FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR WORLD PREMIÈRE OF
NEW MUSICAL MAIDEN VOYAGE
Mark Cortale, Dale Franzen, Jonathan Murray and Harvey Reese in association with Shared Experience,today announce full casting for the world première of Maiden Voyage at Southwark Playhouse, Elephant. Tara Overfield Wilkinson directs Chelsea Halfpenny (Tracy Edwards), Naomi Alade (Jo), Laura Tyrer (Pat), Shahaf Ifhar (King Hussein), Juliette Artigala (Michele/Tanja), Alex Bowen (Dawn Riley), Molly Cleere (Nancy), Sam DeFeo (Mandi), Olivia Hewitt-Jones (Marie Claude), Rowan Macpherson (Sally), Olivia Mitchell (Claire), Billy Roberts (Walter/Reporter/Navigator) and Daniel Robinson (Howard Reporter).
This new musical, with book and lyrics by Mindi Dickstein and music by Carmel Dean, tells the story of how Tracy Edwards skippered the first all female crew aboard a ship called Maiden and made history competing in the 1989/90 Whitbread Round the World Yacht Race.
Mark Cortale, Dale Franzen, Jonathan Murray & Harvey Reese
in association with Shared Experience present
MAIDEN VOYAGE
Book and Lyrics by Mindi Dickstein
Music by Carmel Dean
Director: Tara Overfield Wilkinson; Orchestrator: Michael Starobin Musical Director: Simona Budd; Set and Costume Designer: Abby Clarke; Lighting Designer: Megan Lucas; Casting Director: Harry Blumenau; Associate Director: Kirsty Malpass
19 July – 23 August
It’s 1990, and Tracy Edwards makes history by leading the first all-female sailing crew around the globe in the Whitbread Round the World Race.
But how did a 20-something high-school dropout and galley cook end up being the skipper and navigator on such a ground-breaking race?
Was it a chance meeting with King Hussein of Jordan, who encouraged her to dare to try? Was it something that she needed to prove to herself or to her mother?
Or is there something else that makes a person do the unexpected and extraordinary?
Charting a thrilling and unforgettable journey across oceans and horizons, Tracy and her crew’s epic true story comes to life in a sweeping, extraordinary new musical.
Chelsea Halfpenny plays Tracy Edwards. Her theatre credits include 9 to 5: The Musical (Savoy Theatre), Waitress (UK and Ireland tour) and Beryl (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Her television credits include Emmerdale (as series regular Amy Wyatt), Casualty (as series regular Dr. Alicia Munroe), Byker Grove, The Good Ship Murder and Grantchester.
Naomi Alade plays Jo. Her theatre credits include SIX (Vaudeville Theatre), Eugenius! The Musical (Turbine Theatre), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Curve Leicester, UK tour), Robin Hood and His Merry Band (Oxford Playhouse) and Once on this Island (Southwark Playhouse).
Laura Tyrer plays Pat. Her theatre credits include Chicago (European tour), Barista The Musical (Capitol Theatre, Horsham), High Society, Gypsy (The Mill at Sonning), Mother Goose (Duke of York’s Theatre), Going Ape (Union Theatre), Chicago (Phoenix Theatre), Ruthless (Arts Theatre), Matilda (Cambridge Theatre), A Damsel in Distress (Chichester Festival Theatre), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), From Here to Eternity (Shaftesbury Theatre), Cabaret (Savoy Theatre), Spamalot (Palace Theatre), 9 to 5: The Musical, Thoroughly Modern Millie, White Christmas and Beauty and the Beast (UK tours). For film, her credits include Wonka (also Assistant Choreographer)
Shahaf Ifhar plays King Hussein. His theatre credits include Tom Lehrer is Teaching MathandDoesn’t Want to Talk to You (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Indecent (JW3), The Returnings (PIT International Theatre Festival), Bad Jews (Centre Stage) and Ordinary Days (Cameri Theatre). His film credits include Highway 65 and Concerned Citizen.
Juliette Artigala plays Michele/Tanja. Her theatre credits include Les Misérables (Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris), We’ll Have Nun of It (Edinburgh Fringe Festival, The Other Palace), In and Out of Knowing (Backstage Theatre) and Roxana (Bridge House Theatre). Artigala is currently recording and producing her debut EP with her band ‘hoovs’.
Alex Bowen plays Dawn Riley. Her theatre credits include Mrs Doubtfire (Shaftesbury Theatre), Bat Out Of Hell (Peacock Theatre, international tour), Dusty The Musical (UK tour) and Sister Act (Dominion Theatre). She has also performed with Avant Garde Dance Company and UnTitled Dance Company.
Molly Cleere plays Nancy. Her theatre credits include Ghost the Musical, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (UK tours) and Mamma Mia! The Party (O2 Arena).
Sam DeFeo she makes her professional debut as Mandi. She is a recent graduate of Mountview Academy of the Arts.
Olivia Hewitt-Jones plays Marie Claude. Her theatre credits include Rocky Horror Show (European tour), Dick Whittington (Salisbury Playhouse) and Let’s Face the Music (Royal Albert Hall).
