A star-studded celebration of the music of Stephen Sondheim looks set to be among the highlights of a live, socially distanced autumn season of entertainment unveiled by the team at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
After hosting the crowd-pleasing Concert In The Park in August, artistic director Daniel Evans will take to the stage once again in Celebrating Sondheim: Sunday In The Park With Daniel for two performances on 1 November. Evans will reunite with Jenna Russell, his co-star for the London and Broadway revivals of Sunday in the Park with George for the fundraising concert in support of Chichester Festival Theatre’s work with vulnerable young people.
They will be joined by Chichester Festival Theatre favourites Clive Rowe (Me and My Girl), Hannah Waddingham (Kiss Me, Kate) and one of the stars of the Concert in the Park, Gabrielle Brooks (The Wizard of Oz, Sheffield Crucible).
Following on from a successful outdoor event held over the August Bank Holiday weekend, the indoor programme of drama, music, comedy and cabaret will run from late October until early January.
Announcing the reopening of the popular venue artistic director Daniel Evans and executive director Kathy Bourne said: “It’s always a pleasure to welcome audiences to a new Chichester season, but it’s with particular joy that we welcome them to this very special autumn season, after six long months of our theatre being dark and empty.
“In putting together this eclectic mix of drama, music, cabaret and comedy, we hope there is something to entice people of all ages to experience once more the uniquely uplifting exhilaration of live performance. The season includes some distinguished names in drama and music, alongside ground-breaking contemporary performers.
“We’ve worked long and hard to put all the necessary measures in place for our audiences’ and artists’ health and comfort, and to make their visit Covid-safe. While social distancing is in place, we are having to explore other forms of live performance to ensure the Theatre’s future sustainability. For now, we are celebrating that Chichester Festival Theatre’s doors are opening again.”
Launching with re-scheduled run of Sarah Kane’s CRAVE, the curtain on the autumn season will rise on 29 October. Director Tinuke Craig’s innovative production will run until 7 November and will mark the venue’s first simultaneous live-stream to global digital audiences of performances from 31 October until 7 November.
Festive season offerings will include A Merry Little Christmas Celebration (30 November until 3 December) and a new version of Carlo Collodi’s The Adventures of Pinocchio (12-31 December).
A Merry Little Christmas Celebration will feature Evans alongside West End stars Rebecca Caine and Rebecca Trehearn, a special guest and five musicians to offer a mix of Christmas carols and yuletide poems. Featuring music by Tom Brady, CFT writer-in-residence Anna Ledwich’s Pinocchio will be directed by Dale Rooks.
Music content in the season will also include celebrated soprano Kate Royal with the UK premiere of new song recital programme I’ll Tell You How The Sun Rose (11 November) and a new concert from Joe Stilgoe who will follow his 67 popular online lockdown shows with Joe Stilgoe – Out Of The Shed a piano-based celebration of the singer/songwriter’s favourite music on 25 November.
Michael Ball, Sheila Hancock and Patricia Routledge will each join writer and broadcaster Edward Seckerson in conversation about their lives in musical theatre. Featuring classic recordings, the Facing The Music series of Wednesday afternoon shows will feature Routledge on 11 November, Hancock on 18 November and Michael Ball on 25 November.
Angela Thomas
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