New West End Production of Carousel Opens Dec. 2
By Mark Shenton
02 Dec 2008
A new production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's 1945 Broadway classic Carousel opens Dec. 2 following an extensive national tour. Previews began at the Savoy Nov. 22.
Last seen in London in 1992 in Nicholas Hytner's production at the National Theatre (that subsequently transferred to the West End's Shaftesbury Theatre in 1993 and to the Vivian Beaumont Theater in New York in 1994), Carousel has been restaged by Lindsay Posner. Operatic soprano Lesley Garrett (last seen in the West End as the Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music) stars as Nettie with Jeremiah James (from the classical "boy band" TEATRO) as Billy Bigelow and Alexandra Silber (most recently seen in Fiddler on the Roof, also at the Savoy) as Julie Jordan.
Carousel revolves around the doomed love affair between Billy Bigelow, a smooth-talking carousel barker, and Julie Jordan, a naive young mill worker. The score includes such classics as "If I Loved You," "June Is Bustin' Out All Over" and "You'll Never Walk Alone."
The production is choreographed by Adam Cooper.
Director Posner most recently directed Fiddler on the Roof at the Savoy; he is also directing the upcoming West End revival of Arthur Miller's A View from the Bridge, beginning performances at the Duke of York's Jan. 22, 2009. Other directorial credits include David Mamet's A Life in the Theatre with Patrick Stewart and Oleanna with Julia Stiles and Aaron Eckhart, Sam Shepherd's Fool for Love with Juliette Lewis (all West End), and Tom and Viv at the Almeida Theatre.
Choreographer Cooper was originally a principal dancer with the Royal Ballet before he famously took the lead role in Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake, featuring an all-male corps-de-ballet. He subsequently worked extensively in musical theatre starring in On Your Toes, Singin' in the Rain, as Sky Masterson in the long-running West End hit Guys and Dolls, and as the Tin Man in the Royal Festival Hall's production of The Wizard of Oz. His choreographic credits include On Your Toes (Leicester Haymarket & Royal Festival Hall), Singin' in the Rain at Sadler's Wells and Grand Hotel at the Donmar Warehouse, for which he was nominated for an Olivier Award.
The production is designed by William Dudley (Kiss Me, Kate; A Streetcar Named Desire; Woman in White; Hitchcock Blonde) with costumes by Deirdre Clancey, lighting by Peter Mumford, orchestrations by Larry Blank and musical direction by David Firman.
It is produced by Kim Poster for Stanhope Productions, Michael Edward & Carole Winter, Tiger/WSZ, Stevens-O'Boyle, and Tulchin/Bartner/Ambassador Theatre Group in association with The Churchill, Bromley.
To book tickets for the West End, call the box office at 0870 060 6642 or visit www.carouselthemusical.com.
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