Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s 90th anniversary season will include a new production of Legally Blonde directed by Lucy Moss, the co-writer and co-director of hit show Six.
The season will also feature the long-awaited debut musical version of Dodie Smith’s much-loved 101 Dalmatians, the first newly commissioned musical from the prestigious London venue.
Announcing the 2022 season, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s artistic director Timothy Sheader said: “Anniversaries often feel overrated but after the last two years it feels properly joyous to be announcing the 90th season of theatre in Regent’s Park.
“We’d like to take this moment to thank all our partners, funders, theatre makers and audiences for their continued support and commitment to making this wonderful human experience possible. It’s no small thing.
“We hope you will find something to delight or provoke you in this programme of work – centred on living writers and including two premieres of new commissions – and that you will join us in the park next summer to celebrate theatre; alive and kicking.”
Originally scheduled to be the launch production of the 2020 season and postponed for a second time earlier this year due to the pandemic, 101 Dalmatians will now play its premiere season from 12 July until 28 August 2022.
Directed by Sheader and featuring puppetry designed and directed by Toby Olié, the musical theatre version of the story of Cruella de Vil and her nefarious plans for a family of cute Dalmatian puppies had been in development for two years ahead of its planned 2020 debut.
Featuring music and lyrics by Douglas Hodge and a book by Johnny McKnight from a stage adaptation by Zinnie Harris, the creative team for the production includes Jill Green (casting director), Tash Holway (assistant choreographer), Howard Hudson (lighting designer), Nick Lidster for Autograph (sound designer), Katrina Lindsay (costume designer), Tarek Merchant (musical director), Verity Naughton and Nick Hockaday for Verity Naughton Casting (children’s casting directors), Colin Richmond (set designer), Liam Steel (choreographer) and Sarah Travis (musical supervisor and orchestrator).
The Open Air Theatre will be working with Mousetrap Theatre Projects to create a relaxed performance of 101 Dalmatians on 14 August 2022.
The 90th Anniversary Season will open with the new production of Legally Blonde. Running from 13 May until 2 July 2022, director Moss will head a creative team that includes Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher for Pippa Ailion Casting (casting directors), Cat Beveridge (musical supervisor), Tony Gayle (sound designer) and Ellen Kane (choreographer).
Based on the much-loved Reese Witherspoon film which in turn was based on the novel by Amanda Brown, the musical version of Legally Blonde features music and lyrics by Laurence O’Keefe and Nell Benjamin and a book by Heather Hach. The show debuted on Broadway in 2007 and earned seven Tony nominations and 10 Drama Desk Award nominations during its Broadway run. Arriving in the West End two years later, it was nominated for five Olivier Awards winning three including Best New Musical.
The final production in the season will be a contemporary re-telling of Sophocles’ epic Antigone by Barber Shop Chronicles’ writer Inua Ellams. Commissioned by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and directed by Max Webster, the creative team for the production also includes Carrie-Anne Ingrouille (choreographer), Polly Jerrold (Casting Director), Emma Laxton (sound designer), Shez Manzoor (composer), Khadija Raza (costume designer), Leslie Travers (set designer) and Jo Tyabji (associate director).
Angela Thomas
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