CONCERT VERSIONS OF ABBA’S ICONIC CHESS,
CYNDI LAUPER’S KINKY BOOTS
AND NEW BRITISH MUSICAL TREASON
PRESENTED AT THE ICONIC THEATRE ROYAL DRURY LANE
IN AUGUST 2022
LED BY STARS INCLUDING CARRIE HOPE FLETCHER,
MATT WILLIS, SAMANTHA BARKS AND LES DENNIS
Three star-led musical concerts, accompanied by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra, will be presented at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in August 2022
Kicking off the season is ABBA’s iconic Chess, starring Samantha Barks(Frozen, Les Misérables) as Florence and Hadley Fraser (2:22 A Ghost Story, City of Angels) as Anatoly, with further exciting casting to be announced soon.
This will be followed by Cyndi Lauper’s uplifting Kinky Boots with Cedric Neal (Back To The Future, Motown The Musical), as Lola/Simon, Matt Willis (Busted, Waitress, Wicked) as Charlie and Courtney Bowman (Legally Blonde, SIX) as Lauren.
Brand new musical Treason will complete the August concerts, making its live stage debut at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Treason has already garnered a global audience following its streamed concert from Cadogan Hall in March 2021 and successful release of six tracks on streaming platforms.
Leading the cast for the first live outing of Treason are Carrie Hope Fletcher (Les Misérables, Heathers) as Martha Percy, Bradley Jaden (Les Misérables, Wicked) as Thomas Percy and Simon-Anthony Rhoden (Hamilton, Kinky Boots) as Robert Catesby.
CHESS (1 AUGUST)
Chess, with music by ABBA legends Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, and lyrics by the incomparable Sir Tim Rice, returns to the West End for the first time since 2018. Leading the cast are Hadley Fraser as Anatoly and Samantha Barks as Florence, with further casting to be announced in due course.
Chess’ creative team are as follows — Director and Choreographer: Nick Winston, Associate Director and Choreographer: Alexandra Sarmiento, Musical Director: Freddie Tapner, Designer: Ruth Sutcliffe, Lighting Designer: Ben Cracknell, Lighting Programmer: Chris Winn, Sound Designer: Tom Marshall and Video Projection Designer: Duncan McLean and Casting: Harry Blumenau.
KINKY BOOTS (8 AUGUST)
Winner of six TONY awards and the Olivier Award for Best New Musical in 2016, the hilarious and uplifting musical Kinky Boots returns to the West End for the first time in three years.
Kinky Boots is the feel-good musical by Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper, based on the popular 2005 film of the same name. Cedric Neal will be playing Lola/Simon, Matt Willis will play Charlie and Courtney Bowman will play the role of Lauren. Further casting will be announced shortly.
Kinky Boots’ creative team are as follows — Director: Omar F Okai, Musical Director: Freddie Tapner, Designer: Ruth Sutcliffe, Lighting Designer: Ben Cracknell, Lighting Programmer: Chris Winn and Sound Designer: Tom Marshall and Casting: Harry Blumenau.
TREASON THE MUSICAL (22 AUGUST)
Treason is the explosive new musical about the gunpowder plot featuring stunning music by Ricky Allan, and book and lyrics by Ricky Allan and Kieran Lynn.
Confirmed casting includes Carrie Hope Fletcher (Martha Percy), Bradley Jaden (Thomas Percy), Simon-Anthony Rhoden (Robert Catesby), Les Dennis (Robert Cecil), Emilie Louise Israel (Eleanor Brooksby), Rebecca Lachance (Anne Vaux), Daniel Boys (King James), Cedric Neal (Earl of Northumberland), Waylon Jacobs (Jack Wright) and Adam Pearce (Thomas Wintour).
Songs from Treason The Musical such as ‘Take Things Into Our Own Hands’, ‘The Cold Hard Ground’ and ‘The Day Elizabeth Died’ have already taken Spotify by storm, and the streamed lockdown concert was described as “an exceptional musical in the making” (West End Best Friend).
Treason’s creative team are as follows — Director: Hannah Chissick, Choreographer: Taylor Walker, Musical Supervisor: Nick Pinchbeck, Orchestrator: Matthew Malone, Designer: Ruth Sutcliffe, Lighting Designer: Simisola Majekodunmi, Sound Designer: Tom Marshall, Video Designer: Gino Green, Casting: Harry Blumenau and Dramaturgy: Hannah Chissick.