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FULL CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT

FOR THE WORLD PREMIERE OF

WRITTEN BY INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED AUTHOR DMITRY GLUKHOVSKY,

 NOW FACING AN 8 YEAR JAIL SENTENCE IN RUSSIA

DIRECTED BY VISIONARY THEATRE DIRECTOR MAXIM DIDENKO

AND STARRING THE LAST KINGDOM’S (NETFLIX) AND VICTORIA’S (ITV)

ADRIAN SCHILLER

RUNNING FROM 14 SEPTEMBER – 4 NOVEMBER 2023
AT THE MARYLEBONE THEATRE

The full cast is announced for The White Factory and includes: Adrian Schiller, best known for playing Mr Penge in the ITV series Victoria and Lord Aethelhelm in the Netflix series The Last Kingdom, as Chaim Rumkowski and Old Ezekiel. Alongside him as Rivke Kaufman is Pearl Chanda, notable for her role as Sheila Sim in See How They Run, and Mark Quartley who starred in the hugely popular series The Ipcress Files as Pete, takes the role of Yosef Kaufman. They are joined by James Garnon (SS Wilhelm Koppe), Matthew Spencer (SS Herbert Lange), Olivia Bernstone (Female Ensemble) and Lewis Hart (Male Ensemble).

With casting now complete for his playwriting debut, the acclaimed author Dmitry Glukhovsky has this week been sentenced to eight years in prison by the Russian state following a trial in absentia. Currently living in exile, the writer of the bestselling Metro 2033 series is accused of deliberately spreading false information about Russia’s armed forces; both he and the play’s director, Maxim Didenko, are outspoken critics of the war against Ukraine.

This powerful and urgent new play is inspired by real events, with a haunting contemporary resonance, and will premiere at the Marylebone Theatre this autumn, running from 14 September to 04 November.

Spanning several decades, The White Factory explores the life of Yosef Kaufman, a Holocaust survivor from Lodz, haunted by his wartime experiences as he tries to build a future with his new family in 1960’s Brooklyn. Tormented by the nightmares of his past, Yosef’s attempt to negotiate the weight of his own history becomes a passionate battle for survival and redemption.

This heart-wrenching drama of love, endurance, despair and hope follows one man’s journey   from the Lodz ghetto of 1940’s Poland to 1960’s America, where the possibility of a new life is tested to the limit by the remnants of his past.

Written by Dmitry Glukhovsky, directed by Maxim Didenko, with Ukrainian creative producer Ekaterina Kashynsteva, The White Factorywill play at Marylebone Theatre from 14 September until 4 November 2023.

VIDEO ALERT – First look and listen to
Mrs de Winter is Here from the English language premiere of REBECCA at Charing Cross Theatre

Mrs de Winter is Here

with Lauren Jones as 2nd Mrs de Winter 

and Kara Lane as Mrs Danvers

Pianist Tom Knoles

Videographer Jack Somerset

Record and mixed by Ben Robbins at The Umbrella Rooms

watch with this link

Richard Carson, Lauren Jones and Kara Lane  head the cast for the eagerly anticipated English language premiere of the critically acclaimed musical ‘Rebecca’.

Based on Daphne Du Maurier’s 1938 novel, by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay, two of the most successful German-language musical theatre creators, ‘Rebecca’ has already captivated more than two million people worldwide in hugely successful productions in 12 countries and eight languages.

‘Rebecca’ had its world premiere at VBW’s Raimund Theater in Vienna, Austria, in September 2006, where it went on to play to sold-out houses in three seasons, and where it is currently enjoying a hugely successful revival.

The rest of the cast are: Alex James-Ward, Piers Bate, Sarah Harlington, David Breeds, Shirley Jameson, Neil Moors, Nicholas Lumley, Nigel-Joseph Francis, Elliot Swann, Scott McClure, Emily Apps, Melanie Bright, Gail MacKinnon, Tarisha Rommick, James Mateo-Salt, Rosie Glossop.

Rebecca, with an orchestra of 18, will be directed by Alejandro Bonatto (director of the critically acclaimed production of Donizetti’s ‘Rita’ and Francis Poulanc and Jean Cocteau’s ‘The Human Voice’ at Charing Cross Theatre).

It has a new English translation by Christopher Hampton (two-time Tony Award winner Best Score & Best Book for ‘Sunset Boulevard’ and Oscar winner for Best Adapted Screenplay ‘Dangerous Liaisons’ & ‘The Father’) and Michael Kunze.

Featuring 22 original songs, Rebecca is a gripping thriller full of intrigue and surprises that sticks closely to the original novel. Wealthy Maxim de Winter brings his naïve new wife home to his Cornish estate, Manderley, where the manipulative housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, resents the new wife’s intrusion. She persuades her that she is an unworthy replacement for the first Mrs de Winter, the glamorous and mysterious Rebecca, who perished in a drowning accident, with tragic results…

The world-famous novel was also turned into a celebrated Alfred Hitchcock film in 1940, starring Laurence Olivier, Joan Fontaine, Judith Anderson, George Sanders and Gladys Cooper. It was nominated for 11 Oscars, winning two awards; Best Picture and Best Cinematography. Rebecca was recently filmed again by Netflix starring Lily James, Armie Hammer, Kristin Scott Thomas and Keeley Hawes.

Creative team
Original Book and Lyrics: Michael Kunze
Music and Orchestrations: Sylvester Levay
English Book Adaptation: Christopher Hampton
English Lyrics: Christopher Hampton and Michael Kunze
Based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier

Director Alejandro Bonatto
Choreographer Ron Howell
Musical Supervisor/Conductor Robert Scott
Production Designer Nicky Shaw
Lighting Designer David Seldes
Sound Designer Andrew Johnson
Projection Designer Matt Powell
Costume Supervisor Jess Richardson-Smith
Casting Stephen Crockett/Grindrod Burton Casting
on performance days for personal callers

4 September to 18 November

FIRST GLIMPSE OF CAST IN NEW 

HELEN FORRESTER PLAY 

‘BY THE WATERS OF LIVERPOOL’ 

UK TOUR OPENS IN TWO WEEKS 

Team release first images now rehearsals are underway 

Cast features Coronation Street’s Tom Roberts and Emmerdale’s Joe Gill,

Emma Mulligan, Lynn Francis, Daniel Taylor, Lynne Fitzgerald, 

Joe Owens, Samantha Alton, and Roy Carruthers 

Last chance to see Helen Forrester’s life story on stage 

Autumn 2023 UK Tour will open in Liverpool on 4 September 

followed by dates in Port Sunlight, Crewe, Coventry, Sale, Rhyl, Darlington, 

Lichfield, St Helens, Southport, Halifax, Lytham, and New Brighton

The creative team behind new Helen Forrester play By The Waters Of Liverpool have released the first cast images during rehearsals and in costume. 

