A MILKMAN from Addingham will swap his milk float for a hay cart when he takes the lead role in Oklahoma at The Alhambra next week.

The singing milkman-cum-actor, Duncan Hall, will star as Curly in Rodgers and Hammerstein's famous musical. But he'll be keeping his day job while treading the boards at night. "I'll be getting home at 11pm and getting up at 1.30am to deliver the milk," he said.

Duncan is breaking new ground with The Bradford Catholic Players production. "It's very rare for a non-Catholic to get a part and is the first time they'll have opened it up for auditions," he said.

This will also be the first time Duncan will appear on a professional stage. "I'm very excited about it. It's just unbelievable."

Duncan first appeared on stage at the age of 14 in an Addingham village pantomime and since then has taken part in numerous shows and musicals for amateur theatre groups around the region, including in Guiseley, Skipton and Headingley.

Now at the age of 39, he is very much looking forward to playing the part of Curly.

The show, which opens on Monday and runs until Saturday, November 30, promises a traditional style musical with the full repertoire of songs. Set in the American West at the turn of the century - against a background of conflict between farmers and cattlemen - Oklahoma is the story of Laurey and two rivals for her affections: Curly, a cowboy, and Jud, the hired farmhand.

"All the songs are there that everybody will recognise," said Duncan.

Familiar tunes include 'Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin'; 'People Will Say We're in Love', and a rousing chorus of 'Oklahoma!

But he says you won't find him trilling 'Oh, What a Beautiful Mornin' while dropping off his pints of milk before breakfast.

"People ask me if I practise while I'm on my round and I used to sing while delivering the milk but I got put off after someone told me to stop."

There should be no stopping him next week, however, as he takes centre stage. And he's already planning his next stage appearance with a solo concert in the village in aid of an Addingham church's fundraising appeal.

Oklahoma starts on Monday and is on every evening until Saturday at 7.15pm with a Saturday matinee at 2.15pm.

To reserve tickets, call The Alhambra box office on 01274 432000.