19 February 2019
Newsdesk
The Donmar Warehouse today announces further casting for Artistic Director Josie Rourke’s farewell production, Sweet Charity. Joining previously announced cast members Anne-Marie Duff as Charity and Arthur Darvill as Oscar will be Lizzy Connolly, Lauren Drew, Jo Eaton-Kent, Will Haswell, Charlotte Jaconelli, Stephen Kennedy, Debbie Kurup, Martin Marquez, Ryan Reid, Amy Ellen Richardson, Danielle Steers and Shaq Taylor.
Sweet Charity will be choreographed by the world-renowned Wayne McGregor, who reunites with Josie after working on her debut film Mary Queen of Scots. Josie returns to the music of Cy Coleman who wrote the score for her Olivier Award-winning production of City of Angels. The book is by
Neil Simon and lyrics by Dorothy Fields.
For Rourke’s farewell production, all tickets at every Friday performance of Sweet Charity from 26 April will be free to those aged 25 and under through SWEET FRIDAYS. Part of the Donmar’s successful YOUNG+FREE scheme, SWEET FRIDAYS free tickets will be allocated by ballot. As part of the scheme the Donmar will also invite schools from every London borough to see Sweet Charity for free. SWEET FRIDAYS are made possible with the generous support of Susie Sainsbury and the Backstage Trust.
During Rourke’s time as Artistic Director, YOUNG+FREE, has made over 15,000 free tickets available to those aged 25 and under. Enter the ballot for SWEET FRIDAYS tickets at www.donmarwarehouse.com
"The minute you walked in the joint, I could see you were a man of distinction, a real Big Spender..."
New York, 1967. Charity Hope Valentine is a dance hall hostess who "runs her a heart like a hotel". At the hopeless end of a long line of users and losers, she meets Oscar, a mild-mannered tax accountant, and Charity Hope Valentine once again puts her faith in love.
Members Priority Booking for Sweet Charity:
Steel members and Copper members now on sale.
Friends begins online from 9am, phone bookings begin at 10am, on Thursday 19 February 2019.
Public Booking for Sweet Charity:
Begins online at 9am, phone bookings begin at 10am on Thursday 21 February 2019.
Cast Includes Lizzy Connolly, Arthur Darvill, Lauren Drew, Anne-Marie Duff, Jo Eaton-Kent, Will Haswell, Charlotte Jaconelli, Stephen Kennedy, Debbie Kurup, Martin Marquez, Ryan Reid, Amy Ellen Richardson, Danielle Steers and Shaq Taylor.
Josie Rourke (Director) is the Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse where she has directed Measure for Measure, starring Hayley Atwell and Jack Lowden; Saint Joan, starring Gemma Arterton and broadcast live in cinemas around the world in partnership with National Theatre Live; the world premiere of Nick Payne’s new play Elegy; Les Liaisons Dangereuses, which was nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Revival, ran at the Booth Theatre, New York and was broadcast live in cinemas with National Theatre Live; The Vote, which was broadcast live on More 4 on the night of the 2015 UK election to an audience of half a million and nominated for a BAFTA; City of Angels, which received the Olivier Award for Best Musical Revival; Privacy, a new play created by James Graham and Josie Rourke, which also played at The Public Theater, New York, and starred Daniel Radcliffe; Coriolanus, which was broadcast live in cinemas in partnership with National Theatre Live and for which Tom Hiddleston won the Evening Standard Award for Best Actor; The Weir, which transferred to Wyndham’s Theatre; The Machine at Manchester International Festival and at Park Avenue Armory, New York; Berenice; The Physicists; The Recruiting Officer; Frame 312; and World Music. Her additional theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing at Wyndham’s Theatre, nominated for the Olivier Award for Best Revival; Men Should Weep at the National Theatre; Twelfth Night at Chicago Shakespeare; Crazyblackmuthafuckin’self and Loyal Women at the Royal Court; King John at the RSC; and The Long and the Short and the Tall and Kick for Touch at Sheffield Theatres. Rourke was previously Artistic Director of the Bush Theatre, which was named Theatre of the Year under her leadership. At the Bush Theatre, her credits include the premiere of If There Is I Haven’t Found it Yet by Nick Payne. Josie’s first feature film Mary Queen of Scots, produced by Working Title and Focus Features and starring Saoirse Ronan and Margot Robbie, was released in the US in 2018 and in the
UK in January 2019.