By The Waters Of Liverpool Autumn 2023 UK Tour will run for eight weeks visiting 13 venues across the country. 

The tour opens in two weeks on Monday 4 September 2023 at The Auditorium at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool before travelling round the country. 

The nine-strong cast will play more than 50 characters between them during the production. 

By The Waters Of Liverpool tells the captivating life story of best-selling author Helen Forrester. this will be the only chance fans will have to experience the new production live on stage as the team recently announced that this play and the earlier production, Twopence To Cross The Mersey, will no longer tour. 

After opening The Auditorium at M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool early September, the tour will conclude late October at the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton – just a few miles from where Helen Forrester was born in Wirral. Both venues are located on the banks of the River Mersey which was instrumental throughout Helen’s books. 

Between the dates in Liverpool and New Brighton, the play will also visit venues in Port Sunlight, Crewe, Coventry, Sale, Rhyl, Darlington, Lichfield, St Helens, Southport, Halifax, and Lytham. 

The cast are now in rehearsals in Liverpool and took time out for a costume photoshoot – showcasing how the new line-up will look in the play. 

Coronation Street’s Tom Roberts will play John Forrester, Helen’s father; Emmerdale’s Joe Gill will play Harry O’Dwyer, Helen’s love interest; with newcomer Emma Mulligan in the lead role of Helen Forrester. This is Emma’s first professional acting role. 

They will be joined by Lynn Francis, Daniel Taylor, Lynne Fitzgerald, Joe Owens, Samantha Alton, and Roy Carruthers. 

Tom Roberts has countless television credits including bad boy Scott Emberton in Coronation Street;DS Flanagan in Emmerdale; five seasons as Tony in 2point4 Children; EastEnders; Casualty; Holby City; Waterloo Road; Hustle; Brookside; Hollyoaks; Boon; and The Bill. Film credits include The Bradford Riots; Oh Mary, This London; The Casebook Of Eddie Brewer; Doreen: The Movie; and Just 14. Having trained at Mountview Drama School, Tom’s theatre credits include Blood Brothers, Fiddler On The Roof, Kes, Death Of A Salesman, The Three Musketeers, Misconceptions, Bouncers, Changing Rooms, Intimate Exchanges, Frankenstein, April In Paris, Educating Rita, The Holly And The Ivy, On Golden Pond, and The Verdict. His extensive radio work includes drama for BBC Radio 4, as well as several appearances on The Archers. 

Joe Gill is best known for playing the role of Finn Barton in ITV’s Emmerdale.He has also appeared in Brassic, Casualty, In The Flesh, The Sparticle Mystery, River City, In With The Flynns, and short film The Rest Is Flowers. Joe recently wrapped on his first leading feature film role in Treading Water, due for release later this year. On stage Joe recently appeared in Into Battle at Greenwich Theatre to rave reviews. Theatre credits also include The Full Monty, Butterfly House, Tiger, Romeo & Juliet, and The Comedy of Errors. He has also worked on a web series BookStreamz – narrating and performing a wide variety of stories from well-known and undiscovered authors, streamed live to the homes of audiences. 

Emma Mulligan is a 2021 acting graduate from East 15 Acting School. She is originally from Northern Ireland. Most recently she played the role of Marie in short film Undead Dilemma. Emma played numerous roles at drama school, including Dunyasha in The Cherry Orchard, Inez in No Exit, and Mattie-Fae in August: Osage County. 

Lynn Francis is well-known on the Liverpool theatre scene. Her theatre credits include The Royal, Ladies Day, A Nightmare On Lime Street, and The Salon. Screen roles include Reds & Blues, The Ballad Of Dixie & Kenny, and Charlie Noades RIP. She also worked alongside Ian Hart and Dougray Scott in film The Lie Is Dead. 

Daniel Taylor is an award-winning actor, producer, and theatre director. He has recently toured the UK in the lead role of Something About George – The George Harrison Story. Theatre credits also include Blood Brothers, The Very Best Of Tommy Cooper, Lennon: Through A Glass Onion, Down The Dock Road, and A Midsummer’s Night’s Dream. Television credits include Loose Women, The Bill, and Miranda’s Games With Showbiz Names. 

Lynne Fitzgerald is best known for her comedy acting role. She is also an acclaimed writer and director. Theatre credits include Desperate Scousewives, 2Georgeous4U, Two, The Importance Of Being Earnest, Catfish Therapy, The Salon, Night Collar, and Last Train To Auschwitz. 

Joe Owens has most recently been seen in the new and reimagined production of Masquerade at Liverpool’s Epstein Theatre. His training includes the BA Acting course and Foundation Certificate at LIPA, as well numerous years spent with the Young Everyman and Playhouse (YEP) company. Credits include Dogs directed by Nathan Powell; Love’s Labour’s Lost directed by Conor Wray; and Posh directed by Francesca Goodridge. 

Samantha Alton is best known for her one-woman performance as Kitty in Kitty, Queen of The Washhouse, at Shakespeare North Playhouse. She has been performing professional for almost a decade now after graduating with first class honours in 2013. 

Roy Carruthers is a familiar face on stages in Liverpool. Theatre credits include Ladies Night, Funny Money, Night Collar, The Price, and Lennon’s Banjo. Television credits include Good Cop, and Longford. Film credits Sparkle. Roy has also appeared on Radio 4’s Pick Of The Week programme. 

By The Waters Of Liverpool is a stunning period drama produced by the team who first brought the smash-hit Twopence To Cross The Mersey to the stage, which premiered in Liverpool almost 30 years ago. 

The creative team are producers Rob Fennah and Lynn McDermott for Pulse Stage Productions and Bill Elms. The show is directed by Gareth Tudor Price and written by Rob Fennah. 

Co-producer Bill Elms explained: “Rehearsals are now underway and the cast and crew are already coming together as a family – it’s inspiring to see everyone really just click and support each other. Once those costumes go on, the characters really come alive and it’s magical. We are very lucky to be custodians of Helen Forrester’s fascinating life story – which so many people today can resonate with given the challenging times in society. 

