Casting news for musical premières

Published: 31 August 2014
Reporter: Sandra Giorgetti

Hadley Fraser and Caroline Sheen in new musical, Before After
Ronan Keating Credit: Hugo Glendinning
Liam Doyle – Altar Boyz
Aaron Sidwell to play the lead in Blockbuster - The Musical

Aaron Sidwell is to play the lead character of Mickey Block alongside the previously announced Suzanne Shaw and Paul Nicholas in Blockbuster - The Musical.

Sidwell's musical theatre credits include Cool Rider: Live, Loserville – The Musical, Children of Eden and Carnaby Street. He is best known for the role of Steven Beale in EastEnders.

Joining Sidwell is Louise English, whose work includes All the Fun of the Fair, Me and My Girl,Oliver!, Annie, Gypsy and Sherlock Holmes the Musical.

The rest of the cast are Blair Anderson, Michael Antony, Ami Atkinson, Grace Holdstock, Vickie Hoyles, Alim Jayda, Lee Honey-Jones, Tom Millan, Tom Murphy, Carla Nella, Rosie O’Hare, Micha Richardson, Ryan Ridley.

The world première of Blockbuster - The Musical takes place at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford on 11 September. It features the hits of the song-writing team Nicky Chinn and Mike Chapman, who dominated the pop world in the 1970s and 1980s.

New musical Before After has received Arts Council backing and is to be workshopped for two weeks prior to its first public performance on 28 September.

Staring Hadley Fraser and Caroline Sheen, this romantic musical is the work of award–winning composer Stuart Matthew Price and Timothy Knapman.

Fraser's credits include City of Angels, Les Misérables, The Far Pavilions, The Pirates of Penzance, Peter Pan and The Fantasticks. He also played Raoul in the 25th anniversary staging of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall.

Fraser and Caroline Sheen have worked together before in Les Misérables where Sheen had the role of Fantine. Her other credits include the title role in Mary Poppins, Grease, Into the Woods, Mamma Mia!, The Witches of Eastwick and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

Composer Stuart Matthew Price said: “we are thrilled with the stunning West End cast we’ve assembled and with the generous support of the Arts Council, excited to give musical theatre fans the opportunity to be in at the very beginning of the journey for this new British musical.

"We want their feedback as we look to mount a fully staged production later in 2014 or early 2015.”

Before After is at St James Studio, London.

Greenwich Theatre hosts the UK première of award-winning musical comedy Altar Boyz in October.

Playing the five band members are Liam Doyle, Jonny Fines, Jamie-Ray Hartshorne, Faisal Khodabukus and Alex Jordan-Mills.

Doyle is currently playing Fiyero in a UK tour of Wicked. He has previously toured in Hairsprayand High School Musical. Jonny Fines's’ credits include Lift and tours of Avenue Q and The Sound of Music.

Jamie-Ray Hartshorne was in Belgrade Theatre's première of new musical The Prodigals andThe History Boys. Faisal Khodabukus's’ credits include I Can't Sing, Dirty Dancing and La Cage Aux Folles. Alex Jordan-Mills most recently toured in Fame and previously in Taboo.

It has been announced that Jill Winternitz will continue in the role of Girl in long–running musical Once. From November Ronan Keating will play Guy.

Once plays the West End's Phoenix Theatre and is booking to July 2015.

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