Rufus Hound and Roberta Taylor will join the previously announced Katherine Kingsley in Dusty, the major new musical about the turbulent life of Dusty Springfield which will receive its world premiere at Bath Theatre Royal from 23 June 2018.
Comedian turned stage star Hound will follow up his appearance in the hit show The Wind in the Willows by taking on the role of Dusty’s manager Billings alongside Taylor, one of the most recognisable stars of long-running TV series The Bill, who will play the singer’s mother Kay. Kingsley (Piaf, Singin’ in the Rain) will take on the title role in the show which will follow its Bath debut with tour dates at The Lyceum in Sheffield, Newcastle Theatre Royal and The Lowry in Salford.
The cast will also include: Ishmail Aaron, Jenny Bolt, Alex Bowen, Esther Coles, Joelle Dyson, Joanna Francis, Paul Grunert, Ella Kenion, Adam Lyons, Lisa Mathieson, Katharine Pearson, Micha Richardson, Sadie-Jean Shirley, Hampus Lee Strand and Chad Wilder. Further casting is still to be announced.
Produced by Eleanor Lloyd Productions in association with Tris Penna and Vicki Wickham, the show which tells the story of one of British pop’s most distinctive singers will be directed by West End leading lady Maria Friedman.
The musical which is based on the authorised biography of the singer has been written by playwright, novelist and screenwriter Jonathan Harvey (Beautiful Thing, Gimme Gimme Gimme).
Taking inspiration from the authorised biography Dancing With Demons, written by music journalist Penny Valentine and Springfield’s friend and manager Vicki Wickham, Harvey’s work is based on interviews with those who knew the iconic star the best including her friend and secretary Pat Rhodes and record executive Tris Penna, who also serves as the show’s music consultant.
Set and costume design is by Tom Pye with choreography by Tim Jackson, lighting design by Bruno Poet, sound design by Richard Brooker, video design by Finn Ross, orchestrations and vocal arrangements by Steve Sidwell and musical supervision and vocal arrangements by Tim Sutton. The casting director is Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG and hair, wigs and make-up will be by Carole Hancock.
Multi award-winning actress Friedman made her debut as a director in 2012 with Merrily We Roll Along and then went on to stage High Society at the Old Vic in 2015. Last year she won acclaim for directing the popular revival of Richard Harris’ Stepping Out.
A previous attempt to bring 1960s icon Springfield’s story to the musical stage, the jukebox-style Dusty had a troubled run at the Charing Cross Theatre in 2015.
Angela Thomas
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