Wayne McGregor CBE (Choreographer) returns to the Donmar Warehouse after his work as Movement Director for Patrick Marber’s Closer, directed by David Leveaux, and reunites with director Josie Rourke after choreographing her debut film Mary Queen of Scots. Wayne is a multi-award-winning British choreographer and director. He is Artistic Director of Studio Wayne McGregor, the creative engine of his life-long choreographic enquiry into thinking through and with the body. Studio Wayne McGregor encompasses his extensive creative collaborations across dance, film, music, visual art, technology and science; Company Wayne McGregor, his own touring company of dancers; and highly specialized learning and research programmes. Studio Wayne McGregor, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in 2018, is based in its bespoke creative arts studio space at Here East in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Wayne McGregor is also Resident Choreographer at The Royal Ballet, the first person to hold this position from a contemporary dance background, and where his productions are acclaimed for their daring reconfiguring of classical language. He is Professor of Choreography at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance and has an Honorary Doctor of Science from Plymouth University and an Honorary Doctorate of Letters from University of Leeds. He is part of the Circle of Cultural Fellows at King’s College London. McGregor is regularly commissioned by and has works in the repertories of the most important ballet companies around the world, including Paris Opera Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, New York City Ballet, Bolshoi Ballet, Munich Ballet, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Royal Danish Ballet and San Francisco Ballet. He has choreographed for theatre, opera, film (Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Fantastic Beasts, Sing, Mary Queen of Scots), music videos (Radiohead, The Chemical Brothers), fashion (Gareth Pugh at London Fashion Week, 2017), campaigns (Selfridges), TV (Brit Awards, 2015 & 16), and site-specific performances (Big Dance Trafalgar Square, 2012). McGregor's work has earned him four Critics' Circle National Dance Awards, two Time Out Awards, two South Bank Show Awards, two Olivier Awards, a prix Benois de la Danse and two Golden Mask Awards. In 2011 McGregor was awarded a CBE for Services to Dance.
Lizzy Connolly (Nickie) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. Her theatre credits include Present Laughter (Chichester Festival Theatre), The Twilight Zone (Almeida), Oklahoma! (BBC Proms), On The Town (Open Air Theatre), The Wild Party (The Other Palace), Once In A Lifetime (Young Vic), The Vanities (Trafalgar Studios), Mrs Henderson Presents (Theatre Royal Bath and West End) and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels (West End). Her work for film and television includes The Festival, Plebs and The Windsors.
Arthur Darvill (Oscar Lindquist) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. His theatre credits include Genesis Inc. (Hampstead), Elevenses/Beginning to End/TBCTV (Somerset House Studios), Hir (Bush), Treasure Island (National Theatre), Once (Broadway/West End), Our Boys (Duchess), Doctor Faustus (Shakespeare’s Globe), Is Everyone Ok? (Nabokov), Swimming with Sharks (Vaudeville), Terre Haute for which he was nominated for the 2007 Evening Standard Award for Outstanding Newcomer (UK Tour/Trafalgar), Stacey (Arcola) and Terre Haute (Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh). His film credits include Sex, Drugs, Rock N Roll and Pelican Blood. Television work includes Legends of Tomorrow, Danny and the Human Zoo, Broadchurch (Series 1, 2 & 3), The White Queen, The Paradise, Doctor Who, Little Dorritt, He Kills Coppers and The Verdict. His work as a composer includes Been So Long (Young Vic/Traverse), Fantastic Mr Fox (Nuffield/Lyric/tour), I Want My Hat Back (National Theatre), The Frontline and The Lightning Child (Shakespeare’s Globe), and Stoopud Fucken Animals (Traverse). Been So Long has now been adapted into a feature film (Netflix/BFI/Film 4).
Lauren Drew (Ensemble) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. Her theatre credits include Heathers – The Musical (Theatre Royal Haymarket and The Other Palace), Kinky Boots (Adelphi Theatre) and Ghost (UK Tour). Lauren trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts.
Anne-Marie Duff (Charity Hope Valentine) returns to the Donmar Warehouse after previously starring in the productions of Berenice directed by Josie Rourke in 2012 and Days of Wine and Roses in 2005. An award-winning actress on both stage and screen, Anne-Marie is known for her roles in Shameless, The Virgin Queen and Nowhere Boy, and is considered one of the UK's most prolific actresses. In 2018 Anne-Marie starred in Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle and returned to the National Theatre as Lady Macbeth, a role she previously undertook on Broadway opposite Ethan Hawke. On the big screen, Anne-Marie recently appeared in On Chesil Beach, the film adaptation of Ian McEwan’s bestselling 2007 novel, and on television she lent her voice to the BBC One/Netflix series Watership Down that aired over Christmas. Anne-Marie is next going be seen in the BBC’s adaptation of Philip Pullman’s His Dark Materials series. Other prolific big screen credits include Suffragette, Before I Go to Sleep, The Last Station, Is Anybody There?, The Waiting Room, Notes on a Scandal, The Magdalene Sisters and Enigma. On the small screen, her credits include From Darkness, Parade’s End, Accused, Margot, Wild West and The Way We Live Now. Additional theatre credits include War and Peace (West End), Cause Celebre (the Old Vic), The Daughter in Law, The Soldier’s Fortune (Young Vic), Oil (Almeida), Common, Husbands & Sons, Strange Interlude, Collected Stories, King Lear and Saint Joan (National Theatre).
