Former EastEnder Rita Simons is the latest star name lined up to join the West End cast of the award-winning musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
The former pop singer who is best known for playing Roxy Mitchell in EastEnders will step into the role of Miss Hedge, following the departure of the current actress in the role, Steps singer Faye Tozer who will give her final performance in the show on 3 August 2019. Simons will stay with the show for a limited season from 5 August.
Announcing the latest piece of casting news, Jamie’s West End producer Nica Burns said: “Rita is a very popular and much-loved actress. Before she burst onto our TV screens winning Most Popular Newcomer at the National Television Awards, she had a successful career as a singer and two hit singles with the band, Girls @ Play. She will knock you out with her voice as she rocks it as Miss Hedge.”
Simons, whose theatre credits include UK tours of the musical Legally Blonde and supernatural thriller The House On Cold Hill, commented: “I am so excited to be playing Miss Hedge in what is by far my favourite show… I went to see it when it opened and always wanted to be part of this incredible show. Roll on August!”
When Simons joins the production, she will become the latest in a series of soap favourites who have made their mark in the hit show including the newest Loco Chanelle, Coronation Street and Emmerdale’s Bill Ward, fellow Coronation Street and Emmerdale regular Hayley Tamaddon, EastEnder Shane Ritchie and former Coronation Street star Shobna Gulati.
From Monday 5 August Simons will feature alongside current cast members: Layton Williams (Jamie New), Alex Anstey (Laika Virgin), Luke Baker (Dean Paxton), Courtney Bowman (Fatimah), Marvyn Charles (Swing), Marlon G Day (Dad), Momar Diagne, Zahra Jones (Becca), James Gillan (Tray Sophisticay), Ryan Hughes (Mickey), Daniel Jacob (Sandra Bollock), Melissa Jacques, Emily Kenwright (Vicki), Sejal Keshwala (Ray), Luke Latchman (Sayid), Jordan Laviniere (Cy), Rebecca McKinnis (Margaret New), Harriet Payne (Bex), Rachel Price (Swing), Sabrina Sandhu (Pritti Pasha), Biancha Szynal (Swing), Adam Taylor (Swing), Ziggy Tyler Taylor (Levi) and Bill Ward (Loco Chanelle/Hugo).
Due to mark its second year in the West End in November, the multi-award-winning show which was originally only planned as a limited season at the Apollo Theatre, is now booking up to 25 January 2020. A UK touring production will also hit the road next year.
Written by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae, the show is directed by Jonathan Butterell, who also came up with the original idea for the show. The crowd-pleasing show has collected eight major theatre awards to date.
Filming has begun on a movie version of the musical which will star recent Oscar nominee Richard E. Grant as Loco Chanelle, award-winning former Coronation Street star Sarah Lancashire as Margaret New, award-winning actress and writer Sharon Horgan as Miss Hedge and Gulati who will reprise her West End performance as Ray. Following an open casting call, newcomer Max Harwood will make his professional debut as Jamie New.
The production’s creative team includes designer Anna Fleischle, choreographer Kate Prince, musical director Theo Jamieson, lighting designer Lucy Carter, sound designer Paul Groothuis and casting director Will Burton.
Angela Thomas
Tickets for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie are available HERE.
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