Kevin Kennedy as Dennis Dupree in Rock Of Ages. Picture: Richard Davenport
Former Coronation Street favourite Kevin Kennedy will reprise his performance as Dennis Dupree in the touring production of glam rock jukebox musical Rock Of Ages next month.
Best known for playing Curly Watts in the ITV soap and with a stage career that includes starring roles in hit productions of Chicago, We Will Rock You and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Kennedy previously played Dennis Dupree on tour in 2018. He will join 2016 X Factor winner Matt Terry (Madagascar, Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical) as Stacee Jax from 10 May 2022 at the Edinburgh Playhouse.
The cast also includes Sam Turrell who returns as Drew, with Gabriella Williams stepping into the role of Sherrie. Returning cast members also include Joe Gash as Lonny, Vicky Manser as Regina, Jenny Fitzpatrick as Justice, Vas Constanti as Hertz, Andrew Carthy as Franz and Erin Bell as Constance.
The cast is completed by Billy Roberts, Scott Hayward, Darius James, Siobhan James, Hollie-Ann Lowe, Phoebe Samuel-Gray and Morgan Scott. The band is made up of musical director Liam Holmes on keys, Liam Stevenson (guitar 1), Alex Ward (guitar 2), Elliot Mason (bass guitar) and Vito Guerrieri (drums).
Presented by Dan Looney, Adam Paulden, Jason Haigh-Ellery and Richard Klin for DLAP Entertainment Group, Sue Gilad and Larry Rogowsky, Rock Of Ages will open at the New Victoria Theatre in Woking from 27-30 April with Joshua Dever playing Dennis Dupree and the role of Stacee Jaxx to be announced. The tour will then head for The Hawth, Crawley where Dever will continue as Dennis Dupree alongside Terry as Stacee Jaxx.
Alongside the previously announced venues the production will now visit Tunbridge Wells (13-17 September), Truro (28 February-4 March 2023), Sheffield (5-11 March 2023) and Barnstaple (21-25 March 2023) with more dates to be announced.
Directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, the production’s set and costume design is by Morgan Large, with lighting design by Ben Cracknell, sound design by Ben Harrison, video and projection design by Duncan McLean and casting by Jim Arnold.
The creative team also includes associate director Victoria Gimby, associate choreographer Ryan-Lee Seager and associate lighting designer Chris Vaughan. Costume supervision is by Lee Tassie and production management is by Phil McCandish.
The crew is made up of company stage manager Paul C Deavin, deputy stage manager Sophie Mason, assistant stage manager/book cover Mali-Beth Rose, technical stage manager Benjamin Larkin, sound 1 Robbie Matthews, sound 2 Sam Roberts and head of wardrobe Chaja Nadia Verkerk.
Celebrating the classic soft rock of the 1980s, the musical features a book by Chris D’Arienzo and orchestrations and arrangements by Ethan Popp. The original Broadway production opened in 2009 and was the 29th longest-running musical in Broadway history when it closed in 2015. The production was nominated for five Tony Awards in 2009 including Best Musical and Best Actor for the original leading man, former American Idol finalist Constantine Maroulis.
The show made its West End debut in 2011, the year before the release of the film version and three years before the first UK tour. The sold-out second tour launched in Manchester in 2018 and ran until the summer of 2019 with former pop star Anthony Costa and Six’s Jodie Steele also among the touring cast.
Angela Thomas
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