Gemma Sutton, recently seen as Fran in Strictly Ballroom, will join Anastasia’s Caroline O’Connor in the upcoming London revival of John Kander and Fred Ebb's The Rink. Directed by Adam Lenson, the production will play a limited engagement at the Southwark Playhouse May 25–June 23.
Sutton, who was also seen in The Go Between and the recent West End revival of Gypsy, will star as Angel, the part originated on Broadway by Liza Minnelli. As previously reported, O'Connor, who understudied the role of Angel in the 1988 London production of The Rink, has been cast in the role of Anna (created on Broadway by Tony winner Chita Rivera). Additional casting will be announced.
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The Rink, which premiered on Broadway in 1984 starting Rivera and Minnelli, has a book by Tony winner Terrence McNally. This new production will be choreographed by Fabian Aloise and musically directed by Joe Bunker; casting is by Jacob Sparrow.
The upcoming production will also feature set design by Bec Chippendale, costume design by Libby Todd, lighting design by Matt Daw, and sound design by Mike Thacker.
In the musical, Anna, an Italian housewife who runs a roller-skating rink on the Eastern seaboard, is about to sell it to developers until her estranged daughter Angel returns after a long absence, hoping to save the rink and patch things up with her mother.
The Rink is produced by Jack Maple and Brian Zeilinger with associate producers Corey and Jessica Brunish, Stuart Burrows and Jonny Clines, and Daniel G.Peterson.