“Since Twopence To Cross The Mersey premiered almost 30 years ago, hundreds of thousands of theatregoers have seen the show and really taken Helen’s story to their hearts. Helen and her family even travelled from Canada to see it for themselves. By The Waters Of Liverpool is an adaptation of her third autobiography and the final chapter of Helen’s life in Liverpool during the Great Depression. The play also features sizeable chunks from Helen’s earlier book Liverpool Miss, together with flashbacks to Twopence To Cross The Mersey – as well as a storyline from Helen’s fourth autobiography Lime Street At Two. That way, those unfamiliar with Helen’s work will still get a complete picture of her life in one show.” 

By The Waters Of Liverpool Autumn 2023 UK Tour is highly anticipated. Its inaugural tour was scheduled to run for 12 weeks across 17 venues in Spring 2020. It was abandoned after visiting only three theatres due to the Covid-19 pandemic and rescheduled twice when the pandemic failed to abate.    

By The Waters Of Liverpool has sold more than a million books. It is set in the 1930s after Helen’s father went bankrupt during the Depression. Her family were forced to leave behind the nannies, servants and comfortable middle-class life in the South West of England. The Forrester’s chose Liverpool to rebuild their shattered lives. They were in for a terrible shock. Taken out of school to look after her young siblings, Helen is sick of being treated as an unpaid slave and begins a bitter fight with her parents for the right to go out to work and make her own way in life. But by 1939 and with Britain on the verge of war Helen, now aged 20, has still never been kissed by a man. But things start looking up for her when she meets a tall strong seaman and falls in love. 

Helen’s literary achievements were further celebrated in 2020 to mark her 100^th Birthday when an iconic Blue Plaque was unveiled at the Forrester family home in Hoylake on the Wirral, a place which featured heavily in her work. 

Helen Forrester’s best-selling volumes of autobiography include Twopence To Cross The Mersey, Liverpool Miss, By The Waters Of Liverpool, and Lime Street At Two. 

Written by Rob Fennah   ·   Directed by Gareth Tudor Price 

Produced by Pulse Stage Productions and Bill Elms 

Fully endorsed by the Helen Forrester Estate 

Website:         www.bythewatersofliverpool.com 

Facebook:       www.facebook.com/ByTheWatersThePlay 

YouTube:        https://youtu.be/r6TLMnPUleg 

LISTING INFORMATION 

HELEN FORRESTER’S  

BY THE WATERS OF LIVERPOOL 

LIVERPOOL – THE AUDITORIUM AT M&S BANK ARENA 

Monday 4 September – Wednesday 6 September 2023 

www.mandsbankarena.com 

PORT SUNLIGHT – GLADSTONE THEATRE 

Tuesday 12 September – Thursday 14 September 2023 

www.gladstonetheatre.org.uk 

CREWE – LYCEUM 

Monday 18 September – Tuesday 19 September 2023 

www.crewelyceum.co.uk  

COVENTRY – ALBANY THEATRE 

Wednesday 20 September – Thursday 21 September 2023 

www.albanytheatre.co.uk  

SALE – WATERSIDE 

Friday 22 September – Saturday 23 September 2023 

www.watersidearts.org  

RHYL – PAVILION 

Tuesday 26 September – Wednesday 27 September 2023 

www.rhylpavilion.co.uk 

DARLINGTON – HIPPODROME 

Friday 29 September – Saturday 30 September 2023 

www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk 

LICHFIELD – GARRICK 

Tuesday 3 October – Wednesday 4 October 2023 

www.lichfieldgarrick.com 

ST HELENS – THEATRE ROYAL 

Monday 9 October – Wednesday 11 October 2023 

www.sthelenstheatreroyal.com 

SOUTHPORT– THE ATKINSON 

Thursday 12 October – Saturday 14 October 2023 

www.theatkinson.co.uk 

HALIFAX – VICTORIA THEATRE 

Monday 16 October – Tuesday 17 October 2023 

www.victoriatheatre.co.uk 

LYTHAM – LOWTHER PAVILION 

Thursday 19 October – Saturday 21 October 2023 

www.lowtherpavilion.co.uk 

NEW BRIGHTON – FLORAL PAVILION 

Tuesday 24 October – Sunday 29 October 2023 

www.floralpavilion.com

NATHANIEL PARKER, SIMON CHANDLER, AND GYURI SAROSSY

LEAD CAST FOR UK PREMIÈRE OF OPERATION EPSILON

ALAN BRODY’S AWARD-WINNING PLAY

DIRECTED BY ANDY SANDBERG

AT SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE ELEPHANT

Full casting is announced today for Alan Brody’s award-winning play Operation Epsilon at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, which opens on 20 September, with previews from 15 September and runs until 21 October 2023.

Andy Sandberg directs an ensemble cast of eleven that includes Nicholas Armfield (Horst Korsching), Jamie Bogyo (Carl Friederich von Weizsäcker), Simon Bubb (Major T.H. Rittner), Simon Chandler (Max von Laue), Matthew Duckett (Erich Bagge), Jake Mann (Karl Wirtz), Olivier Award winner Nathaniel Parker (Otto Hahn), Peter Prentice (Paul Harteck), Leighton Pugh (Walter Gerlach), Simon Rhodes (Kurt Diebner), and Gyuri Sarossy (Werner Heisenberg). Operation Epsilon is produced by Ellen Berman.

Inspired by actual transcripts that were secretly recorded and then held classified for many decades, Operation Epsilon tells the true story of Germany’s ten foremost nuclear scientists who were rounded up and held captive in England by the British and American forces toward the end of World War II, as the Manhattan Project forged ahead in America.

This thought-provoking play makes its UK première at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, celebrating the 10^th anniversary of the critically acclaimed US production. Operation Epsilon shines a light on the ethical complexity of scientific discovery…and its potential for catastrophic consequences.

Ellen Berman & Operation Epsilon Limited present

The UK première of

OPERATION EPSILON

BY ALAN BRODY

DIRECTED BY ANDY SANDBERG

Cast: Nicholas Armfield, Jamie Bogyo, Simon Bubb, Simon Chandler, Matthew Duckett, Jake Mann, Nathaniel Parker, Peter Prentice, Leighton Pugh, Simon Rhodes, Gyuri Sarossy

Set Designer: Janie Howland; Costume Designer: Beth Colley; Lighting Designer: Clancy Flynn; Sound Designer: Chris Drohan;Original Music: Dewey Dellay;Casting Director: Lucy Casson CDG

15 September – 21 October 2023

It’s the close of World War II – the dawn of the atomic age. The Allies have captured Germany’s ten foremost nuclear scientists and sequestered them deep in the English countryside to ascertain the answer to a life-or-death question: how close are the Nazis to making an atomic bomb? The world stands on the precipice of creation and destruction, bound by the gravity of their decisions which hold the power to change the course of history.

