Aria Entertainment’s Katy Lipson has confirmed the full cast for the world premiere of Claus The Musical at The Lowry in Salford this Christmas.
Based on L. Frank Baum’s The Life and Adventures of Santa Claus, the Wizard of Oz creator’s much-loved children’s book has been adapted for the stage by Simon Warne with music and lyrics from Andy Collyer.
Harry Winchester (Peter Pan, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, The Pirate Queen, London Coliseum) will take the title role alongside Georgie Buckland (Bedknobs and Broomsticks, UK tour, The Bernstein Mass, Royal Scottish National Orchestra) as Necile, recent Guildford School of Acting graduate Junior Delius (Carole: The Music of Carol King, UK tour) as AK, Chris Draper (Young Frankenstein, English Theatre Frankfurt, School of Rock, international tour) as Will Knook, Jazz Evans (HMS Pinafore, Wilton’s Music Hall/Theatre Royal, Winchester, Madagascar, UK tour) as Awgwa, Jessica Lim (Zorro The Musical, Charing Cross Theatre, Mario: A Super Musical, Cockpit Theatre) as Shiegra, Mari McGinlay (Yeast Nation, Southwark Playhouse, Hairspray, London Coliseum) as Zurline, Corrine Priest (Les Miserables, Sondheim Theatre/UK tour, Girlfriends, Union Theatre) as The Fairy Queen, and Alwyne Taylor (The Time Traveller’s Wife, Storyhouse Chester, A Final Farewell, Tara Arts) as the Narrator.
The ensemble will include Nic Cain (Young Frankenstein, The English Theatre Frankfurt), Emily George (professional debut), Simon Oskarsson (101 Dalmatians, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) with award-winning ArtsEd graduate Michael Kholwadia also cast as cover Claus, and Musical Theatre Academy graduate Emily Tang who will make her professional debut in the production and will also take on the role of cover Fairy Queen.
Directed by Kate Colledge, the magical festive show will debut at The Lowry from 14 December 2022 until 8 January 2023. The creative team also includes musical director Alex Beetschen, set and costume designer Stewart J Charlesworth, lighting designer Aaron Dootson, casting director Jane Deitch, sound designer Andrew Johnson and choreographer Lucinda Lawrence. The production is co-produced by Jason Haigh-Ellery.
New music videos featuring the cast performing the songs, ‘The Miracle of Christmas’ and ‘The Children’ have been released.
Announcing the production earlier this year, Lipson said: “Claus is such a special and important piece to me. It’s a piece that reminds me of my fondest memories of seeing a musical for the first time.
“When I first heard this score by Andy Collyer, it inspired me to form my company Aria Entertainment so that I could one day produce it. I am therefore thrilled to finally be bringing this beautiful story to the stage in my hometown of Salford.”
First published in 1902, Baum’s book tells the story of a baby abandoned in the magical Forest of Burzee. Named Claus by Necile, the wood nymph who takes him in and showers him with love, the child grows to adulthood in an enchanted world where those around him teach him the value of kindness.
Stage and screenwriter Simon Warne and composer and arranger Adam Collyer previously worked together on The Toyboy Diaries. Based on the best-selling memoirs of Wendy Salisbury, the musical received its world premiere at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre in 2018.
Angela Thomas
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