Casting has been announced for director Elizabeth Newman’s new production of the timeless musical Singin’ in the Rain.
Matthew Croke (Funny Girl, Menier Chocolate Factory) will take on the central role of silent movie idol and song and dance man Don Lockwood, alongside Christian Edwards (Oliver! Theatre Royal Drury Lane) as his exuberant best friend Cosmo Brown.
The New Vic Theatre Newcastle-under-Lyme, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Salisbury Playhouse production is due to play all three venues starting at the Playhouse on 5 May.
Eleanor Brown (Mamma Mia! international tour) has been cast as chorus girl Kathy Selden and Sarah Vezmar (Tipping the Velvet, Lyric Hammersmith) will play the comically shallow Lina Lamont.
Key supporting roles will be played by Matthew James Hinchliffe (Sweet Charity, New Wolsey Theatre), Helen Power (Chicago, Oldham Coliseum) and Philip Starnier (ITV’s Maigret).
Completing the cast are Richard Colvin (The Borrowers, New Vic Theatre), Barbara Hockaday (Love Story, Octagon Theatre), Wendy Paver (Hello, Dolly! Pitlochry Festival Theatre), Richard Reeday (Little Shop of Horrors, Salisbury Playhouse and Mercury Theatre); and, making her professional theatre debut, Sally Cheng (On the Town, Guilford School of Acting).
The production’s director, the Octagon’s artistic director Newman said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be making Singin’ in the Rain – it is a favourite for so many people, and understandably so. We hope to grip audiences all over the country with the magnificent music, entertaining story and iconic dance routines, and it’s an honour to be bringing it all to life with Salisbury Playhouse and New Vic Theatre.”
With orchestration and musical direction from Richard Reeday, the production is designed by Ciaran Bagnall with costumes designed by Mary Horan and sound by Lorna Munden. The production is choreographed by Sian Williams with Lesley Hutchison as movement and associate director, Terry King as fight director and the casting director is Danielle Tarento.
The show will play the Salisbury Playhouse from 5-28 May before moving into Bolton’s Octagon Theatre from 3-25 June and finally playing the New Vic Theatre, Newcastle-under-Lyme from 30 June until 16 July.
Angela Thomas
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