The producers of Olivier-nominated international stage sensation THE CHOIR OF MAN announce that – due to changes to the timeline of the proposed major redevelopment of the Arts Theatre – the show will be able to return to its current West End home in 2025 for a 5-month engagement until the end of the summer.
The final performance of the current season will remain as 31 December, and then the theatre will close for 10 weeks for some preparatory work ahead of the redevelopment.
Tickets are on sale now for performances from 12 March until 31 August, with casting to be confirmed.
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. We want to thank our wonderfully loyal and passionate audiences, who have supported us through our journey, by offering free pre-show beers on stage for the first two weeks of performances…”
Louis Hartshorn said on behalf of the Arts Theatre “we are very excited for the redevelopment of the Arts Theatre and the huge opportunity it presents to future-proof our historic theatre. As we work closely with the building owner to finalise plans, we are thrilled to be able to continue presenting this phenomenal hit show for another season.”
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The show, which remains virtually sold out for the remainder of 2024, kicked off its West End journey at the Arts Theatre in October 2021. It has welcomed over 280,000 audience members through the doors over 1000 performances.
The current cast is Luke Conner Hall (Bat Out of Hell – International Tour, Australia/New Zealand, Peacock Theatre, QUEENZ: The Show With Balls! – Coventry, Edinburgh Fringe, UK Tour) as ‘Romantic’, Sam Pope (Bat Out of Hell – UK Tour) as ‘Joker’, Rob Godfrey (Choir of Man – Sydney Opera House) as ‘Beast’, Tyler Orphé-Baker (Disney’s The Lion King, Lyceum; The Choir of Man, West End) as ‘Pub Bore’, Shane McDaid (Titanic the Musical, UK/International; The Choir of Man NCL and Chicago) as ‘Poet’, Ifan Gwilym-Jones (The Choir of Man, NCL; Australia and Chicago) as ‘Maestro’, Kristian Morse (The Corn is Green, National Theatre; The Choir of Man, Chicago) as ‘Barman’, 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’ and 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), Seán Keany (Once in Concert – West End, China and Japan, The Choir of Man – Korea), and Paul Deegan (The Choir of Man NCL and Chicago) as swings.
The on-stage band has Jacob Evans on drums, Jack Hartigan on guitar, Darius Luke Thompson on violin and Sam Tookey on bass.
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 Immersive Everywhere, Nic Doodson, Andrew Kay, Wendy & Andy Barnes, Gavin Kalin and Hunter Arnold.
