Marking 50 years since the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr and 30 years since the first performance of the late Martin Smith’s acclaimed musical KING, Hackney Empire, in co-production with London Musical Theatre Orchestra, presents a special concert version for two performances only by kind permission of Nick Fiveash.
Full casting has now been confirmed; Cedric Neal (who has just finished playing the Arbiter in Chess at ENO) plays Martin Luther King Jr and Debbie Kurup (Mrs Neilson in Girl from the North Country at the Old Vic/Noel Coward Theatre and nominated for an Olivier award in 2013 for The Bodyguard) plays Coretta Scott King. Sharon D. Clarke will play Alberta King. Sharon won an Olivier award for Amen Corner at the NT and opens in Caroline, or Change at the Playhouse Theatre later this year. Alexander Hanson plays John F. Kennedy and Clive Carter will play J. Edgar Hoover. They are joined by Carole Stennett (Rosa Parks), Adam J. Bernard(Stokely Carmichael) and Matt Dempsey (Robert Kennedy), Naana Agyei-Ampadu, Daniel Bailey, John Barr, Angela Caesar, Raffaella Covino, Adrian Hansel, Olivia Hibbert, Sinead Long, Jo Servi and Johnathan Tweedie.
Martin Luther King Jr knew he would marry Coretta Scott from their very first meeting. KING tells the story of their life together, and the strides, successes and sacrifices of the 1960s Civil Rights Movement that saw them change the course of history.
KING is directed by Susie McKenna with new orchestrations by Simon Nathan. The London Musical Theatre Orchestra will be conducted by Freddie Tapner and the concert will feature Hackney Empire’s community Choir led by Joseph Roberts.
KING is at Hackney Empire Saturday 30th June at 7.30pm & Sunday 1st July at 5pm.
