Double Olivier and five-time Tony Award winner Susan Stroman will direct and choreograph the highly anticipated UK premiere of Little Dancer – A New Musical this summer.
Taking inspiration from the true story of Marie van Goethem, the young ballerina who posed for Edgar Degas’ sculpture, The Little Dancer, the latest work from the Olivier and Tony Award-winning team behind Ragtime, Anastasia and Once on This Island, Lynn Ahrens (book and lyrics) and Stephen Flaherty (music) will make its London debut in concert form at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane for one night only on 27 July.
Commenting on the musical which will arrive in London following sold-out runs in Washington DC and Seattle in the US, Stroman said: “I find Little Dancer to be a life-affirming piece of theatre. It was certainly inspiring and uplifting to create. To me, the show is beautiful, entertaining, interesting, but most importantly, profound. Marie wanted to be a great dancer, and inadvertently, through art, became the most famous dancer in the world.”
Ahrens added: “For a writer, finding a story that’s never been told is like striking gold. Little Dancer is one of those rare stories: an unknown girl, a famous artist, and a work of art that rocked the world. It’s an absolute thrill to bring this work to the London stage and I can’t wait for our audience to experience it.”
Flaherty commented: “The musical world of Little Dancer is rich, evocative and romantic. Its music sweeps you into the magical world of Edgar Degas and the Paris Opera Ballet. It’s been my absolute pleasure to create this world with my collaborators, and we are thrilled it will be coming to London’s historic Theatre Royal, Drury Lane this summer in concert!”
Little Dancer – A New Musical In Concert will feature Tiler Peck, principal dancer with New York City Ballet, Olivier Award-nominated choreographer and one of the most celebrated ballerinas of her generation, reprising her critically acclaimed performance as Young Marie van Goethem.
She will be joined by Olivier Award-nominated actor and singer Julian Ovenden (South Pacific, Merrily We Roll Along, All About Eve) as Edgar Degas and Olivier Award-nominee Laura Pitt-Pulford (Standing at the Sky’s Edge, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Aspects of Love) as adult Marie.
Further casting and the creative team will be announced at a later date.
Angela Thomas
SHARE THIS POST:
Comments are closed.