Based on actual transcripts of secretly recorded conversations and telling the other side of the Oppenheimer story – Alan Brody’s gripping play delves into the darkest corners of human ingenuity, exploring the intimate conflict within the hearts and minds of luminaries with unimaginable power. A once-classified true story buried in the archives amidst an epic war, Operation Epsilon is a poignant, thrilling exploration of the ties that bind us to our actions, our decisions, and one another.

Nicholas Armfield plays Dr. Horst Korsching. His theatre credits include The Misandrist (Arcola Theatre), Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company), Imperium Parts I and II RSC/West End), Pilgrims (Orange Tree Theatre), A Rabbit Climbed a Ladder to the Moon (The Place), and Artist Descending a Staircase (King’s Head Theatre).His television work includes Doctors; and for film, Phaedra.

Jamie Bogyo plays Professor Carl Friederich Von Weizsäcker. He most recently starred as Alex in Aspects of Love (Lyric Theatre) and originated the role of Christian in the West End production of Moulin Rouge (Piccadilly Theatre). Additional theatre credits include The Travels (New York Musical Theatre Festival), and Dust Can’t Kill Me (New York Fringe Festival).

Simon Bubb plays Major T.H. Rittner. Histheatre credits include War Horse (National Theatre; West End), Saint Joan, The Habit of Art and People (National Theatre), Romeo and Juliet, Much Ado About Nothing, King John (Royal Shakespeare Company), The Philanthropist (Donmar Warehouse), Much Ado About Nothing (Shakespeare’s Globe), Frost/Nixon (Sheffield Crucible), Hay Fever (Royal Exchange Theatre), and Far From The Madding Crowd (The Watermill Theatre). His television work includes W1A, Ghosts, Unforgotten, Silent Witness, Human, Grantchester, The Madame Blanc Mysteries, Father Brown, Life, Four Lives, The Rook, Flack, and Obsession; and for film, Possum, Nosepicker and Waiting for Dawn.

Simon Chandler plays Professor Max Von Laue. His theatre credits include Ravens: Spassky vs. Fischer and Porfiry Semyonovich Glagolyev (Hampstead Theatre), Cock, The Stepmother and For Service Rendered (Chichester Festival Theatre), Red Velvet (Tricycle Theatre/Garrick Theatre/St Ann’s Warehouse, New York), The Letter of Last Resort (Traverse), Cause Célèbre (The Old Vic), Women, Power and Politics Season (Tricycle Theatre), One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, Democracy (West End), King Lear (RSC), The Power of the Dog, The Double Dealer (Orange Tree Theatre), Invisible Friends (National Theatre), Man of the Moment (Shakespeare’s Globe), George and Margaret (Cambridge Theatre), Hamlet (Royal Court Theatre),and Romeo and Juliet, Charley’s Aunt, /Importance of Being (Young Vic). His television credits include House of the Dragon, The Diplomat, The Gold, Silent Witness, Doc Martin, Revisited, Call the Midwife, Confessional, Foyle’s War, Gentleman’s Relish, Inspector Lynley Mysteries, Judge John Deed, Just William, Land Girls, Middlemarch, Mr Selfridge, My Family, Silent Witness, Silk, Teachers, The Bletchley Circle, The Crown, The Singing Detective, The Thick of It, The Voysey Inheritance, The Wimbledon Poisoner, Vera, and Wallander; and for film, Victor/Victoria, A Bridge Too Far, The Bounty, Incognito, The Man Who Knew Too Little, Milk, Vera Drake, Perfume, Penelope, War Hero, Fast Girls, Mr Turner, The Corrupted, 55 Steps, The Theory of Everything, The Iron Lady and The King’s Speech.

Matthew Duckett plays Dr. Erich Bagge. He most recently co-starred as Crutchie in the UK première production of Disney’s Newsies. His theatre credits include Richard III and All´s Well That Ends Well (Royal Shakespeare Company), Tartuffe (National Theatre), and My Left/Right Foot – The Musical (National Theatre Scotland). His television work includes Lady Chatterley’s Lover and Confession.

Jake Mann plays Dr. Karl Wirtz. His theatre work includes Cymbeline, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Richard II (RSC), King Lear (Duke of York’s Theatre/Chichester Festival Theatre), Titus Andronicus (Shakespeare’s Globe), and Seagull Cinema (Theatre503). His television credits include Gold, Smothered, Britannia, Ripper Street, Young Doctor’s Notebook and Quick Cuts; and for film, American Assassin, Hunter Killer, and Benjamin Britten: Peace & Conflict.

Nathaniel Parker plays Professor Otto Hahn. Parker is best known for playing the detective Thomas Lynley in the television series The Inspector Lynley Mysteries. His theatre credits includeThe Mirror and the Light (Gielgud Theatre); An Ideal Husband (Vaudeville Theatre); This House (Chichester/West End); The Audience (Gielgud Theatre); Speed the Plow (West End), and Wolf Hall (RSC – Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Supporting Role and Tony Award nomination). Television credits include Bleak House, Hotel Babylon, Land Girls, Merlin, Grantchester, and History of a Pleasure Seeker; and for film, The Last Duel, Swimming with Men, Swords and Sceptres, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Perfect Host, and St. Trinian’s.

Peter Prentice plays Professor Paul Harteck. His theatre credits include Bodies (Southwark Playhouse), The Best Man (West End), My Fair Lady (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane), Afterlife, Les Parents Terribles, Sweeney Todd (National Theatre), The Magic Flute (Donmar Warehouse), The Sound of Music, Enjoy (West Yorkshire Playhouse), and Aspects of Love (Wolsey Theatre). His television work includes The Capture, Silent Witness, Close to the Enemy, and Berkeley Square; and for film, How to Get Ahead, Outside, Jake the Exorcist and The Magic Key.

Leighton Pugh plays Professor Walter Gerlach. His theatre work includes The Lehman Trilogy (UK tour), Rocket to the Moon, A Woman Killed with Kindness (National Theatre), The Birthday Party (Harold Pinter Theatre), and There (Royal Court Theatre). His television credits include 50 Ways to Kill Your Lover, Grandpa in My Pocket and Fingersmith.

Simon Rhodes plays Dr. Kurt Diebner. His theatre credits include Posh (UK Tour), No Man’s Land (Wyndham’s Theatre and UK Tour), Cornelius (Finborough Theatre/ 59E59 Theater, New York), Dear Brutus (Southwark Playhouse), Just To Get Married and Laburnum Grove (Finborough Theatre), Billy Chickens is a Psychopath Superstar (Theatre503 at the Latitude Festival), Accomplice (Menier Chocolate Factory), Blue On Blue and Trolls (Theatre503), Peace, The Bacchae, The Persians (various amphitheatres, Cyprus), The Plebeians Rehearse The Uprising (Arcola Theatre), and Julius Caesar (Barbican). His film credits include The World We Knew, The Sky in Bloom and Screwed.

