Olivier Award winner Jenna Russell will play Frank Sinatra’s beloved mother Dolly in the West End premiere of writer Joe DiPietro’s (Memphis The Musical, What’s New Pussycat?) Sinatra The Musical this summer.
Currently giving an Olivier-nominated performance in the critically acclaimed West End transfer of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Russell (Sunday in the Park With George, West End/Broadway, Hello, Dolly!, London Palladium) will join the previously announced Joel Harper-Jackson (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, National Theatre, Kinky Boots The Musical, UK tour) as the legendary Sinatra, award-winning Broadway star Ana Villafañe (On Your Feet, Chicago) as Ava Gardner – the silver screen goddess who became Ol’ Blue Eyes’ second wife – and Phoebe Panaretos (Strictly Ballroom, Zorro) as Sinatra’s first wife, Nancy Barbato.
Commenting on the addition of Russell to the principal cast, the production’s director Kathleen Marshall (Anything Goes, The Pyjama Game) said: “I’ve been a huge fan of Jenna Russell’s ever since I had the great pleasure of seeing her astonishing performance in Sunday in the Park With George on Broadway. I’m so excited to be collaborating with Jenna and with our entire brilliant cast on Sinatra the Musical. We can’t wait to welcome audiences into Sinatra’s world at the Aldwych Theatre this summer!”
The company is completed by Oliver Adam-Reynolds (Nat King Cole/Ensemble), Becky Anderson (Lana Turner/Ensemble), Carl Au (Lee Mortimer/Ensemble), Sam Brown (Tommy Dorsey/Ensemble), Helen Colby (Hedda Hopper/Ensemble), Emma Crossley (Swing), Adam Davidson (Gene Kelly/Ensemble), Alexander Day (Swing and Dance Captain), Christopher GoPaul (Swing), Stuart Hickey (Swing), Jenna Innes (Judy Garland/Ensemble), Marty Maguire (Marty Sinatra), Mia Musakembeva (Ensemble), Melissa Nettleford (Billie Holiday/Ensemble), Samuel Nicholas (Ensemble), Nardia Ruth (Swing), Christina Shand (Swing and Assistant Dance Captain), John Stacey (Mitch Miller/Harry Cohn/Ensemble), Allana Taylor (Marlene Dietrich/Ensemble) and Lee Zarrett (George Evans). Sylvie Regan, Mia Savident and Felicity Walton share the role of Little Nancy.
Sinatra The Musical will begin performances at the Adelphi Theatre on 3 June. The musical is currently booking up to 10 April 2027.
The show was first seen in a sold-out season at Birmingham Rep in 2013 (with Villafañe and Panaretos as Ava and Nancy).
Frank Sinatra’s extensive catalogue of timeless tracks from decades of recordings forms the musical accompaniment to the story of the man and the legendary artist. Sinatra The Musical is the first in a series of new projects and initiatives developed by Frank Sinatra Enterprises in partnership with Universal Music Group aimed at introducing new audiences to Sinatra’s life and artistic legacy.
Angela Thomas
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