A supernatural tale of witchcraft and small-town prejudice is set to descend upon London this spring. Witzend Productions and Charing Cross Theatre Productions have announced that West End favorites Glenn Adamson and Lauren Jones will lead the world premiere of the new musical Dark of the Moon.
Running from 18 May to 8 August 2026 at the Charing Cross Theatre, the production is a modern musical reimagining of the 1941 play by Howard D. Richardson and William Berney. The story portrays the collision between a rural Appalachian town and the mystical world of the Smoky Mountains, centered on the forbidden romance between Barbara Allen, a human girl, and John, a curious "witch-boy."
Glenn Adamson, fresh off his success as Strat in Jim Steinman’s Bat Out of Hell, takes on the role of John. Known for his signature rock vocals, Adamson expressed his immediate connection to the project: “When I first heard the demo tracks, I was beyond desperate to be part of it. The soundtrack really is THAT good. It fills the folk-rock void we’re all missing.”
Starring opposite him as Barbara Allen is Lauren Jones, who recently wowed audiences as Wednesday in The Addams Family and earned an Offie nomination for her leading role in Rebecca. “From reading the script and hearing the demos, it’s clear there’s something really special at the heart of this piece,” Jones remarked on her return to the Charing Cross Theatre.
Directed by Georgie Rankcom, the musical features a book by Emmy® nominee Jonathan Prince and a score by Grammy®-winning songwriters Lindy Robbins, Dave Bassett, and Steve Robson. The music promises a "thrilling blend of country/bluegrass and rock" to reflect the polarized worlds of the story.
While the original play has attracted legends like Paul Newman and James Earl Jones in the past, it has recently found a new generation of fans through references in the Stranger Things stage play, The First Shadow.
“Dark of the Moon has captivated audiences since the 1940s,” says Rankcom. “This musical adaptation allows us to rediscover the story for a new generation.”
Tickets for this spellbinding world premiere are available now below.