Gyuri Sarossy plays Professor Werner Heisenberg. His theatre credits includeMeasure for Measure (Shakespeare’s Globe), Ravens: Spassky vs. Fischer (Hampstead Theatre), Sadness and Joy in the Life of Giraffes, The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd (Orange Tree Theatre), Wendy and Peter (Lyceum Edinburgh), Chinglish (Park Theatre), The Seven Acts of Mercy, The Rover, Two Noble Kinsmen and Romeo and Juliet (RSC), Creditors (Young Vic), The Absence of War, The Seagull (Headlong), Tonight at 8:30 (Nuffield/ETT), ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (Cheek by Jowl), Earthquakes in London, Luther (National Theatre), As You Like It (Royal Exchange Theatre), The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (Liverpool Everyman/Chichester Festival Theatre), The Hypochondriac (Almeida Theatre), Macbeth, Coriolanus (Tobacco Factory/Barbican), Rope (The Watermill Theatre), Uncle Vanya and Twelfth Night (Donmar Warehouse), Man and Superman, Don Juan, Galileo’s Daughter (Peter Hall Company), and The Promise (Tricycle Theatre). His television credits includeFBI International, The Outlaws, Father Brown, Press, The Coroner, Foyle’s War, Einstein and Eddington, Tchaikovsky, The Bill, Egypt, Casualty, Judge John Deed, Eastenders, Doctors, Blue Dove, Up Rising and Belfry Witches; and for film, Mercenaries, Another Life and Until Death.

Alan Brody’s Operation Epsilon received its world première production at Central Square Theater (Cambridge, MA) with the Nora Theater Company in 2013 and received the distinguished IRNE Awards for Best New Play, Best Director (Andy Sandberg), Best Ensemble, and Best Scenic Design (Janie Howland). Named a Critics’ Pick by The Boston Globe, Operation Epsilon also received a 2013 Elliot Norton Award nomination for Best New Play and won the Norton Award for Best Leading Actor. Brody’s other works include The Housewives of Mannheim (a co-production between Off-Broadway’s 59E59 Theatre in NYC and NJ Repertory Theatre), Five Scenes from Life, Greytop in Love, One-on-One, The Midvale High School Fiftieth Reunion, and Reckoning Time: A Song of Walt Whitman. His play Invention for Fathers and Sons was awarded the first annual Rosenthal Award at the Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park in 1989. He also received the 1990 Eisner Award from the Streisand Center for Jewish Culture in Los Angeles for Company of Angels, which had its world premiere at New Repertory Theater in 1993.

Andy Sandberg is a New York-based director, writer, and Tony Award-winning producer. He is also currently Artistic Director and CEO of the Hermitage Artist Retreat in Florida. He directed the UK première of Jeannette Bayardelle’s Shida, which opened to rave reviews and earned 2019 Off West End Award nominations for Best Musical, Best Director, Best Lead Actress (also Off-Broadway at Ars Nova – four AUDELCO Nominations, including Best Director, Best Musical). Additional world premières as director include Straight (Off-Broadway – Critics’ Pick in The New York Times, which he is now adapting into a feature film); Application Pending, a comedy about kindergarten admissions (also co-author; BroadwayWorld Award: Best Off-Broadway Play, Drama Desk nom: Outstanding Solo Show, Winner: Book Pipeline Prize); Operation Epsilon (Four IRNE Awards, including Best Play, Best Director); Craving for Travel (also co-author); and the Off-Broadway musicals The Last Smoker in America and Neurosis, among others. Select regional directing credits in the U.S. include How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, City of Angels, Into the Woods, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. He has written the feature-length screenplays for Five More Minutes and Haul Out the Holly. In his role as Artistic Director of the Hermitage, Sandberg has established the organization as one of the leading national arts incubators in the United States. Education: Yale University

OPERATION EPSILON

LISTINGS

Southwark Playhouse, Elephant

1 Dante Place, London, SE11 4RX

OperationEpsilon.com

15 September – 21 October 2023

Performances

Mon – Sat: 7.45pm

Thu & Sat: 2.30pm

Ticket prices: previews £16, full price £32, concessions £25.50

Why Am I So Single?
New musical by Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss
to have ticketed workshop at Sadlers Wells
Wednesday 6th – Sunday 10th September 2023
Lilian Baylis Studio Theatre, Sadlers Wells, 183 Rosebery Avenue, London, EC1R 4TJ

Toby Marlow & Lucy Moss’s new musical Why Am I So Single? will have a ticketed workshop at the Lilian Baylis Studio Theatre at Sadlers Wells, from Wednesday 6th – Sunday 10 th September 2023. Why Am I So Single? is a new musical about two perpetually single best friends who can’t figure out why they are so single, and who (on a completely unrelated note) are deciding what to write their next musical about.

The ticketed workshop presentation of Why Am I So Single? at Sadlers Wells will allow audiences a rare chance to be part of a musical’s development process. The authors Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss have teamed up with producers Kenny Wax, George Stiles and Ameena Hamid. They are interested in putting this new musical in front of an audience early in its development in order to hear their thoughts and feedback.

The workshop creative team consists of Director Lucy Moss, Choreographer Ellen Kane;
Orchestrator, Vocal Arranger and Musical Supervisor Joe Beighton; and Sound Designer Paul Gatehouse. Will Burton is the Casting Director; Sara Aniqah Malik is the Associate Director; Michael Naylor is the Associate Choreographer; Charlie Smith is the Associate Sound Designer; and Yutong Zhang is the Musical Director.

The cast comprise Christina Bennington, Jemima Brown, Josh Butler, Joe Foster, DeAngelo
Jones, Tilly LaBelle Yengo, Owen McHugh, Millie O’Connell, Caitlin Redpath, Noah Thomas, Rhys Wilkinson and Charlotte Wilmott.

Tickets are available at £20 (£15 concessions) here

Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story embarks
on a royal autumn tour
UK Tour: September – December 2023

After playing to sold-out Edinburgh Fringe audiences across August, the People’s Princess is going back on tour this autumn. Labelled “the most unhinged piece of theatre in existence” (Broadway Baby), Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story uniquely combines drag, multimedia, audience interaction, puppetry and queer joy, highlighting Diana’s ground-breaking stances on social and queer issues and allowing her to speak her (un)truth in breaking free from the monarchy. She will be visiting the royal realms of Birmingham, Poole, Manchester, Oxford, Bristol, Glasgow, Cardiff, Dublin, Nottingham and Farnham, before delighting her subjects for one night only at London’s Clapham Grand.