Rowan Macpherson plays Sally. Their theatre credits include Spring Awakening (Phoenix Arts Club) and Babies (The Other Palace).
Olivia Mitchell plays Claire. Her theatre credits include Beauty and the Beast (Wolverhampton Grand Theatre), Cinderella (New Hull Theatre) and Waitress (UK tour).
Billy Roberts playsWalter/Navigator. His theatre credits include Mrs Doubtfire the Musical (Shaftesbury Theatre), I Should Be So Lucky the Musical, Titanic the Musical (UK and Ireland tours), Nativity!The Musical (Birmingham Rep, UK tour), Rock of Ages, Summer Holiday the Musical, Our House (UK tours), Cinderella (Corn Exchange, Newbury), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Kilworth House Theatre) and The Wizard of Oz (Sutton Theatre, Suffolk).
Daniel Robinson playsHoward Gibbons. His theatre credits include Glory Ride (Charing Cross Theatre), Heathers: The Musical (The Other Palace), Guys and Dolls, South Pacific (Kilworth House Theatre), Kiss Me Kate (Théâtre du Châtelet, Paris; Grand Theatre, Luxemburg), My Night with Reg, Piaf (Donmar Warehouse, West End), Cinderella (The Old Vic), A Colourful Noise (Royal Court Theatre), Tonight’s The Night, Jekyll and Hyde, The Pickwick Papers (UK tours), The Mystery of Edwin Drood (Arts Theatre), Girls Night In (Lincoln Theatre Royal), The Five Labours of Harvey Fish (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Boys in the Buff (Pleasance Edinburgh), The Ghost Downstairs, Treasure Island (Nuffield Theatre) and Aladdin (Greenwich Theatre). His television credits include Ty & Ky Comedy Sketch Show and Computer’s Don’t Byte; and for film, On The Other Hand. His comedy sketch group Sketch You Up! Has performed at Brighton Fringe, Edinburgh Festival Fringe and VAULT Festival.
Tara Overfield Wilkinson directs. Her theatre credits include Allegiance (Charing Cross Theatre), Falsettos (The Other Palace – winner of WhatsOnStage Award for Best Off West End Show), The Producers (international tour, China), Little Shop of Horrors (UK tour), CATS (international tour), and Miss Saigon, Tommy and Sister Act (Gaiety Theatre, Isle of Man). As associate or resident director, her credits include Motown, Memphis, Hair, Sunday in the Park with George; Tick, Tick… Boom!; High School Musical (West End), Motown, 9 to 5, Sister Act, High School Musical, The Full Monty, and Oh! What a Night (UK tours).
Mindi Dickstein’s theatre credits include Little Women: The Musical (August Wilson Theatre, US tours, Seymour Centre, Hope Mill Theatre, Park Theatre and numerous premieres worldwide including recent productions in Australia, Japan, and Italy – licensed by MTI, Original Broadway Cast album released by Ghostlight/Sh-k-boom Records), Saint Ex and the Little Prince (Katowice City of Gardens Concert Hall, Poland), Witnesses (California Center for the Arts, 2022 San Diego Critics award for Best Production), Benny & Joon, based on the MGM film (The Old Globe, California, 2017 San Diego Critics nominee for Best Musical) and book for Toy Story – The Musical for Disney Creative Entertainment.
Carmel Dean is an award-winning composer/lyricist and Broadway music supervisor, musical director and arranger. As composer, her theatre credits include Renascence (Abrons Arts Centre), Well Behaved Women (New York’s Town Hall, Joe’s Pub), and On Cedar Street (Berkshire Theater Group, The Unicorn Theater). As musical director and/or arranger her credits include The Notebook, Funny Girl,If/Then, Hands on a Hardbody, American Idiot, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (all Broadway),and Clueless (West End).Off-Broadway credits include Really Rosie, Everyday Rapture, Vanities and Elegies. Other international credits include Fun Home (Chicago); and 2000 Sydney Olympics Opening & Closing Ceremonies.
MAIDEN VOYAGE
LISTINGS
Southwark Playhouse, Elephant
1 Dante Place, London, SE11 4RX
Box Office: 020 7407 0234
How to Get to Elephant Venue: The nearest stations are Elephant & Castle and Kennington
Performance Times: Mon-Sat, 7pm evening performances. Thu & Sat, 2:30pm matinees
19 July – 23 August
Ticket prices: Standard from £20 / Concessions from £16 / Previews £16 / Pioneers’ Preview (19 July) £10
Tickets are available from: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/maiden-voyage
SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE
Southwark Playhouse is a registered charity that delivers a year-round programme of entertaining and enriching work. Southwark Playhouse operates two separate venues ‘Southwark Playhouse Borough’ and its newest theatre ‘Southwark Playhouse, Elephant’ which opened in January 2023. Southwark Playhouse has always prided itself in telling stories and inspiring the next generation of storytellers and theatre makers, where support for the community has been rooted at the core of the organisation.
Website: southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
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