Cast update for Menier Chocolate Factory’s Jerry’s Girls

Jessica Martin will complete the cast of the Menier Chocolate Factory’s upcoming revival of Jerry Herman and Larry Alford’s Jerry’s Girls.

Martin (Me and My Girl, Adelphi Theatre, Elf The Musical, Dominion Theatre) will step in after original cast member Lyn Paul withdrew from the production for personal reasons. As previously announced the musical will star Olivier Award winner Cassidy Janson (Wicked, Apollo Victoria, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, Aldwych Theatre) who will return to the Chocolate Factory after appearing in productions of Candide and Tick, Tick… Boom! and Julie Yammanee (Bonnie & Clyde, Garrick Theatre, Gatsby, Southwark Playhouse) who previously appeared at the Chocolate Factory in Spamilton.

Directed by Hannah Chissick (Pack of Lies, Eugenius!), the production will begin preview performances at the prestigious London venue on 18 May ahead of an opening night on 22 May. Featuring an all-female band, the production will be choreographed by Olivier Award nominee Matt Cole (Fiddler on the Roof) with musical supervision and arrangements by Tony and Drama Desk Award winner Sarah Travis (Sweeney Todd).

The creative team for the production which will play a limited season until 29 June also includes set and costume designer Paul Farnsworth and lighting designer Philip Gladwell.

Celebrating the life and legacy of the multi-award-winning composer and lyricist Jerry Herman, the musical revue features songs from many of Herman’s best-loved works including Mame, Hello, Dolly! and La Cage aux Folles, performed by an all-female cast.

Co-created by Herman and Alford in 1981, Jerry’s Girls premiered Off-Broadway before embarking on a US national tour. The show’s Tony-nominated Broadway debut in 1985 was directed and choreographed by Wayne Cilento. The musical was first seen in London in 2015, initially at the St James Studio before playing a transfer run at the Jermyn Street Theatre.

Born in New Jersey in 1931, Herman made his Broadway debut in 1960 with the revue From A to Z which featured a book by Woody Allen and songs from Herman and writers including Fred Ebb.

Herman’s first full Broadway musical, Milk and Honey in 1961, earned the composer the first of many Tony nominations. Three years later Herman hit the jackpot with Hello, Dolly!, winning a record-breaking ten Tony Awards. By the time Mame followed in 1966, Herman was firmly established as one of Broadway’s leading creative talents.

Honoured with the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre in 2009, Herman created ten Broadway shows and contributed to many others. One of his later musicals, La Cage aux Folles, which premiered on Broadway in 1983 and won that season’s Tony Award for Best Musical, is the only musical to have won the Best Revival Tony Award twice (in 2004 and 2010). Herman’s other much-loved shows include Mack and Mabel and The Grand Tour.

Angela Thomas