Linus Karp comments, Last November we opened this show in a 70-seat venue in London. A year later I am performing at Clapham Grand, ten times the capacity. I can’t believe the journey this show has taken me on already and am so thrilled audiences across the UK are so hungry for a show full of queer joy and the magical power of Princess Diana. Let’s go girls.

Told by Diana from Heaven, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story foregrounds this iconic royal as the powerful, independent woman she wasn’t meant to be. Writer and performer Linus Karp (how to live a jellicle life: life lessons from the 2019 hit movie musical ‘cats’) brings Diana to life supported by puppetry and voice overs from Joseph Martin (The Gunpowder Plot, Layered Reality). Geri Allen (Operation Mincemeat, Fortune Theatre) portrays The Queen and Zina Badran (Doctor Who, BBC) joins as God, both via interactive video clips. The remaining supporting cast is different every single show – due to it being played by audience members!

This tour follows a hugely successful spring 2023 tour and Edinburgh Fringe run, and will see Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story delight and surprise subjects across the land.

★★★★★ Diana is a riot from beginning to end. The audience participation is perfectly crafted, the jokes and stings consistently spot-on, and the lead performance an absolute joy – The Wee Review

★★★★★ Rowdy, unhinged, and wilfully savaging – this show is a one hit K.O of satire and
silliness – Binge Fringe

Hilarious, joyful and ridiculous to the point of sublime – Deborah Frances-White, The Guilty
Feminist

Final cast announced for the European premiere
of the multi award-winning manga stage musical
Death Note THE MUSICAL in Concert
at the Lyric Theatre Thursday 7 September – Sunday 11 September

Olivier award-winner George Maguire, Jessica Lee, Carl Man, Boaz Chad and Patrick Munday are joining the cast of Death Note THE MUSICAL in Concert at the Lyric Theatre.

George Maguire will play Ryuk.
His West End roles include Buck Barrow in ‘Bonnie & Clyde’,  Dave in ‘Sunny Afternoon’. He had the title role of The Whicker Man at The Watermill Theatre.

Jessica Lee will play Misa.
She is currently playing Kim in ‘Miss Saigon’ at Sheffield Crucible. Her West End shows include ‘Prince of Egypt’ and ‘Les Miserables’, and ‘Evita” (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).

Carl Man will be the Alternate L.
His West End roles include Romeo (1st cover) in  ‘& Juliet’ and Fiyero (1st cover) in ‘Wicked’. He will be playing Fiyero in the upcoming ‘Wicked’ UK & Ireland tour.

Boaz Chad and Patrick Munday will join the ensemble.

The rest of the cast continuing from the three sold out performances next week at the London Palladium includes Aimie Atkinson, Rachel Clare Chan, Christian Ray Marbella, Dean John-Wilson, Joaquin Pedro Valdes  and an ensemble featuring Charlotte Coggin, Jade Copas, Eu Jin Hwang, Yojiro Ichikawa, Deena Kapadia, David Kar-Hing Lee, Jasmine Leung, Jojo Meredith, Marcel Li-Ping, Janine Somcio.

Based on the best-selling Japanese manga series of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata/Sheuisha, this ground breaking musical (Winner Best Musical, Korea Musical Awards) has a score by Frank Wildhorn (‘Jekyll & Hyde’, four years on Broadway, ‘Dracula’, ‘Bonnie & Clyde’) with lyrics by Jack Murphy and book by Ivan Menchell.

Light Yagami, a bright but dissatisfied high school student in Tokyo comes across a discarded notebook owned by Ryuk, a mythological god of death. Discovering he can kill anyone by just writing their names in the supernatural notebook, Light takes justice into his own hands by filling the notebook with names of the nation’s most wanted criminals. But a detective only known as “L” is soon tracking him down…

Based on the best-selling Japanese manga series of the same name by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata, this ground breaking musical (Winner Best Musical, Korea Musical Awards) has a score by Frank Wildhorn (‘Jekyll & Hyde’, 4 years on Broadway, ‘Dracula’, ‘Bonnie & Clyde’) with lyrics by Jack Murphy and book by Ivan Menchell.

It is directed by Nick Winston and produced by Carter Dixon McGill Production (‘Chess in Concert’, ‘Kinky Boots in Concert’, ‘Treason the Musical in Concert’) Indie Theatrical and HoriPro in association with Pinnacle Productions, Greg A. DeLuca and Wild Yak Productions.

Death Note THE MUSICAL premiered in 2015 in Tokyo, Japan. A 2022 Korean production won four awards at the Korea Musical Awards after being nominated in 10 categories (“Death Note offers a glimpse at the future of musicals”, The Korea Herald). In 2017, Netflix released a TV adaptation of ‘Death Note’ starring Willem Defoe.

Frank Wildhorn said: “Death Note THE MUSICAL has been the most unique, strange, edgy, and wonderful musical journey for me. It’s been a dream of mine to bring this show from Asia to the West End of London, and here we are!”

Creative team:
Director and Choreographer Nick Winston
Associate Director and Choreographer Alexzandra Sarmiento,
Costume Designer Kimie Nakano
Musical Supervisor  Katy Richardson
Musical Director Chris Ma
Orchestrator Jason Howland
Designer Justin Williams
Lighting Designer Ben Cracknell
Sound Designer Ben Harrison
Casting Harry Blumenau
Artwork by Rebecca Pitt Creative
Producers Carter Dixon McGill Productions, Indie Theatrical, HoriPro Inc., Pinnacle Productions in association with Greg A. DeLuca, Sharon Azrieli and Wild Yak Productions

Frank Wildhorn
In 1999, Frank became the first American composer in 22 years to have three shows running simultaneously on Broadway with Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and The Civil War. Also for Broadway: Bonnie & Clyde, Dracula, Victor/Victoria, Wonderland, and the revival of Jekyll & Hyde. West End: Bonnie & Clyde. International: Carmen, Camille Claudel, Casanova, Cyrano, Death Note, Fist of the North Star, Mata Hari, Mitsuko, Never Say Goodbye, No Longer Human, Rudolf, Tears of Heaven, The Count of Monte Cristo, The Man Who Laughs, Your Lie in April and Xcalibur. Upcoming: Song of Bernadette and Reunion. He Produced Harlem Song at the famed Apollo Theatre. The Korea Times recently proclaimed Wildhorn as “Korea’s most popular musical composer”.