Jo Eaton-Kent (Ensemble) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. Her theatre credits include Mermaids (Kings Head Theatre); Roll Over Beethoven, Three Minute Heroes (Belgrade Theatre, Coventry) and Barefoot Gen (MAYA Productions). Jo’s TV credits include Don’t Forget the Driver and The Romanoffs.
Will Haswell (Ensemble) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. His theatre credits include The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales Theatre), Our House (UK Tour), The Braille Legacy (Charing Cross Theatre), Jersey Boys (Piccadilly Theatre), Shrek (UK Tour), Dick Whittington (White Rock Theatre, Hastings), Anything Goes (Kilworth House), Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales and Novello Theatre), 42nd Street Gala (London Palladium), Sleeping Beauty, Aladdin (Civic Theatre, Chelmsford) and Some Like It Hot (LTA Studio Theatre).
Charlotte Jaconelli (Ensemble) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. Her theatre credits include Heathers - The Musical (Theatre Royal Haymarket) and She Loves Me (Landor Theatre). Charlotte has also released albums in 2012 and 2013, selling over 1 million copies, and has performed in venues across the globe. Charlotte trained at the Arts Educational School in London.
Stephen Kennedy (Herman) returns to the Donmar Warehouse after appearing in The Vote which was also televised on election night in 2015 on More 4. His theatre credits include La Traviata (Theatre des Champs Elysees), Hamlet (Flute Theatre), The Velveteen Rabbit (Unicorn Theatre), King Lear (Old Vic), The Plough and the Stars, The Silver Tassie, Mother Courage, England People Very Nice, Dido Queen of Carthage, Waves, Women of Troy (National Theatre), King John (Rose Theatre), The Crucible (Royal Exchange, Manchester), The Cherry Orchard (Young Vic), To Kill a Mockingbird (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Elegy For Young Lovers (ENO), Messiah (Lyon), La Traviata (Vienna), Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me (Perth Theatre), School for Scandal (Barbican Theatre), Shoot the Crow (Waterfront Studio), The Agent (Old Red Lion/Trafalgar Studios) and Cyrano De Bergerac, The Birthday Party and Tamburlaine (Bristol Old Vic). His TV and film credits includes Dark Heart, Holby City, Silent Witness, Lucky Man, Casualty, Doctors, A Touch of Frost, The Bill, Making Waves, The Vice, Private Peaceful, The Agent, Notes on a Scandal, Braveheart and Nothing Personal.
Debbie Kurup (Helene) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. Her theatre credits include Girl from the North Country (West End and Old Vic), The Threepenny Opera (National Theatre), The Bodyguard (Adelphi Theatre), Chicago (Cambridge Theatre and Adelphi Theatre), Sister Act (London Palladium), West Side Story (Prince of Wales Theatre London), Tonight’s The Night (Victoria Palace), Rent (Prince of Wales Theatre and UK), Boogie Nights (Savoy Theatre), Anything Goes (Sheffield Theatres and UK tour), Jack and the Beanstalk (Hackney Empire), East (Leicester Curve), Fame (UK tour), Guys and Dolls (Sheffield Theatres), Pal Joey (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Poison (Tricycle Theatre). Debbie’s film credits include The Two Wolves, 28 Weeks Later and Hollow.
Martin Marquez (Vittorio Vidal) returns to the Donmar Warehouse after appearing in Fool for Love and Front Page. His theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing and Imogen (Shakespeare’s Globe), This House (UK Tour), Husbands & Sons, Mother Courage and Her Children and Love’s Labour’s Lost (National Theatre), Anything Goes (National Theatre and West End), From Here to Eternity (West End), Before I Leave (National Theatre Wales), Ah, Wilderness (Young Vic), Gondoliers, I Caught My Death in Venice and Insignificance (Chichester Festival Theatre), Blasted (Sheffield Theatres), Boeing Boeing (UK Tour), Cleansed and Identical Twins (Royal Court), Still Alice, The Crucible, Don Juan and Of Mice and Men (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Television credits include Holby City, Dead Pixels, Bounty Hunter, The Crown, Modus, Decline and Fall, Suntrap, Vera, The Job Lot, Benidorm, Twenty Twelve, New Tricks and Hotel Babylon.
