Daniel Boys heads an all-star cast on the world premiere studio cast recording of Gabriel – a new two act Christmas musical that tells the Nativity story from the perspective of the angel Gabriel.
Gabriel, a new fun, upbeat, and inspiring family musical, with music and lyrics by Andrew Fisher and book by Andrew Fisher and Nick Stimson, will be released on December 14 by SimG Records.
Gabriel is given the job of relaying messages from Heaven to Earth as they arrive, and in this task sees his chance to earn his much longed for promotion to the status of archangel. But Gabriel has no idea of what is actually coming, and, indeed, has his own set of expectations about how God ought to do it. Roman Palaces, luxury, raised by philosophers, every possible privilege – that must be the plan, right?
The all-star cast is headed by Daniel Boys (‘Falsettos’, ‘Spamalot’, ‘Avenue Q’ – WhatsonStage Award Best Takeover in a Role) as Gabriel, Lauren Samuels (‘Bend It Like Beckham’, ‘We Will Rock You’ and ‘Grease’ in the West End) as Mary. Stuart Matthew Price (Riff Raff in ‘The Rocky Horror Show’, Stix in ‘Shrek The Musical’ as Joseph and three-time Olivier award-winner David Bedella (‘&Juliet’, ‘In the Heights’, ‘Jerry Springer the Opera’) as King Herod.
With James Gillan (Tray Sophisticay in ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’), Joel Montague (‘Waitress’, ‘School of Rock’, ‘Falsettos’), Kit Orton (‘Oliver!’ at the Watermill and the West End production of ‘Spamalot’), ), Ben Stock (Eugene in ‘Grease’, Inventor in ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ and Victor Saville in ‘Over My Shoulder: The Jessie Matthews Story’), and Stephen Weller (‘The Producers’, member of the international vocal group The WestEnders).
Andrew Fisher said: “This recording is the culmination of eight years of development. Over the years ‘Gabriel’ has involved various drafts, play-throughs, workshops, demo recordings, and a full performance, with the aim of a studio castrecording, slated for this autumn. And then COVID hit. Though the odds were against us, we finished it through some impressive teamwork thanks to the goodwill of all involved, all the time observing the restrictions of the pandemic, with singers and musicians either recording remotely or one-by-one in a COVID-safe recording studio. That we have achieved it in time for Christmas, is a tribute to the unbeatable kindness and goodwill of the stellar talent I have been privileged to work with. I am more grateful than I can say.”
Recorded against the odds during the pandemic (in a COVID safe environment), this new album is here in time for Christmas, available to Pre-order now from Dress Circle