Carter Dixon McGill Productions
Carter Dixon McGill Productions are an Olivier nominated production and general management company with offices in London and Glasgow. Co-founded by John-Webb Carter, Jamie Chapman Dixon & Stephen McGill, they have over 30 years of experience within the entertainment industry.  
Recent productions include: ‘Blippi the Musical ‘(Apollo Theatre & Lyric Theatre); ‘Chess the Musical in Concert’ (Drury Lane Theatre); ‘Kinky Boots the Musical in Concert’ (Drury Lane Theatre); ‘Treason the Musical in Concert’ (Drury Lane Theatre). Previous productions include: ‘Wonderville: Magic & Illusion’ (Palace Theatre, London); ‘Death Drop’ (Criterion Theatre, Garrick Theatre & UK Tour).

Indie Theatrical
Indie Theatrical was established in 2014 by Broadway veteran, Louis Hobson, and theatrical producer, Jake Groshong. In addition to serving as Frank Wildhorn’s US producer, Indie has created global partnerships and established collaborations with industry leaders, top regional theatres, festivals, film and theatre producers, both domestically & internationally, to produce a wide variety of programming.  Credits include ‘Grey House’ on Broadway, executive producer of the 2023 Grammy nominated album, ‘Some Lovers’, by Burt Bacharach and Steven Sater; Shaun Cassidy’s ‘Magic of the Midnight Sky’; and Frank Wildhorn’s, ‘The Song of Bernadette’, which will premiere in 2024 by special arrangement with Buena Vista Theatrical. Indie is also currently developing Frank Wildhorn’s new musicals ‘Reunion’, and ‘Your Lie In April’, which will both premiere in 2024.

HoriPro
Live Entertainment Division
Live Entertainment Division plan, produce and present various theatrical works including plays and musicals. Starting from the musical ‘Peter Pan’, which is presented every summer, HoriPro Stages, works produced by our company, are loved by many fans. We have brought the great works directed by the late Yukio Ninagawa, such as ‘Musashi’, ‘Shintokumaru’, and ‘Kafka On The Shore’ to other parts of the world and received fantastic reviews in London, New York, and other cities. In addition to producing our own directing version of musicals and plays such as ‘Thrill Me, ‘The Miracle Workers’, etc., we have presented the Japanese version of major musicals including ‘Billy Elliot’ and ‘Mary Poppins’ and have established a unique position in the Japanese theatrical industry. We are also the Japanese producer of ‘Harry Potter and the Cursed Child’, which is being presented in Asia for the first time. Our original musical production ‘Death Note THE MUSICAL’, which is being presented in Korea too, is the first production HoriPro had licensed to another country.

LISTINGS INFO

Carter Dixon McGill Productions, Indie
Theatrical, HoriPro Inc., Pinnacle Productions in association with Greg A. DeLuca, Sharon Azrieli and Wild Yak Productions
present

Death Note THE MUSICAL
in Concert
Music by Frank Wildhorn,
Lyrics by Jack Murphy, book by Ivan Menchell
©️Tsugumi Ohba, Takeshi Obata/SHUEISHA, HoriPro

Lyric Theatre
Shaftesbury Avenue
London W1D 7ES

Thursday 7 September –
Sunday 11 September
at 7.30pm
matinees
Saturday 10 & Sunday 11 September at 2.30pm

running time:
2hrs 20 including interval

age recommendation: 12+

Tickets from £25

Booking link:
www.nimaxtheatres.com

Website
www.deathnotethemucial.co.uk

SOCIAL MEDIA

Twitter
@DeathnoteLDN
@ CDMProds
@frankwildhorn

Facebook
@frankwildhorn

Instagram
@DeathnoteLDN
@frank.wildhorn

TikTok
@DeathnoteLDN

LONDON THEATRE WEEK RETURNS, CELEBRATING 5 YEARS OF INCREASING ACCESS TO THEATRE IN THE UK

LONDON THEATRE WEEK OFFERS AUDIENCES
A CHANCE TO SEE THE WEST END’S HOTTEST AND MOST IN-DEMAND SHOWS AT UNBEATABLE PRICES  

LONDON, 21 AUGUST 2023 — London Theatre Week, the highly anticipated performing arts celebration spotlighting dynamic musicals and award-winning plays in London’s West End, makes its return this summer. Marking its 5th-year anniversary, the campaign offers audiences the opportunity to get tickets to the best of West End theatre at accessible prices by booking between 21 August to 3 September.

Locals and tourists alike will have the chance to make the most of the final days of summer by experiencing a wide-range of productions with reasonable tickets from £15, £25, or £35. Now in its fifth year, London Theatre Week is proud to have grown to a world-renowned initiative, meaningfully increasing accessibility to the performing arts since its inception. Having started with just 37 participating shows in its inaugural year, London Theatre Week has  seen over 140 shows participate, performing across 85 local theatre venues, and has sold over 1 million tickets to its audience members. Both new shows like Back to the Future and beloved favourites like The Phantom of the Opera have taken part, bringing joy to audiences seeing high-calibre productions on offer in London’s glittering West End for a fraction of the cost.

“Theatre is a vital part of London’s DNA, and the West End boasts the greatest plays and musicals in the world,” said Stephen Crocker, General Manager of TodayTix Group. “We are thrilled to be celebrating the fifth anniversary of London Theatre Week, which has already given over a million people the opportunity to discover these magnificent shows. With over 50 brilliant titles taking part, there is a show for everyone to enjoy.”

This season’s full lineup of shows includes:  2:22 A Ghost Story, A Strange Loop, Accidental Death of an Anarchist, Ain’t Too Proud, As You Like It, Back to the Future, Barricade Boys, Bronco Billy, Crazy For You, Disney’s Frozen The Musical, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Faking Bad, Flowers for Mrs. Harris, Grease, Guys & Dolls, Hamnet, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Horrible Histories: Terrible Tudors, Jersey Boys, Laurel and Chaplin: The Feud, Les Misérables, Matilda, Matthew Bourne Edward Scissorhands, Musicals By Candlelight, Noises Off, Oklahoma!, Old Friends, Operation Epsilon, Private Lives, Pygmalion, Rebecca, Rumble In The Jungle: Rematch, Showstopper, Sister Act, SpongeBob The Musical, The Book of Mormon, The Choir of Man, The Crown Jewels, The Crucible, The Effect, The Empress, The Lion King, The Little Big Things, The Mousetrap, The Ocean at the End Of The Lane, The Old Man & The Pool, The Play That Goes Wrong, The Time Traveller’s Wife, TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Wishmas, and Witness for the Prosecution.

