The Christmas musical at London’s Upstairs at the Gatehouse will be venue favourite, ‘Heavenly Musical’ Forever Plaid. Packed with 1950s songs including ‘Magic Moments’, ‘Catch a Falling Star’, ‘Cry’, ‘Love is a Many Splendored Thing’ and ‘Three Coins in a Fountain’, the production runs from 16 December 2020 to 24 January 2021 (press night is 18 December).
In the cast are Cameron Burt (Sky in Mamma Mia! at Novello Theatre), George Crawford (The Book of Mormon, UK tour), Christopher Short (Prince of Egypt the Musical, Dominion Theatre), Alexander Zane (Fame The Musical, UK tour), Ian Oakley (Musical Theatre Recognition Award – Black British Theatre Awards 2020) and Jess Martin (42nd Street, Upstairs at the Gatehouse).
There were these four guys, Francis, Jinx, Smudge and Sparky who loved to sing. They all met in high school around 1956. They got together and dreamed of becoming like their idols – The Four Aces, The Four Freshmen and The Crew Cuts. They rehearsed in the basement of Smudge’s family’s plumbing supply company. It was here they became Forever Plaid. As their sound developed, they sang at family gatherings, fundraisers and eventually graduated to supermarket openings and local hops. Finally, on 9 February 1964 they landed their first big gig – the Airport Hilton Cocktail Bar. On this day our story begins…
Director John Plews is joined in the creative team by choreographer Racky Plews, musical director Ian Oakley, lighting designer Aaron Dootson, sound designer Toby Burrow, associate choreographer Eddie Slattery and assistant musical director Connagh Tonkinson. Casting is by Pearson Casting and Katie Plews produced for Ovation.
Forever Plaid was written and originally directed and choreographed by Stuart Ross, with musical continuity, supervision and arrangements by James Raitt and produced by Gene Wolsk.
Comments are closed.