Picture: Danny Kaan
Rachel Tucker and Lewis Cornay will reprise their performances in the new, updated version of Andrew Lippa and Tom Greenwald’s John & Jen in New York early next month.
Presented by Bray Productions and with Lippa also serving as musical director, the special concert performance at leading cabaret venue 54 Below on 9 February 2023 will celebrate the musical’s 30th anniversary.
A two-person tale with two sections – the first detailing the relationship between John and his sister Jen with the second focusing on Jen and the son she names John after her dead brother – the musical debuted Off-Broadway in 1995 and was revived in 2015. The newest incarnation, with the story’s setting changed to 1985-2022 received its world premiere at the Southwark Playhouse in London in 2021.
Commenting on the new production of their work ahead of its premiere, composer Lippa and playwright Greenwald said: “We are absolutely delighted that Bray Productions are bringing John & Jen to the stage as part of the resurgence of London theatre this summer, particularly under the guidance of this extraordinary cast and creative team. We’ve also taken the opportunity to make some updates to the script, which we hope will give the piece a fresh jolt of relevance. But most of all, we’re so excited that live audiences will once again get to see our show!”
The director of the Southwark Playhouse production, Guy Retallack, will take charge of the New York concert production with Tucker (Come From Away, West End and Broadway, Wicked, West End and Broadway) starring as Jen opposite Cornay (The Book of Mormon, Prince of Wales Theatre, Titanic The Musical, UK tour) who plays two characters called John – Jen’s brother and her son.
John & Jen was the first musical from Lippa, the award-winning composer and lyricist whose credits include The Wild Party (book, music and lyrics), The Addams Family (with book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice) and Big Fish (with book by John August).
Angela Thomas
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