Rehearsals for Marianne Elliott’s highly anticipated new production of George Furth and Stephen Sondheim’s COMPANY which opens at the Gielgud Theatre from 26 September 2018 began today (Monday 6 August 2018). Cast members including Rosalie Craig(Bobbie), Patti LuPone(Joanne), Mel Giedroyc(Sarah), Jonathan Bailey(Jamie) and Richard Fleeshman(Andy) listened to Marianne’s plans for the show and had a first look at Bunny Christie’s designs.
The complete cast for COMPANY is: Rosalie Craig as Bobbie, Patti LuPoneas Joanne, Mel Giedroycas Sarah, Jonathan Baileyas Jamie, George Blagdenas PJ,Ashley Campbell as Peter, Richard Fleeshman as Andy, Alex Gaumond as Paul, Richard Henders as David, Ben Lewis as Larry, Daisy Maywood as Susan, Jennifer Saayeng as Jenny, Matthew Seadon-Young as Theo and Gavin Spokes as Harry. Joining them are: Michael Colbourne, Francesca Ellis, Ewan Gillies, Grant Neal and Jaimie Pruden.
At Bobbie’s 35thbirthday party all her friends are wondering why she isn’t married; why she can’t find the right man and why she hasn’t settled down to have a family. The multi-award winning musical comedy about life, love and marriage includes Stephen Sondheim’s iconic songs, The Ladies who Lunch, Being Alive, Side by Side and You Could Drive a Person Crazy.
Marianne Elliott, Artistic Director of Elliott & Harper Productions, a company she founded in 2016 with producer Chris Harper, was awarded an OBE in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honour’s List for her services to theatre. Elliott is the first woman in Broadway history to win two Tony Awards for Best Director and her recent Broadway transfer of Tony Kushner’s Angels in Americareceived the 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play. Angels in America at the National Theatre also received the 2018 Olivier Award for Best Revival of a Play. Marianne’s ground-breaking production of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time received 7 Olivier Awards in London, including Best New Play and Best Director and 5 Tony Awards for its run on Broadway, including Best Play and Best Director and continues to tour internationally. Her production of Saint Joan earned her the Olivier Award for Best Revival of a Play and Pillars of the Community earned her the Evening Standard Award for Best Director. War Horse, which she co-directed, and has been seen by over 7 million people world-wide, and is on its second UK tour.
Joining director Marianne Elliott on the creative team for Company are: choreographer Liam Steel, designer, musical supervisor and conductor Joel Fram, Bunny Christie, lighting designer Neil Austin, sound designer Ian Dickinson (for Autograph Sound), illusions designer Chris Fisher, orchestrator David Cullen, dance arranger Sam Davis and casting directors Alastair Coomer CDG and Charlotte Sutton CDG.
The producers for Companyat the Gielgud Theatre are: Elliott & Harper Productions,Catherine Schreiber, Grove Entertainment, Jujamcyn Theaters, LD Entertainment, David Mirvish, Aged in Wood Productions/Ricardo Hornos, Bob Boyett/Tom Miller, Bruno Wang Productions/Salman Al-Rashid, Across the Pond Theatricals/Trio Theatricalsand Greek Street Productions/Christopher Ketner.
Cast Biographies:
Rosalie Craigrecently completed a run of Jez Butterworth’s award-winning play, The Ferrymanat the Gielgud Theatre. Other theatre credits include: Marianne Elliott’s production of The Light Princess, for which she won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actress in a Musical and was nominated for an Olivier Award, Rosalind in As You Like It,The Threepenny Operaand London Road – all for the National Theatre. Other theatre includes: City of Angels for the Donmar, Lady Macduff in Macbethfor Manchester International Festival, directed by Kenneth Branagh, Sylvia in the musical Finding Neverlandand the title role in Miss Julieat Chichester Festival Theatre. Her film and TV credits include: London Road,Spooks, and Casanova.
Patti LuPone, who performed Don’t Cry for me Argentina at the Grammy’s this year returns to London to make her first appearance in a West End musical for over 25 years with this production of Company. Her previous London theatre credits include originating the role of Fantine in Les Misérables, an Olivier-award winning role in The Cradle will Rockand creating the role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard. Her numerous Broadway credits include: originating the role of Eva Peron inEvita,Gypsy, Sweeney Todd, Anything Goes, and Master Class. Her many films include: Heist, Driving Miss Daisyand Witness. TV includes: American Horror Story, Glee,Ugly Betty, Will & Grace(as herself), Frasier(1998 Emmy nomination) and Law & Order. LuPone, who is a graduate of the first class of the Drama Division of New York’s Juilliard School and a founding member of John Houseman’s The Acting Company, is the author of the The New York Timesbestseller Patti LuPone: A Memoir.