Ryan Reid (Ensemble) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. His theatre credits include Dreamgirls (Savoy Theatre), In The Heights (Kings Cross Theatre), Shrek (UK Tour), Puss in Boots (Hackney Empire) and Blues in the Night (Hackney Empire). Ryan has also appeared on the Original London Cast Recording of Dreamgirls and Not Forgotten Society’s 90th Anniversary Concert (Buckingham Palace). He completed his training at Arts Educational School in London.
Amy Ellen Richardson (Ursula March) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. Her theatre credits include How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Royal Festival Hall), Follies (Royal Albert Hall), Merrily We Roll Along (Menier Chocolate Factory/Harold Pinter), Crazy For You (Novello), Spamalot (Palace), Les Misérables (Queens), Into The Woods, Gigi (Regent’s Park Open Air), On The Town (London Coliseum), Aspects Of Love (Prince of Wales), Kiss Me Kate (Sheffield Crucible), Sweet Charity (Nottingham Playhouse), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (UK Tour), Into The Woods (Royal Exchange, Manchester), Singin In The Rain (UK Tour), Oklahoma (Chichester Festival Theatre), She Loves Me (Minerva Theatre), Vincent In Brixton (UK Tour), A Christmas Carol (Sherman Cymru) and Whistle Down The Wind (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Her film and TV credits include Les Misérables, This Morning and Les Misérables 25th Anniversary Concert.
Danielle Steers (Carmen) makes her Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. Her theatre credits include Bat Out Of Hell (Dominion Theatre, Ed Mervish Theatre Toronto, ENO and Manchester), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (Aldwych), The Bodyguard (Adelphi), We Will Rock You (International Arena Tour), Hairspray (Aberystwyth Arts Centre), Legally Blonde (Savoy) and Respect La Diva (Garrick).
Shaq Taylor (Ensemble) makes his Donmar Warehouse debut in Sweet Charity. His theatre credits include Hadestown (National Theatre), Sweet Charity (Nottingham Playhouse) and Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre). His film credits include The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Shaq trained at Arts Educational School in London.
LISTINGS
Donmar Warehouse, 41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, London WC2H 9LX
www.donmarwarehouse.com
Box Office: 020 3282 3808 (No booking fees, £1 postage fee may apply)
Telephone Mon-Sat, 10am-6pm
In person Mon-Sat, 10am-curtain up (with some exceptions, see website)
PERFORMANCE TIMES
Evenings Mon – Sat: 7.30pm
Matinees Weds & Sat: 2.30pm
ONSALE
Members Priority Booking for Sweet Charity:
Steel members and Copper members now on sale.
Friends begins online from 9am, phone bookings begin at 10am, on Thursday 19 February 2019.
Public Booking for Sweet Charity:
Begins online at 9am, phone bookings begin at 10am on Thursday 21 February 2019.
TICKET PRICES
Stalls £55, £40
Circle £40, £30, £10
PREVIEW PRICES
Stalls £52.50, £37.50
Circle £37.50, £27.50, £10
PREVIEW DISCOUNTS APPLY ON FOLLOWING DATES
Saturday 6 April – Wednesday 10 April 2019
KLAXON TICKETS
Allocations of tickets from £10 will be made available on Monday every week for performances within the following three weeks. Tickets will be available across the auditorium at every price band.
CONCESSIONS
For over 60s, £55 tickets reduced to £47.50 and £40 tickets reduced to £35 (matinees only). Must be booked in advance.
STANDING TICKETS
£10 standing tickets available every day from 10am online, by phone and in person. (Except Press Nights. The Box Office may be closed on certain dates, see website for details).
SWEET FRIDAYS – part of YOUNG+FREE
Free tickets for those aged 25 and under. Tickets will be released by ballot. For an opportunity to secure free tickets and for more information, sign up to the mailing list: http://www.donmarwarehouse.com/visit/young-and-free
ACCESS
The Donmar Warehouse is fully wheelchair accessible. Guide dogs and hearing dogs are welcome in the auditorium. There is an infrared system in the main auditorium and there is also a hearing loop in the box office.
ASSISTED PERFORMANCES
If you require a companion to attend the Donmar, their ticket will be free. To book call 020 3282 3808 or email access@donmarwarehouse.com
For all other access enquiries or bookings call 020 3282 3808
CAPTIONED PERFORMANCES – 7.30PM (captioned by Stagetext)
Monday 3 June 2019
AUDIO-DESCRIBED PERFORMANCE - 2.30PM (audio-described by Vocaleyes)
(TOUCH TOUR AT 1.30PM)
Saturday 1 June 2019
TRANSPORT & PARKING
Tubes: Covent Garden, Leicester Sq, Charing Cross, Holborn, Tottenham Court Road
Buses: Destination Leicester Sq.14, 19, 24, 29, 38, 176
Parking: Masterpark
Principal Sponsor and supporter of Donmar Dryden Street
