The full cast is announced for the world premiere of NOW That’s What I Call A Musical, a brand-new British musical written by award-winning comedian Pippa Evans and directed and choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood. NOW That’s What I Call A Musical will begin performances on 6 September 2024 at Aylesbury’s Waterside Theatre before commencing a major UK and Ireland tour.
Joining the company are Kieran Cooper (Strictly Ballroom – UK tour) as Younger Tim, Christopher Glover (The Kite Runner – 2024 Ireland UK Tour) as Dad, Chris Grahamson (Phil Spector in TINA – The Tina Turner Musical) as Tim, Maia Hawkins (Cassie in A Chorus Line at Doreen Bird College) as Younger April, Lauren Hendricks (Much Ado About Nothing at the East London Shakespeare Festival) as Ms Dorian, Shakil Hussain (Frankie Goes to Bollywood – UK tour) as Frank, Nikita Johal (Wendla in Spring Awakening at Hope Mill Theatre) as Younger Gemma, Luke Latchman (Sunset Boulevard at the Savoy Theatre) as Younger Frank, Matthew Mori (professional debut) as Younger Steve, Phil Sealey (TONY! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] – UK Tour) as Steve, Callum Tempest (Miss Saigon at Sheffield Crucible) as Barney and Poppy Tierney (Cabaret at Lido 2, Paris) as Mum.
The cast is completed by Emily Barnett-Salter (Annie – UK Tour), Molly Cheesley (Jane Austen’s Emma – UK Tour), Lizzy Ives (professional debut), Stefanos Petri (professional debut) and Martha Pothen (Oliver! at Leeds Playhouse).
They join the previously announced Nina Wadia who will star as Gemma, Melissa Jacques as April from 6 September 2024 (Aylesbury) up to and including 7 December 2024 (Brighton) and Sam Bailey who will then take over the role from 14 January 2025 (Southampton) to 12 April 2025 (Wimbledon) as well as an be an array of special guest stars playing themselves and singing the songs that made them NOW icons. In 2024 Sinitta will perform in Aylesbury, Sheffield, Canterbury, Nottingham and Norwich with Sonia in Newcastle, Cardiff, Milton Keynes and Brighton, Carol Decker in Truro, Belfast and Woking, and Jay Osmond in Bradford.
In 2025 Sinitta will be appearing in Dublin, Hull and York with Sonia in Southampton, Southend, Bristol, Liverpool, Wimbledon and Birmingham and Carol Decker in Oxford. For further detail, patrons are advised to check their local websites.
Get ready to relive the playlist of your life by celebrating 40 years of the iconic and chart-topping compilations brand NOW That’s What I Call Music, which has sold an estimated 200 million copies worldwide. This fun-filled evening is bursting with hits from Whitney Houston, Wham! Blondie, Tears For Fears, Spandau Ballet and so many more.
It’s Birmingham, 1989. Two school friends, Gemma and April, are busy with very important business – planning their lives based on Number One Magazine quizzes and dreaming of snogging Rick Astley. Cut to Birmingham 2009 and it’s the most dreaded event of their lives– the school reunion. Drama, old flames and receding hairlines come together as friends reunite and everything from the past starts to slot into place. The biggest question is: what was with all that hairspray?
The creative team will include Set and Costume Design by Tom Rogers & Toots Butcher, Musical Supervision, Orchestrations and Vocal Arrangements by Mark Crossland, Lighting Design by Ben Cracknell, Sound Design by Adam Fisher, Wigs & Hair Design by Sam Cox, Associate Direction by Guy Woolf, Associate Choreography by Aaron Renfree, Associate Sound Design by Ollie Durrant, Casting by Annelie Powell CDG and Production Management by Setting Line.
NOW is produced by ROYO, Universal Music UK, SONY Music Entertainment and Mighty Village.
