The Old Vic has today announced further casting and the full creative team for the Olivier Award-winning musical (Best New Musical, Best Actor) Groundhog Day, directed by Matthew Warchus (A Christmas Carol, Matilda The Musical stage/film), with book by Danny Rubin (Groundhog Day film) and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin (Matilda The Musical, Upright).
Joining the previously announced Andy Karl (Groundhog Day, Rocky), who returns to his Olivier-Award winning role as the cynical TV weatherman Phil Connors, are Jasmin Colangelo as Swing/Puppetry Captain, Kelly Ewins-Prouse as Swing/Dance Captain, Kamilla Fernandes as Ensemble (Debbie), Aimée Fisher as Ensemble (Joelle), Zack Guest as Swing, Nick Hayes as Ensemble (Ralph), Jacqueline Hughes as Ensemble (Piano Teacher), Ashlee Irish as Ensemble (Larry), Chris Jenkins as Ensemble (Gus), Andrew Langtree as Ensemble (Ned Ryerson), Billy Nevers as Ensemble (Fred), Eve Norris as Ensemble (Nancy), Mark Pearce as Ensemble (Sheriff), Ben Redfern as Ensemble (Buster), Tanisha Spring as Rita Hanson, Durone Stokes as Ensemble (Deputy), Alex Stoll as Ensemble (Billy), Jez Unwin as Ensemble (Jenson), Annie Wensak as Ensemble (Mrs Lancaster) and Matthew Whennell-Clark as Swing/Assistant Dance Captain.
The creative team is also announced today. The production will feature Choreography by Lizzi Gee (Little Shop of Horrors, A Christmas Carol), Set and Costume by Rob Howell (Matilda The Musical, A Christmas Carol), Orchestration, Additional Music and Musical Supervision by Christopher Nightingale (A Christmas Carol, Matilda The Musical), Lighting by Hugh Vanstone (A Christmas Carol, Back to the Future), Sound by Simon Baker (A Christmas Carol, Girl from the North Country), Illusions by Paul Kieve (Matilda The Musical, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban), Video and Animation by Andrzej Goulding (Sylvia, Eureka Day), Additional Movement by Finn Caldwell (Dr. Seuss’s The Lorax, Life of Pi), Casting by Will Burton for GBC (Matilda The Musical, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Musical Direction by Alan Berry (Matilda The Musical, Girl From the North Country), Voice by Charlie Hughes-D’Aeth (Sylvia, Eureka Day) and Dialect by Penny Dyer (Faith Healer, A Very Expensive Poison).
The Associate Directors are Paul Warwick Griffin and Nik Ashton, and the Assistant Director is Natalie Gilhome, with Associate Choreography by Helen Siveter, Associate Set by Bec Chippendale and Megan Rouse, Costume Supervision by Zoë Thomas-Webb, Hair, Wigs and Make-Up by Campbell Young Associates and Prop Supervision by Marcus Hall Props. The Assistant Musical Supervisor is Jack Hopkins, with Associate Lighting by Chris Hirst and Associate Sound by Jay Jones.
The critically acclaimed Groundhog Day will run at The Old Vic from 20 May–12 August with a press performance on Thursday 08 June.
The Old Vic’s Artistic Director, Matthew Warchus, said:
‘Ahead of rehearsals starting next week, I’m very happy to share the wonderful array of talent joining me to present Groundhog Day this summer. This is a show that means an enormous amount to me, and I am hugely excited to be bringing it back in this new incarnation.’
Tim Minchin, who wrote the music & lyrics for Groundhog Day said:
‘I am hugely proud of our Groundhog Day. It has everything I want in a musical: it’s funny, heart-warming, multi-layered and theatrically intricate, tackling big ideas whilst still being wildly entertaining. It makes audiences laugh and cry and walk out wanting to buy another ticket. It is thematically, musically and intellectually quite grown-up, but also has an enema pun.
‘This show and my other collaboration with Matthew Warchus – Matilda The Musical – are kinda two sides of a philosophical coin: Matilda teaches us that we mustn’t be afraid to change your story, whereas Groundhog Day tells us we need to find our happiness in the here and now.’
Creative Team
Book – Danny Rubin
Music and Lyrics – Tim Minchin
Director – Matthew Warchus
Choreography – Lizzi Gee
Set and Costume – Rob Howell
Orchestration, Additional Music and Musical Supervisor – Christopher Nightingale
Lighting – Hugh Vanstone
Sound – Simon Baker
Illusions – Paul Kieve
Video and Animation – Andrzej Goulding
Additional Movement – Finn Caldwell
Casting – Will Burton for GBC
Musical Director – Alan Berry
Voice – Charlie Hughes-D’Aeth
Dialect – Penny Dyer
Associate Directors – Paul Warwick Griffin and Nik Ashton
Assistant Director – Natalie Gilhome
Associate Choreography – Helen Siveter
Associate Set – Bec Chippendale and Megan Rouse
Costume Supervisor – Zoë Thomas-Webb
Hair, Wigs and Make-Up – Campbell Young Associates
Prop Supervisor – Marcus Hall Props
Assistant Musical Supervisor – Jack Hopkins
Associate Lighting – Chris Hirst
Associate Sound – Jay Jones
PRODUCTION INFORMATION
GROUNDHOG DAY
Book by Danny Rubin
Music and Lyrics by Tim Minchin
Directed by Matthew Warchus
Starring Andy Karl
20 May–12 Aug 2023
Press Night – Thurs 08 Jun
‘Tomorrow spring will come and then
There will be blue skies my friend
Bright eyes and laughter
Tomorrow there will be sun’
Phil Connors is a pretty awful guy.
But when the cynical Pittsburgh TV weatherman is sent to cover the kooky annual Groundhog Day event in
the small town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, he finds himself caught in a time loop that sends him on a
hilarious path to enlightenment and redemption.
A comic parable of love, hope and transformation from the creatives behind Matilda The Musical (on stage and film) and The Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol, this Olivier Award-winning (Best New Musical, Best Actor) musical sensation
based on the 1993 hit film returns to The Old Vic this summer.
‘Groundhog Day is a masterclass in how to live… You can bring whatever mindset you choose to the next 24
hours. This is an extraordinary gift that we often overlook, and there is no better example of its priceless value
than Groundhog Day’ Paul Hannam (The Wisdom of Groundhog Day)
