The Lyric Hammersmith and Sonia Friedman Productions have announced initial casting for the UK premiere of the multi-award-winning Australian pop musical Fangirls.
Recent Central School of Speech and Drama graduate Jasmine Elcock (The Crucible, Sheffield Theatres) will make her musical theatre debut as 14-year-old superfan Edna. Her fellow superfans will be played by Miracle Chance (The Witches, Heathers) as Brianna, Mary Malone (Burnt at the Stake, Netflix’s Missing You) as Jules, Gracie McGonigal (The Little Big Things, The Crucible) as Lily and Terique Jarrett (Daddy, Hulu’s Find Me in Paris) as Salty.
They will be joined by Eve De Leon Allen (The House with Chicken, Sugar Coat) as Dom/Ensemble and Max Gill (Bugsy Malone, Herons) as Greta/Ensemble with Lena Pattie Jones (professional debut) as Ash/Ensemble and Nicky Wong Rush as Dancer.
Written and composed by Australian playwright Yve Blake and directed by Paige Rattray, the co-production with Sonia Friedman Productions will make its debut at the West London venue from 13 July until 24 August 2024.
Commenting on the cast, director Rattray said: “The greatest joy of Fangirls is always the people in the room. We have created a show that allows us to adapt the roles to people most suited to the spirit of the show. I’m so excited to start work with the new members of our Fangirls family – the talent, charisma and great energy we’ve seen in auditions over the last months have been so inspiring that it has been hard to make final decisions as we’ve moved closer to rehearsals – it’s always been one of those shows where you wish you could have a cast of thousands.
“This cast is really very special. I’m so grateful to Lotte Hines our stunning casting director for all of the work and expertise she’s put in to find these exceptional people, I’m beyond excited to share their talents with our audience.”
The creative team for the London production also includes production designer David Fleischer, choreographer Ebony Williams, video designer Ash J Woodward, lighting designer Jessica Hung Han Yun, sound designer Tony Gayle, vocal arranger and orchestrator Zara Stanton, musical director Candida Caldicot, music producer David Muratore, casting director Lotte Hines, associate choreographer Ardyn Flynt, associate musical director Laurence Stannard, associate director Kwame Owusu and casting associate Bobbie Chatt.
Inspired by interviews with teenage pop fans, the story of 14-year-old Edna’s quest to meet her favourite boyband singer premiered at Queensland Theatre in Brisbane, Australia in 2019. The musical comedy’s UK premiere follows on from multiple sold-out runs across Australia including a season at the Sydney Opera House.
Announcing the musical last year, the Lyric’s O’Riordan said: “Fangirls will be a riotous night at the theatre and we couldn’t be more thrilled to co-produce the UK premiere with Sonia Friedman Productions. Our beautiful auditorium will transcend into one of the best pop concerts you’ve ever been to. The Lyric was built for musicals like Fangirls which is going to be a once-in-a-lifetime euphoric experience across West London and beyond.”
Co-producer Sonia Friedman added: “I have had the privilege of collaborating with the extraordinarily gifted Yve Blake since I first heard about the incredible success of Fangirls in Australia. It has been an inspirational, wonderfully energising journey thus far, and I am delighted to be working with the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre to bring this new production to London. Helmed once again by the brilliant Paige Rattray, this funny and life-affirming pop musical is an ode to love.”
Alongside the premiere of Fangirls, the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre will also be launching the Fangirls Fanclub to give a limited number of members a special VIP experience. This one-off membership will unlock exclusive benefits including tickets to the Fanclub Convention performance and party on 24 July 2024, tickets to an ‘Inside the Rehearsal Room’ party, a Goody Bag with signed merchandise and Fangirls Fanzine for sneak peeks.
Angela Thomas
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