WORLD RENOWNED ‘MADE IN SHEFFIELD’ ® ACCOLADE AWARDED
TO NEW BRITISH MUSICAL
STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE
DUE TO MAKE ITS WEST END
PREMIERE AT THE GILLIAN LYNNE
THEATRE IN LONDON FROM 8
FEBRUARY 2024
The National Theatre and Various Productions announce today that Sheffield Theatres’ smash-hit production, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, has been awarded the internationally recognised ‘Made in Sheffield’ ® accolade ahead of it making its West End premiere at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London from 8 February 2024. Originally created to protect the city’s unique reputation for world leading manufacturing, this is the first time a theatre production has received this registered trademark.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a multi-award-winning production, winning ‘Best New Musical’ at the 2023 Olivier Awards earlier this year with Sheffield singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley and Tom Deering also winning ‘Best Original Score and New Orchestrations’. Previously it has won the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre and ‘Best Musical Production’ at the UK Theatre Awards in 2019.
Written as a love letter to Sheffield and the city’s iconic Park Hill Estate, Standing at the Sky’s Edge is directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director, Robert Hastie and features songs by the legendary Sheffield singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley. With a hilarious and gut-wrenching book by Sheffield playwright, Chris Bush, Standing at the Sky’s Edge charts the hopes and dreams of three generations over the course of six tumultuous decades, navigating universal themes of love, loss and survival.
First commissioned by Sheffield Theatres and Various Productions,Standing at the Sky’s Edge had its world premiere at the Crucible Theatre in 2019. Following a hugely successful, sold-out run, it returned to the Crucible Theatre in December 2022, selling out again, before making its London premiere in the National Theatre’s Olivier theatre in early 2023 where it continued to sell out and receive standing ovations.
Revealing the history of modern Britain, through the stories of this iconic housing estate, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, is a heartfelt exploration of the power of community and what it is we all call home.
Richard Hawley, singer-songwriter, said:
“I’m just a musician and to be connected in any way to Made in Sheffield® is just an honour for me – it’s mind blowing”
Robert Hastie, director and Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatre, said:
“To receive the Made in Sheffield® mark is a true honour. On behalf of everyone who contributed to the creation of Standing at the Sky’s Edge, we are thrilled that the production is the first of its kind to receive this accolade. I’d like to pay particular tribute to the craft and dedication of our in-house teams at Sheffield Theatres, who year-round turn ideas from brilliant artists into the highest quality work on stage. We are incredibly proud of Standing at the Sky’s Edge, for the way it has been received by audiences at home and now in London, and are delighted to have it recognised amongst Sheffield’s celebrated makers.”
Chris Bush, playwright, said:
“Etymologically, playwrights have more in common with cartwrights or shipwrights than authors or poets – we aren’t just abstract storytellers, but makers of things. Nowhere makes things better than Sheffield, and it’s a huge honour to see our work of artistic creation acknowledged alongside the city’s proud industrial heritage.”
Charles Turner, Master Cutler, Chair to Made in Sheffield, MD of Durham Duplex, said:
“Standing at the Sky’s Edge is as Made in Sheffield ® as my knives, it’s created here, its music comes from here, it’s about the heart and soul of Sheffield and tells the story of Sheffield to the world. We’re an export city and to have something like this going to London as a cultural export item is absolutely brilliant – why wouldn’t we give it the Made in Sheffield ® mark?!”
Rupert Lord, Producer, Various Productions said:
“Our musical is a wholly Sheffield-made show. Conceived, written and first performed in Sheffield deploying the enormous talents of a Sheffield born and bred writer, Chris Bush and songwriter, Richard Hawley and directed by a Yorkshireman, Rob Hastie, who is Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, this production is truly a love letter to this great city. I couldn’t be more delighted and proud that it has now been awarded the honour of using the iconic Made in Sheffield ® mark. Like great Sheffield cutlery, we believe Standing at the Sky’s Edge is of the highest quality and built to last, and this award is a fitting tribute to the creative energies that the city embodies.”
Kate Varah, Executive Director, National Theatre said:
“Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a uniquely special musical, deeply grounded in its specificity to Sheffield and, one that beautifully transformed our Olivier stage into the city’s iconic Park Hill Estate earlier this year. All at the National are thrilled to be part of the show created in Sheffield and are delighted that such a unique honour has been bestowed upon it.”
Standing at Sky’s Edge will make it West End premiere at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8 February 2024. Joining the cast for this new production are, Elizabeth Ayodele (Small Island, National Theatre; Steel Magnolias, Trafalgar Theatre Productions) as Joy, Joel Harper-Jackson (Cock, Elliot & Harper Productions; Kinky Boots, Adam Blanshay Productions) as Harry, Sharlene Hector (A Strange Loop, Trafalgar Theatre Productions/National Theatre; Hairspray, Adam Spiegal Productions/Fiery Angel) as Grace, Mel Lowe (Orlando, The Michael Grandage Company; A Billion Times I Love You, Homotopia/Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse) as Connie, Laura Pitt-Pulford (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; Emmerdale, ITV) as Poppy and Lauryn Redding (Bloody Elle, Rebel Productions/Royal Exchange) as Nikki.
Returning to reprise their roles are, Samuel Jordan (Masters of the Air, Apple TV; Sex Education, Netflix) as Jimmy, Baker Mukasa (The Comedy of Errors, Royal Shakespeare Company; Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Stage Entertainment) as George, Alastair Natkiel (Line of Duty, BBC; Strangers on a Train, Barbara Broccoli) as Marcusand Rachael Wooding (Pretty Woman: The Musical, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions; We Will Rock You, Queen Theatrical Productions/Phil McIntyre/Tribeca Theatrical Productions) as Rose. Further casting will be announced.
Hastie is joined by set and costume designer, Ben Stones; choreographer, Lynne Page; orchestrator and arranger, originating music supervisor, Tom Deering; lighting designer, Mark Henderson; sound designer, Bobby Aitken; wigs, hair and make-up designer, Cynthia De La Rosa and casting director, Stuart Burt CDG.
Richard Hawley has recently released Now Then: The Very Best of Richard Hawley, his first ever best of collection. This 36-track deep dive into his hugely successful career to date includes his original versions of songs from the musical including Open Up Your Door, Tonight the Streets Are Ours, Coles Corner and the production’s title track, Standing at the Sky’s Edge. He also has a UK and Ireland tour with gig dates from May 2024.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge, the original live cast recording is available to stream via Spotify and purchase online from major music retailers.
Tickets for the musical are available from £20 at SkysEdgeMusical.com. Assisted performances are available throughout the run.