Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre – cast announced

Casting has been revealed for Nicholas Hytner’s highly anticipated immersive production of the classic musical Guys and Dolls at the Bridge Theatre next spring.

Making their Bridge Theatre debuts in the South London venue’s first musical will be Daniel Mays, Marisha Wallace, Cedric Neal, Andrew Richardson and Celinde Schoenmaker.

Stage and screen star Mays (The Red Lion, National Theatre, Fisherman’s Friends) will take on the role of commitment-phobic gambler Nathan Detroit opposite Wallace (Hairspray, London Coliseum, Oklahoma! Young Vic) as Miss Adelaide. Richardson will make his professional theatre debut in the production, playing Sky Masterson alongside Schoenmaker (Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre, The Phantom of the Opera, Her Majesty’s Theatre) as Sarah Brown, and Neal (Back to the Future The Musical, Adelphi Theatre, Motown The Musical, Shaftesbury Theatre) as Nicely Nicely Johnson.

The cast will also include Cornelius Clarke (Guys and Dolls, Savoy Theatre/Phoenix Theatre, My Fair Lady, Kilworth Theatre) as Lieutenant Brannigan, Cameron Johnson (Nativity The Musical, Birmingham Rep) will return to the role of Big Jule after previously playing the character on the UK tour, Anthony O’Donnell (Under Milk Wood, National Theatre, Glengarry Glen Ross, Donmar Warehouse) as Arvide Abernathy, Mark Oxtoby (Hex, National Theatre, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Theatre Royal Drury Lane) as Benny Southstreet, Adam Pearce (The Prince of Egypt, Dominion Theatre, Evita, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) as Harry the Horse, Ryan Pidgen (South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre, Matilda, The Cambridge Theatre) as Rusty Charlie, and Katy Secombe (Les Misérables, Sondheim Theatre, The Music Man, Chichester Festival Theatre) as General Cartwright.

Completing the cast are Simon Anthony, Lydia Bannister, Kathryn Barnes, Callum Bell, Cindy Belliot, Petrelle Dias, Ike Fallon, Leslie Garcia Bowman, George Ioannides, Robbie McMillan, Perry O’Dea, Charlotte Scott, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda, Isabel Snaas, Sasha Wareham and Dale White in the ensemble.

The production will begin performances at The Bridge from 3 March 2023 ahead of an opening night on 14 March 2023. Tickets will initially go on sale for performances up to 2 September 2023.

Hytner heads a high-powered creative team that includes set and costume designer Bunny Christie, choreographer Arlene Phillips, costume designer Deborah Andrews, with associate direction and choreography by James Cousins, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Arditti , musical direction by Tom Brady, orchestrations by Charlie Rosen and casting by Charlotte Sutton.

Inspired by the distinctive work of celebrated writer and newspaperman Damon Runyon, the much-loved Broadway musical features music and lyrics by Frank Loesser  and book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows

Angela Thomas