The producers of the Olivier-nominated international stage sensation The Choir of Man are delighted to reveal details of the new company who will re-open the hit musical at the Arts Theatre from 12 March, following a period of closure for some minor venue redevelopment, and play an extended season through until 31 August.
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The new cast includes Jason Brock (Thriller Live – lead vocalist, Lyric Theatre and Shaftesbury Theatre) as ‘Romantic’, Benji Lord (Dreamboats and Petticoats: Bringing on Back The Good Times!, world premiere, UK tour, The Ruff Tuff Cream Puff Estate Agency, world premiere, UK tour) as ‘Joker’, David Booth (The Threepenny Opera, Royal Philharmonic Choir, Fiddler On The Roof, Grange Park Opera, BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall) as ‘Pub Bore’, Paul McArthur (Tracks, Union Theatre, Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens, Camden Fringe) as ‘Poet’, Oliver Jacobson (Come From Away, UK tour, Grease, UK tour) as ‘Barman’ and Alex Mallalieu (As You Like It, UK tour, Buddy Holly & The Cricketers, UK tour) and Toby Francis (High Fidelity, Hayes Theatre Co., We Will Rock You, Neil Gooding Productions) as swings.
The new members of the cast join pub regulars Rob Godfrey (Choir of Man – Sydney Opera House) as ‘Beast’, Ifan Gwilym-Jones (The Choir of Man, NCL; Australia and Chicago) as ‘Maestro’, George Knapper (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, UK Tour and The Choir of Man NCL; Canada; Australia; Chicago; Florida and West End) as ‘Handyman’ with Bradley Walwyn (We Will Rock You, Royal Caribbean; The Choir Of Man NCL and Australia) as ‘Hardman’. David Shute (Once: The Musical, Barn and The Choir of Man NCL; Chicago; Tampa; Australia; Edinburgh; Coventry) and Tom Carter-Miles (Frankenstein Illyria; The Choir of Man, NCL and West End) both return as swings.
Nic Doodson said on behalf of the producers, “We are absolutely thrilled to be able to go into our fourth year at the Arts Theatre in the heart of the West End and are delighted that the new cast members will have the chance to appear in front of such passionate and engaged audiences.”
The show kicked off its West End journey at the Arts Theatre in October 2021, and went on to welcome over 280,000 audience members through the doors over 1,000 performances.
The Choir of Man previously played three sell-out seasons at the Sydney Opera House and multiple sold-out US and European tours. Following its last run at the Arts Theatre from October 2021 to April 2022, it received an Olivier nomination for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play, and then went on to play in Coventry as part of the City of Culture Assembly Festival season and at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The show re-opened at the Arts Theatre in October 2022, and has continued to see many sold-out shows, with loyal audiences returning again and again. In 2023 the show announced partnerships with suicide prevention charity CALM (The Campaign Against Living Miserably), and Big Drop Brewing Co – the world’s first brewer dedicated to alcohol-free beer – as the show’s Official Alcohol-Free Beer Partner.
The Choir of Man is created by Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay, directed by Nic Doodson, with Daniel Harnett as associate director and resident director; monologues written by Ben Norris; with musical supervision, vocal arrangements and orchestrations by Jack Blume, with Lee Freeman as resident musical director, and Alistair Higgins as associate musical supervisor; movement direction and choreography by Freddie Huddleston, with Adam Hilton as associate choreographer and movement director; scenic design by Oli Townsend, lighting design by Richard Dinnen, costume design and co-scenic design by Verity Sadler, sound design by Sten Severson, with Liam McDermott as associate sound designer; casting by Debbie O’Brien.
The show is produced by HH Productions Ltd, Nic Doodson, Andrew Kay, Wendy & Andy Barnes, Gavin Kalin and Hunter Arnold.
Listings and ticket information can be found here.
