: "I think she'll be a welcome change to Nurse Meryl, though I fear the new accent may drive my husband insane!"

Rita is a very different character from Nurse Meryl, but Zoie's performance at The Courtyard is also a departure from her recent work in Thailand, where she has been involved in the clean-up operation after the devastating Boxing Day tsunami.

The Hereford production will not be the first time that Stephen McGann has come to the Courtyard either.

In July 2003 he appeared at the arts centre in the Middle Ground Theatre Company's production of Far From the Madding Crowd, playing the lead role of Gabriel Oak.

Chief executive of The Courtyard, Martyn Green, said he could not wait to welcome Stephen and Zoie to the theatre.

"We're delighted that they will be working with us," he said.

"The Courtyard is highly regarded for the quality of its in-house productions and we are particularly pleased that both Zoie and Stephen are looking forward to joining us to bring this popular contemporary classic play to the stage.

"It will be a pleasure to work with Stephen again and for the first time with Zoie who is very pleased to be taking a break from television to return to her roots in theatre particularly in her home county."

Educating Rita is a modern classic written by Willy Russell, author of other popular plays such as Shirley Valentine and Blood Brothers.

The play echoes Russell's own experiences of returning to college at an older age, as it follows mature Rita as she enrols on an Open University course.

The play uses only two characters, and the story line develops as their relationship grows.

Since the first production of the play in 1980, Educating Rita has never been out of production and in 1983 it was made into a film starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters.

It will run at The Courtyard from Tuesday, May 17, until Saturday, May 28, at 7.30pm, with matinee performances on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 1.30pm.

The Courtyard's Education and Outreach department will be running school workshops at the same time to link with the performance.

Tickets for the show are available from £5 and for more information or to book tickets call the box office on 0870 1122330.