The producers of the UK & Ireland Tour of Leslie Bricusse’s much loved musical Doctor Dolittle, which opens at the Churchill Theatre Bromley on 9 November, with a national press night at the New Theatre Oxford on 17 January 2019, are delighted to announce their support of WWF.
Eccentric Doctor Dolittle embarks on an extraordinary adventure to find the Giant Pink Sea Snail that holds the secret of life and makes the world a happier place. Helped by his human companions and an exotic menagerie of animal friends, including the Pushmi-Pullyu and trusty sidekick Polynesia the parrot, the larger-than-life Doctor Dolittle teaches us not only to talk to the animals but to listen to them as well!
As audiences join the Doctor in learning how humans and animals can live together in harmony, the musical will be helping raise funds for one of the world’s largest conservation organisations, WWF.
Through supporting the work of WWF, the musical hopes to inspire and educate audiences on the actions they can take to help fight for our world. Whilst the elusive giant pink sea snail is a creature of fiction, there are many species today which are becoming a rarer sight to see. Sadly, over the past 50 years, there have been huge losses in wildlife in the UK and abroad. Numbers of iconic species have dropped – from the skylark and water vole in the UK, to polar bears and snow leopards around the world.
The show’s producer, John Stalker, commented: “Choosing to support the work of WWF through our bucket collections and in theatre fundraising events was a clear choice. The show highlights the need to create a world that lives in harmony with nature and it’s a great opportunity to inspire audiences across the UK and Ireland to take action.”
This new production of Doctor Dolittle, with book, music and lyrics by double Academy Award-winner Leslie Bricusse, will be part of the 50thanniversary celebrations of the original film starring Rex Harrison and will feature the same songs, including the Academy Award-winning Talk To The Animals. Featuring stunning visual puppetry, this new production, with the book reworked by Leslie Bricusse, will be directed by Christopher Renshaw.
The cast is led by Mark Williams in the eponymous role, along with Brian Capron as Albert Blossom/Straight Arrow, Vicky Entwistle as Polynesia, ,Adèle Anderson as Lady Bellowes/Poison Arrow, Mollie Melia-Redgrave as Emma Fairfax and Patrick Sullivan as Matthew Mugg. Mark Williams and Brian Capron will play the first ten venues on the tour, and Adèle Anderson the first six. Vicky Entwistle, Mollie Melia-Redgrave and Patrick Sullivan will play the entire tour.
Also in the cast will be Femi Akinfolarin, Erica Jayne Alden, Lydia Bannister, Joel Bayliss, Evonnee Bentley-Holder, Jane Crawshaw, Emily Essery, Jacob Fisher, George Hankers, Catherine Hannay, Evan James, Leon Kay, Emma Lloyd, Owen McHugh, Ross Meagrow, Tom Norman, Emily Ann Potter, Ellie Seaton and Richard Vorster. The role of Tommy Stubbins will be shared by Harry Cross, Elliot Morris, Quillan O’Meara McDonald, Louis Parker, Elliott Rose and Thomas Ryan.
The new stage production of Doctor Dolittle will be directed by Christopher Renshaw, with choreography by Josh Rhodes, design by Tom Piper, puppet design by Nick Barnes, puppet direction by Jimmy Grimes, lighting by Chris Davey, sound by Ben Harrison, and musical supervision by Mike Dixon.
Doctor Dolittle is based on the Doctor Dolittle stories by Hugh Lofting and the Twentieth Century Fox film.
Doctor Dolittle is performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Ltd.
The UK & Ireland Tour of Doctor Dolittle is produced by Music & Lyrics Limited, the producers behind the highly successful recent tours of The Addams Family, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Oklahoma!, Fiddler on the Roof, High Society and The King and I, in association with Churchill Theatre Bromley.
Website: www.doctordolittlemusical.com
Facebook: Doctor Dolittle The Musical
Twitter: @DolittleMusical
TOUR SCHEDULE
9 – 24 November 2018 Churchill Theatre Bromley*+ 020 3285 6000 www.churchilltheatre.co.uk
11 December – 5 January 2019 The Lowry Salford*+ 0843 208 6000 www.thelowry.com
15 – 26 January Oxford New Theatre*+ 0844 871 3020 www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford
29 January – 9 February Wolverhampton Grand Theatre*+ 01902 42 92 12
www.grandtheatre.co.uk
12 – 23 February Newcastle Theatre Royal*+ 0844 811 2121
www.theatreroyal.co.uk
26 February – 9 March Hull New Theatre*+ 01482 300 306 www.hulltheatres.co.uk
12 – 23 March His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen* 01224 641122
www.aberdeenperformingarts.com
26 March – 6 April Royal & Derngate Northampton* 01604 624811 www.royalandderngate.co.uk
9 – 20 April Nottingham Theatre Royal* 0115 989 5555
www.trch.co.uk
23 April – 4 May Sheffield Lyceum Theatre* 0114 249 6000
www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
14 – 25 May Festival Theatre Edinburgh 0131 529 6000
www.edtheatres.com
28 May – 8 June Alhambra Theatre Bradford 01274 432000
www.bradford-theatres.co.uk
11 – 22 June Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin 0844 847 2455
www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
25 June – 6 July Millennium Forum, Derry 02871 264455
www.millenniumforum.co.uk
9 – 20 July The Marlowe, Canterbury 01227 8787787
www.themarlowetheatre.com
23 July – 3 August Glasgow King’s Theatre 0844 871 7648
www.atgtickets.com/venues/kings-theatre
6 – 17 August Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff 02920 636464
www.wmc.org.uk
20 – 31 August Mayflower Theatre, Southampton 02380 711811
www.mayflower.org.uk
3 – 14 September Blackpool Winter Gardens 0844 856 1111
www.wintergardensblackpool.co.uk
17 – 28 September New Wimbledon Theatre, London 0844 871 7646
www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-wimbledon-theatre
8 – 19 October Milton Keynes Theatre 0844 871 7652
www.atgtickets.com/milton-keynes-theatre
22 October – 2 November Birmingham Hippodrome 0844 338 5000
www.birminghamhippodrome.com On sale to be announced
+Adèle Anderson dates
*Mark Williams & Brian Capron dates