Mel Giedroyc’s TV work includes co-presenting The Great British Bake Off for the BBC for many years alongside her long-time comic partner Sue Perkins, co-presenting Let It Shinewith Graham Norton and Gary Barlow and commentating for the BBC at Eurovision. Other TV credits include: The Sound of Music Live, Would I Lie to You?,Big Fat Quiz of the Year, 8 Out of 10 Catsand Richard Ayaode’s Travel Man. Theatre credits include: Beatrice in Much Ado about Nothing at the Rose Theatre, Kingston, Luce at Southwark Playhouse, The Rocky Horror Picture Show(Playhouse), Eurobeat(Novello), and New Boys. Her radio work includes a regular show on Magic FM.
Jonathan Bailey’s recent television work includes: Broadchurch, WIA, Chewing Gum and Doctor Who. His theatre credits include The York Realist,King Lear with Ian McKellen for the Chichester Festival Theatre, American Psychoat the Almeida and Othelloat the National Theatre. His films credits include The Mercy, Christ the Lord, Testament of Youth and St Trinians.
George Blagden, is currently playing the lead role of Louis XIV in Versailles on BBC TV and playing Damis in Tartuffeat the Theatre Royal Haymarket. His other theatre work includes Jamie Lloyd’s ThePitchfork Disneyat Shoreditch Town Hall and Platinumat Hampstead Theatre. He played Grantaire in the film version of Les Miserablesand other TV work includes Black Mirror: Hang the DJ(Netflix) and Athelstan in The Vikings.
Ashley Campbellrecently played Sammy Davis Jr in The Rat Pack Live from Vegasat the Theatre Royal Haymarket. His other theatre credits include Sunny Afternoon in the West End, The Color Purpleat the Menier Factory, Five Guys Named Moeat the Theatre Royal, Stratford East and he recently completed a season at the RSC in Much Ado about Nothing, Macbeth,The Rover and Two Noble Kinsmen. He features in the 2017 film: Mamma Mia: Here we Go Again!with Cher.
Richard Fleeshmanis currently starring in the UK and Ireland tour of Sting’s new musical, The Last Ship. His many other credits include: the lead role of Sam Wheat in Ghost the Musicalon Broadway and in the West End, Legally Blonde the Musical, Guys and Dolls, Damsel in Distressand UrineTown: The Musical. His television work includes Call the Midwife, the lead role in the six part BBC series, All the Small Things,and Craig in Coronation Street.
Alex Gaumond’s West End musical credits include Miss Trunchbull in the RSC’s Matilda, We Will Rock You, and Legally Blonde – The Musical. Other theatre credits include ENO’s Sweeney Todd with Emma Thompson, Taming of the Shrew at the Globe, Caroline or Changeat the Chichester Festival Theatre and A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic. His films include The Hustle and Hampstead.
Richard Henders’National Theatre credits include The Beaux Stratagem, The White Guard and Trevor Nunn’s productions of Anything Goes, Love’s Labour’s Lost and The Cherry Orchard, and John Caird’s production of Candide. His TV work includes Warren in Kingdom, The Inspector Lynley Mysteriesand Foyle’s War.
Ben Lewis is currently appearing as The Phantom in ThePhantom of the Operaat Her Majesty’s Theatre in the West End. His many other credits include: Annie Get your Gunat the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, Forbidden Broadwayat the Vaudeville Theatre, Side by Side by Sondheimat the Theatre Royal, Sydney, A Little Night Musicfor Opera Australia, Monty Python’s Spamalotand Priscilla, Queen of the Desert. Ben played the Phantom the filmed version of Love Never Dies.
Jennifer Saayeng’s recent theatre credits include: Caroline or Changeat the Chichester Festival Theatre, Ragtimeat the Charing Cross Theatre, Les Liaisons Dangereusesand City of Angelsat the Donmar Theatre, The Etienne Sistersat the Theatre Royal Stratford East and The Color Purpleat the Menier Chocolate Factory. Her TV work includesVera, Eastenders and Emerald City
Matthew Seadon-Youngrecently appeared in Sondheim’s Assassinsat the Gate Theatre in Dublin. His other stage work includes: Big Fish, Beautifulin the West End, Sweeney Toddfor English National Opera and UrineTown: The Musical. He also appeared in the feature film, Pride.
Gavin Spokesstarred in James Graham’s play Quizin the West End and at Chichester Festival Theatre. His other theatre work includes: Againstat the Almeida Theatre, Carouselfor English National Opera, he received an Olivier-award nomination for his role as Nicely Nicely in Guys and Dolls in the West End, 1984at the Almeida and in the West End, Francis Henshall in the National Theatre production of One Man, Two Guvnorsand Oliver Hardyin Laurel and Hardyat the Watermill. His TV credits include: Man Downand Utopiafor Channel 4.
Address: Gielgud Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue, London
Dates: 26 September – 22 December 2018
Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm
Ticket prices from £25
Website: CompanyMusical.co.uk
Facebook: facebook.com/CompanyWestEnd
Instagram: @CompanyWestEnd
Twitter: @CompanyWestEnd
