Booking for Get Up, Stand Up! extended into 2023 – first images of Michael Duke as Bob Marley released

Michael Duke in Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at the Lyric Theatre, London. Picture: Craig Sugden

The world premiere run of Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at the Lyric Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue has been extended for second time, taking the quadruple 2022 Olivier Award-nominated production through to 29 January 2023.

The extension announcement coincided with the release of images of new lead Michael Duke (West Side Story, Manchester Royal Exchange, Thriller Live, The Lyric) who stepped into the role of Bob Marley following the departure of original star Arinzé Kene (Misty, Bush Theatre/Trafalgar Studios, Girl From the North Country, The Old Vic).

Commenting on the success of the production and the arrival of Duke, producers Playful Productions, Stage Play and Cedella Marley said: “Bob’s music has a power to heal, and bring joy and life and happiness to the whole world. In these difficult times we are so pleased that audiences are feeling the positive vibrations reverberating around the Lyric Theatre which we have made our home. ONE LOVE to all nominees and welcome to our family, the brilliant Michael Duke.”

Duke has joined Gabrielle Brooks (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Sheffield Crucible, Our House, The Savoy) as Rita Marley, Shanay Holmes (Thriller Live, The Lyric, High Fidelity, Turbine Theatre) as Cindy Breakspeare, Sophia Mackay (The Grinning Man, Trafalgar Theatre, Bubbly Black Girl Who Sheds Her Chameleon Skin, Theatre Royal Stratford East) as Judy Mowatt, Melissa Brown-Taylor (The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales, This Is Elvis UK tour) as Marcia Griffiths, Jacade Simpson (The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales, Kiss Me, Kate, Opera North) as Bunny Wailer, Natey Jones (Tina – The Tina Turner Musical, Aldwych Theatre, Small Island, National Theatre) as Peter Tosh and David Albury (Motown The Musical, Shaftesbury Theatre, Committee…(A New Musical), Donmar Warehouse) as alternate Bob Marley.

The cast also includes Daniel Bailey, Craig Blake, Charles Blyth, Luke Buck, Maxwell Cole, Athena Collins, Viquichele Cross, Kimmy Edwards, Raphael Estavia, Henry Faber, Cannon Hay, Llewellyn Jamal, Savanna Jeffrey, Kieran McGinn, Rohan Pinnock-Hamilton, Cleopatra Rey, Julene Robinson, Lawrence Rowe, Nate Simpson, Amarra Smith, Archie Smith, Declan Spaine, Jaime Tait and Teddy Wills.

Developed with the backing of Marley’s family and with unlimited access to the musician’s platinum-selling catalogue of music, Billy Elliot The Musical writer Lee Hall’s latest musical is directed by award-winning director Clint Dyer.

Tracing Marley’s journey from his home in rural Jamaica to the international stage, the creative team for the production includes choreographer Shelley Maxwell, musical supervisor Phil Bateman, set designer Chloe Lamford, lighting designer Charles Balfour, sound designer Tony Gayle, costume designer Lisa Duncan, video designer Tal Yarden, casting director Pippa Ailion and musical director Sean Green with wigs, hair and make-up by Campbell Young.

Angela Thomas