Based on the smash-hit movie starring Tom Hanks, BIG The Musical makes its West End premiere at the Dominion Theatre for a strictly limited nine-week season from 6 September to 2 November 2019, with a Gala Night in aid of Make-A-Wish on Tuesday 17 September.
BIG is a joyous, heart-warming musical about 12 year-old Josh Baskin who longs to be big. When a mysterious Zoltar machine grants his wish, he finds himself trapped inside an adult’s body and he is forced to live and work in a grown-up world, but his childlike innocence has a transforming effect on the adults he encounters.
Jay McGuiness will star as Josh Baskin, having originated the role at the Theatre Royal Plymouth in 2016. Jay came to fame as part of the successful boy band The Wanted. His fame widened when he won Strictly Come Dancing in 2015 with professional dancer Aliona Vilani. He and fellow bandmate Siva won last year’s celebrity version of Channel 4’s Hunted, raising money for Stand Up To Cancer. Jay is also a regular contributor to the BBC’s The One Show and is currently starring in Rip It Up – The 60’s in London’s West End until June.
With music by David Shire and lyrics by Richard Maltby, BIG has a book by John Weidman and direction and choreography by Morgan Young. Associate choreographer is Helen Rymer, musical supervisor Stuart Morley, set and costume designer Simon Higlett, lighting designer Tim Lutkin, video designer Ian Galloway, and sound designers Terry Jardine and Avgoustos Psillas.
Based on the Twentieth Century Fox Film BIG written by Gary Ross and Ann Spielberg, BIG will be produced in London by Michael Rose, Damien Sanders and Paul Gregg for Encore Theatre Productions Limited.