For more information about London Theatre Week and to purchase tickets, visit londontheatreweek.com.

The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 3^rd September 223

Reviewed by Alexandra Browning

4.5****

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory the Musical was a wonderful show that left no crumb unturned. From the set design to the musical numbers, the show was an absolute delight. A confection extraordinaire. The show follows the Bucket family from a post-apocalyptic stage all the way into the marvels of the Wonka factory. During the show, you are transported to the sweet world of imagination and invention contained within the Wonka chocolate factory’s confines with creative use of prop, song and lighting.

Charlie Bucket played by Harmony Raine-Riley played the role so beautifully. You could see passion for the role of the impoverished Bucket family child. Although Harmony Raine-Riley captured the role of timid and fragile Charlie Bucket she managed to pack such a punch with her stage presence, with a massive voice that filled the whole venue with beautiful singing. It was especially memorable when Willy Wonka played by Gareth Snook sang a duet with Charlie in the glass elevator at the end of the show. 

Gareth Snook embodied the role of Wonka perfectly, the slightly crazy, very successful chocolatier, Snook managed to combine the roles of Gene Wilder and Johnny Depp to make the perfect unique stage version of the famous chocolatier. Wonka’s excitement was boosted by the remaining cast members who found the other golden tickets. 

The musical introduction to the incredibly lucky golden ticket winners was the perfect insight into the winners’ backstories with two personal favourite performances being from Augustus Gloop and Veruca Salt. Gloop’s song, “More of Him to Love”, inspired by the Swiss/Southern German yodelling tradition made for a vibrant and exciting display. Despite being in the theatre, you felt transported to the land of sausage and yodelling through the creative use of costume, accent and music. Although Gloop’s introduction was amazing Veruca always wants to be the best. The performance by Emma Robotham-Hunt as the one and only Veruca Salt was gripping and extremely convincing in the song “When Veruca Says”. You almost felt obliged to buy her anything she requested. 

The crème-de-la-crème of the show was the stage production. The show was so intricately designed from the vintage televisions showing ‘breaking news’ to the floors and walls coming to life with trees and a variety of gourmet candies. A special note has to go for the highs and lows of the performance, from Charlie’s house to the Great Glass Flying Elevator, yes you read that right, FLYING. Charlie’s house captured the bare bones of the Bucket family so perfectly- it was as if the book had quite literally jumped onto the stage. There is no way to recreate the magic and wonder generated by the audience’s reaction to the elevator.

BRONCO BILLY – THE MUSICAL

THE ALL-NEW WILD WEST-END MUSICAL

TO MAKE UK PREMIERE

STARRING WEST END FAVOURITE EMILY BENJAMIN

AT THE CHARING CROSS THEATRE IN 2024

West End favourite Emily Benjamin, currently appearing as alternate Sally Bowles in Cabaret, will star in the award-winning new Wild-West End show Bronco Billy – The Musical, which will premiere in the UK in 2024.Bronco Billy – The Musical will play at the Charing Cross Theatre from 23 January until 7 April.

Bronco Billy – The Musical is a rollicking new musical comedy based on the original Clint Eastwood motion picture.

It’s 1979 and life is tough for a group of romantic fast-drawing, trick-riding, disco-dancing Wild West roustabouts and their travelling show, but things take an unexpected turn when Bronco Billy (leader of this rag-tag troupe) meets Antoinette Lilly, a determined Manhattan heiress on the run for her life. So begins a wild, zany ride in this thrillingly upbeat musical about love, reinvention, family and living your dream.

Emily Benjamin began her career originating as ensemble/US Zahara in Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical (Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum, Ed Mirvish Theatre Toronto, Dominion). Other roles include ‘Princess Pearl’ in Zog:Live! (UK Tour), ‘Badger/US White Witch/US Mrs Beaver’ in Sally Cookson’s The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe (Bridge). Most recently she has worked alongside Eddie Redmayne, Jessie Buckley and more as alternate Sally Bowles in Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club.

Emily Benjamin said, “I’m so excited to explore this wild world of Bronco Billy – The Musical – a show that says you can be whatever you want to be if that’s a powerful woman, a disco dancer, a poet, a performer, a cowboy – there’s somewhere out there that you can be your true self, no matter what other people tell you.” 

The new musical features a book by Dennis Hackin, music and lyrics by Chip Rosenbloom and John Torres, with additional lyrics by Michele Brourman. Bronco Billy is based on the Warner Bros. motion picture written by Dennis Hackin, by special arrangement with Warner Bros. Theatre Ventures.

Bronco Billy – The Musical had its world premiere at the Skylight Theatre Company, Los Angeles in on 18 May 2019, opening to great critical acclaim “Spectacular” (Broadway World) and “Fun…brightly enjoyable show” (Los Angeles Times).  In 2020, it won the Ovation Awards for Best Book/Original Musical and Best Lyrics and Musical/Original Musical.

Bronco Billy – The Musical will be directed by Hunter Bird. Other creatives include Amy Jane Cook for scenic design, Sarah Mercade for costume design, Alexzandra Sarmiento as choreographer, Nick Richings as lighting designer, Andrew Johnson as sound designer, John Bulleid as illusion designer, Rachel Bown-Williams and Ruth Cooper-Brown of RC-Annie Ltd as fight and intimacy directors, Amber Sinclair-Case as associate director, David O as music supervisor, Danny Hackin as associate producer, and Will Burton for casting.

Gary Grossman, Artistic Director of Skylight Theatre Company said, “Five-years ago Dennis Hackin, Chip Rosenbloom, and John Torres approached me about teaming up, to help develop a fresh approach to the 1980’s film. The result is a wonderful, madcap, crazy, love story with a whole lot of heart!”

Director Hunter Bird said, “Bronco Billy – The Musical is so much about identity. Rather than accepting the roles we’re given, we always have the ability to create our own realities, our own families, and our own identities.”

Dennis Hackin writer adds; “We’ve been on a real ride with Bronco Billy and can’t wait to continue our Journey in the UK”.

Bronco Billy – The Musical is produced by Los Angeles based Gary Grossman alongside the London based Hartshorn – Hook Productions (Amelie the Musical, Criterion, Choir of Man, Arts Theatre; The Immersive Great Gatsby, Immersive|LDN).

Tickets go on general sale Friday 18 August at 10am. Find out more at broncobillymusical.com and find us on TikTok/Facebook/Instagram: @broncobillymusical and Twitter: @broncobillyshow