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Polycarpou, Benn-Harris and Gleeson to Star in New West End Musical Imagine This
By Mark Shenton
26 Aug 2008
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Peter Polycarpou
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West End musical regular Peter Polycarpou, who originated the role of John in the world premiere of Miss Saigon in 1989, will play Daniel Warshowsky, the head of a family of actors in Imagine This, a new, original musical that will begin performances at the West End's New London Theatre Nov. 4, prior to an official opening Nov. 19.
Featuring music by Shuki Levy and book and lyrics by Glenn Berenbein and David Goldsmith, respectively, the production tried out at the Plymouth Theatre Royal in July 2007.
Set in Poland during 1942, the musical revolves around a group of actors in the Warsaw Ghetto who stage plays to inspire hope and optimism within their community. However, with rumors of the Final Solution in the air, their play merges with the reality they are trying to escape, and a dramatic love story unfolds.
Playing Rebecca, daughter of Polycarpou's character Daniel, who falls in love with the mysterious stranger, Adam, will be Leila Benn-Harris, who most recently starred as Christine in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre. Her other West End credits include appearances in Fame and Evita. Simon Gleeson will play the role of Adam. He recently finished his first feature film, "My Life in Ruins," starring opposite Richard Dreyfuss, which is due for release in 2009. He has appeared in the soaps "Neighbours" and "EastEnders," and his theatre work includes new plays with the Sydney Theatre Company, the Australian premieres of Fame and Mamma Mia! and Southwark Fair at the Royal National Theatre.
Also in the company are Bernard Lloyd as Adolph, Richard Cotton as Blick, Michael Matus as Izzy, Gary Milner as Otto, Steven Serlin as Jan, Sevan Stephan as Max, Sarah Ingram as Sarah and Cameron Leigh as Lola. Also in the cast will be Rachael Archer, Marc Antolin, Stuart Boother, Emily Jane Boyle, Oliver Brenin, Michael Camp, Joel Elferink, Bob Harms, Paul Iveson, Roy Litvin, Aoife Nally, Grant Neal, Darragh OLeary, Vincent Pirillo, Philippa Stefani, Rebecca Sutherland, Carrie Sutton, Gemma Sutton, Lucy Thatcher and Michael Watson.
Imagine This is directed by Timothy Sheader, who is currently in the midst of his first season as artistic director of the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park, where his production of Gigi is now running. Sets are by Broadway's Eugene Lee (Wicked, Sweeney Todd and Candide), costumes by Ann Hould-Ward (Beauty and the Beast), and choreography will be by Liam Steel (Complicite, DV8, Frantic Assembly).
Polycarpou was most recently seen on the West End stage in the Old Vic's adaptation of Pedro Almodovar's All About My Mother, and was seen on the London fringe in Mike Bartlett's Artefacts. Other West End credits include playing Ali Hakim in Trevor Nunn's 1998 production of Oklahoma! and taking over the title role in The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre. He was also an original cast member of Les Misérables. On television he is best known for his roles in "Sunburn" and "Birds of a Feather," and his films include "De-Lovely" and "Evita."
The show is produced in London by Beth Trachtenberg, Anita Mann, Leigh Mason, Jean Mason and ICW Productions in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth.
To book tickets contact the box office at 0844 412 4654 or visit the www.ImagineThisTheMusical.com.
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