The producers of Sleepless, A Musical Romance and the show’s costume designer have joined the nationwide efforts to support the NHS workers on the frontline in the battle against COVID-19.
Costume designer Sue Simmerling, the owner of design company Carry On Costumes, was initially contacted by fellow designer Dulcie Scott who had started a crowdfunding group ‘Helping Dress Medics’ to buy fabrics to be made into scrubs for medical staff.
Sleepless producers Michael Rose and Damien Sanders then stepped in with an offer to Simmerling to share the cost of purchasing 800 metres of fabric which will then be sent out to seamstresses across the country to make PPE for NHS staff. Simmerling also volunteered the services of her team at Carry On Costumes to produce 70 sets of scrubs for London’s Guy’s Hospital.
In addition to helping fund the fabric for scrubs, Rose and Sanders have also unveiled plans for A Night For Sleepless Heroes – a special free performance of their show for NHS workers.
In a statement Rose and Sanders said: “We were so glad to help Sue and her team. While theatres are closed, this is something we can do to help the people on the frontline in this fight against COVID-19. And, as a thank you to these NHS heroes, we wanted to welcome them to the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre once we’re all back up and running and to see Sleepless free-of-charge.”
Reuniting Big The Musical leads former boyband star turned Strictly Come Dancing champion Jay McGuiness and ex Girls Aloud favourite Kimberley Walsh, the musical based on Nora Ephron’s much-loved movie Sleepless In Seattle had been due to start performances at the Troubadour Wembley Park on 24 March with an opening night planned for 1 April.
The production will also feature Daniel Casey, Harriet Thorpe, Tania Mathurin, Jake Sharp, Charlie Bull, Colin Burnicle, Christie-Lee Crosson, Laura Darton, Leanne Garretty, Matt Holland, Ross McLaren, Gary Murphy, Dominique Planter, Annie Wensak and Benjamin Wong. The role of Sam’s young son Jonah will be shared by Theo Collis, Mikey Colville, Jobe Hart and Jack Reynolds.
With a book by Michael Burdett, and music and lyrics by new British writers Robert Scott and Brendan Cull, the production will be directed by Morgan Young (Big The Musical, Elf The Musical).
The creative team for the production also includes set design by Morgan Large, costume design by Sue Simmerling, lighting by Tim Lutkin, video design by Ian William Galloway, sound design by Avgoustos Psillas and Terry Jardine for Autograph, orchestrations by Larry Blank, musical supervision and direction by Stuart Morley, wig and hair design by Richard Mawbey and casting by Sarah Bird and Michael Donovan. The general manager will be David Pearson.
Angela Thomas
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