PHOTO CALL: A First Look at Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at Menier Chocolate Factory; Aaron Tveit Is John Wilkes Booth | Playbill

News PHOTO CALL: A First Look at Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at Menier Chocolate Factory; Aaron Tveit Is John Wilkes Booth A new production of Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman's Assassins, which premiered at Off-Broadway's Playwright's Horizons in 1990 and received its British premiere at the Donmar Warehouse in 1992, officially opened at London's Menier Chocolate Factory Dec. 1, following previews that began Nov. 21, for a run that is booking through March 7, 2015.

Jamie Lloyd directs a cast that includes Broadway actor  Aaron Tveit as John Wilkes Booth, Carly Bawden as Squeaky Fromme, Stewart Clarke as Giuseppe Zangara, Simon Lipkin as The Proprietor, Mike McShane as Samuel Byck, Harry Morrison as John Hinckley, Andy Nyman as Charles Guiteau, Jamie Parker as the Balladeer and Lee Harvey Oswald, David Roberts as Czolgosz, Melle Stewart as Emma Goldman, Catherine Tate as Sara Jane Moore, Marc Akinfolarin, Adam Bayjou, Greg Miller Burns and Aoife Nally as Bystanders.

A First Look at Stephen Sondheim's Assassins at Menier Chocolate Factory; Aaron Tveit Is John Wilkes Booth


The Menier Chocolate Factory has had a long association with the musicals of Stephen Sondheim, with its previous productions of both Sunday in the Park with George and A Little Night Music both transferring to the West End and Broadway. It also previously presented the U.K. premiere of Road Show, directed by John Doyle.

Lloyd is currently represented in London by his productions of The Commitments (Palace Theatre) and Urinetown (Apollo Theatre).

Tveit, who plays John Wilkes Booth, was Tony-nominated for his role in the original Broadway production of Next to Normal. He has also starred on Broadway in Catch Me If You Can and appeared in Wicked and Hairspray. Parker, who plays Balladeer/Lee Harvey Oswald, previously appeared at the Menier Chocolate Factory in Proof. He recently starred as Sky Masterson in Guys and Dolls at Chichester Festival Theatre, for which he has been nominated for a 2014 UK Theatre Award. He was seen in London and on Broadway as part of the original company of Alan Bennett's The History Boys, and subsequently in the film version as well.

Tate, who plays Sara Jane Moore (through Feb. 8 only), is best known for her TV roles in "The Catherine Tate Show," "Big School," "Doctor Who" and "The Office" (U.S. series). Her stage credits include West End appearances in Much Ado About Nothing, Under the Blue Sky and Some Girl(s)); she has also appeared at the National Theatre in Season's Greetings and with the RSC in A Servant to Two Masters.

McShane, who plays Samuel Byck, is well known to TV audiences for "Who's Line Is It, Anyway?" and "Doctor Who." He has previously appeared at the Menier in Little Shop of Horrors (and subsequently the West End), and in the Menier's production of La Cage aux Folles on Broadway.



Nyman, who plays Charles Guiteau, has previously appeared at the Menier in Abigail's Party (subsequently West End) and Terrible Advice. Other theatre credits include Ghost Stories, which he also co-wrote.

Bawden, who plays "Squeaky" Fromme, has previously appeared at the Menier in Pippin. She has appeared in the Kneehigh productions of Dead Dog in a Suitcase, Tristan & Yseult and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (the latter in the West End) and played Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at Sheffield's Crucible.


Lipkin, who plays The Proprietor, has previously appeared in the West End in I Can’t Sing – The X Factor Musical, Rock of Ages and the original West End cast of Avenue Q.


Roberts, who plays Leon Czolgosz, has previously appeared at the Menier in Aspects of Love. Touring credits include Ghost The Musical and Mamma Mia!

Morrison, who plays John Hinckley, has been seen at Chichester in Guys and Dolls and Kiss Me, Kate and at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park in The Sound of Music and Crazy for You.

Clarke, who plays Giuseppe Zangara, has recently been seen in The Return of the Soldier at Jermyn Street Theatre. He was seen in the West End in Loserville and on a U.K. tour in Ghost the Musical.

The production is designed by Sutra Gilmour, with lighting by Neil Austin and sound by Gregory Clarke. The choreographer is Chris Bailey, and musical supervisor and director is Alan Williams. Orchestrations are by Bruce Coughlin.



To book tickets, contact the box office on 020 7378 1713 or visit www.menierchocolatefactory.com.

 
Today’s Most Popular News:
 X

Blocking belongs
on the stage,
not on websites.

Our website is made possible by
displaying online advertisements to our visitors.

Please consider supporting us by
whitelisting playbill.com with your ad blocker.
Thank you!