New UK Musicals and Parkwood Theatres have announced the cast and creatives of the world premiere of new British musical Ordinary People.
Supported by funding from the Farnham Maltings Our Town Project, Ordinary People takes real life stories from the lives of the people of Maidstone in Kent and turns them into a truly British musical. At its heart the show explores the idea that there is nothing ordinary about ordinary people.
The musical, being written by multi-award winning UK Composer & Lyricist Darren Clark (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, The Wicker Husband premieres at Maidstone’s Hazlitt Theatre for two performances on the 30th and 31st July. The Hazlitt was recently saved from closure during the pandemic by a successful public campaign to keep the theatre running and the show is intended to be part of the celebration of the importance of the culture in the region.
The cast features actor musicians Anne Marie Piazza (RSC’s The Day of the Living, These Trees Are Made of Blood), Jared Leathwood (Billionaire Boy), Tom Self (The Hired Man UK Tour) and Sorrel Jordan (The Juliet Letters).
Director Jenny Longley said, “This exciting performance will include a cast of professional actor musicians, the Hazlitt Youth Theatre, THe Hazlitt Dance Company and The Hazlitt Choir and will celebrate Maidstone’s place as a hub of culture in the South East of England. While the show will be based on local stories, we hope that people from all over the UK will be able to relate to the everyday struggles and joys that we’ll be presenting.”
Composer and Lyricist Clark said, “It’s been a really difficult year for so many people throughout the UK and across the world. We hope that this musical will give the people the opportunity to celebrate their lives and see their own stories up on the beautiful Hazlitt Theatre stage. We have had the fortune to have heard so many incredible tales from the tragedy of Jade’s Crossing, The Ghost of Bluebell Hill to the heartwarming story of the Maidstone United football team amongst many others. There’s something for everyone.”
This new musical is directed by Jenny Longley with choreography by Lorna Thomas and musical direction by Tom Self.
