Aria Entertainment has unveiled initial casting for the first full production of new musical Broken Wings at the Charing Cross Theatre early next year.
Co-creator Nadim Naaman (The Sound of Music, London Palladium, A Little Night Music, Holland Park Opera) will take on the central role of Kahlil Gibran. The cast will also include Royal Academy of Music graduate Yasmeen Audi (Umm Kulthum & The Golden Era, London Palladium), Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts graduate Haroun Al Jeddal (Grease UK tour), Guildford School of Acting graduate Lucca Chadwick-Patel (The Magician’s Elephant, RSC) and Soophia Foroughi (The Prince of Egypt, Dominion Theatre). Alex Kais will make his London stage debut in the production while Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts graduate Ayesha Patel and Noah Sinigaglia will both make their professional stage debuts in the musical.
Previously seen in concert form in the UK and in the Middle East, the musical created by Naaman and composer Dana Al Fardan, and based on Lebanese-born writer Kahlil Gibran’s autobiographical poetic novel, will open on 15 February, with previews from 11 February.
Directed by the director of the musical’s semi-staged West End premiere in 2018 and subsequent international performances, the Charing Cross Theatre season will run until 26 March 2022.
The creative team for the production also includes musical director Erika Gundesen, orchestrator Joe Davidson, set and costume designer Gregor Donnelly, choreographer Philip Michael Thomas, lighting designer Nic Farman, sound designer Andrew Johnson, casting director Jane Deitch and assistant director Riwa Saab.
Commenting on his show’s Charing Cross Theatre run, Naaman said: “Nearly four years after our semi-staged concert debut, I am frankly ecstatic that Broken Wings is returning to London.
“This new production will be the first time our musical is fully-staged. It feels particularly special to be bringing Gibran and a piece of Lebanon back to the London stage, following the many difficulties faced by the Lebanese people over the past few years. We are so grateful to Katy (Lipson) for her longstanding support and belief in Broken Wings, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences early next year.”
Aria Entertainment’s Katy Lipson added: “As soon as I heard this beautiful and arresting score I became committed to bringing this story to the stage in London in a full production. I find it a unique musical set in the melting pot of the Middle East but with a familiar story of longing, loss and discovery with an incredible writing team. I hope audiences will enjoy the romance and beauty of the story and enjoy another powerful new musical which deserves to part of the canon.”
Performed in the round, the story of Gibran’s youthful love affair with a businessman’s daughter in turn of the century Beirut, features a book by Naaman and music and lyrics by Naaman and Al Fardan.
Angela Thomas
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