Full casting has been confirmed for the West End transfer of the Chichester Festival Theatre acclaimed new production of the classic George and Ira Gershwin musical comedy Crazy For You.
As previously announced, original stars Charlie Stemp, Carly Anderson and Tom Edden will lead the cast when the production plays a strictly limited six-month season at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 24 June ahead of a press night on 3 July.
Stemp (Half a Sixpence, Chichester Festival Theatre, Mary Poppins, Prince Edward Theatre) will reprise his performance as theatre-mad banker Bobby Child alongside Anderson (My Fair Lady, Sheffield Crucible, Wicked, international tour) as the girl of Bobby’s dreams, theatre owner’s daughter Polly Baker and Drama Desk Award-winner Edden (One Man, Two Guvnors, Broadway, Amadeus, National Theatre) as showman Bela Zangler.
They will be joined in the West End by Natalie Kassanga (Dreamgirls ) as Irene Roth, Mathew Craig (We Will Rock You ) as Lank Hawkins, Duncan Smith (White Christmas ) as Everett Baker, Marilyn Cutts (Funny Girl ) as Lottie Child, Sam Harrison (Les Misérables ) as Eugene Fodor, Rina Fatania (The Killing of Sister George ) as Patricia Fodor, and Jack Wilcox (Anything Goes) as Standby Bobby Child.
The cast will also include Kayleigh Thadani, Kate Parr, Lila Anderson, Harriet Samuel-Gray, Imogen Bowtell, Laura Hills, Ella Valentine, Tara Yasmin, Marc Akinfolarin, Lucas Koch, Philip Bertioli, Jason Battersby, Ashley-Jordon Packer, Nicholas Duncan, Nathan Elwick, Liam Wrate, Joshua Nkemdilim, Nell Martin, Bradley Trevethan, Bethan Downing, Ryan Jupp, Jinny Gould and George Bray.
Directed and choreographed by multi-Tony and Olivier Award-winner Susan Stroman (The Producers, The Scottsboro Boys), the 3oth anniversary production debuted in Chichester last summer. Stroman’s association with the musical stretches back to the original Broadway production in 1992 which was directed by Mike Ockrent and choreographed by Stroman.
Announcing the West End transfer, the producers Joey Parnes, Sally Horchow and Michael Harrison said: “Susan Stroman’s exuberant production of Crazy For You was the most infectiously joyful show of the year. Charlie and Carly’s performances brought both great romance and spectacle to its heart, and Tom Edden was absolutely hilarious! We are so thrilled that London audiences will now be able to experience this dazzling musical in the superb setting of the Gillian Lynne Theatre.”
With a score that includes Gershwin favourites such as ‘Someone to Watch Over Me’, ‘I Got Rhythm’, ‘They Can’t Take That Away From Me’ and ‘Embraceable You’, the show has a book by Ken Ludwig who co-conceived the musical with Ockrent. Featuring music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin, the feel-good musical comedy was inspired by material by Guy Bolton and John McGowan.
Set design for the Chichester production is by Beowulf Boritt, with costume design by William Ivey Long, lighting design by Ken Billington, musical direction by Alan Williams, sound design by Kai Harada, new orchestrations by Doug Besterman and Mark Cumberland, original orchestrations by William David Brohn, new arrangements by David Krane and original arrangements by Peter Howard. Wigs, hair and make-up design is by Campbell Young Associates, fight direction by Rc-Annie and casting is by Jill Green.
Angela Thomas
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