Sweet Charity

Directed by: Bill Buckhurst

Book by Neil Simon
Music by Cy Coleman
Lyrics by Dorothy Fields
Based on an original screenplay by Federico Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano
Produced for the Broadway stage by: Fryer, Carr and Harris.
Conceived, Staged and Choreographed by Bob Fosse

SWEET CHARITY- CAST ANNOUNCED FOR NOTTINGHAM PLAYHOUSE’S FIRST MUSICAL IN MORE THAN 10 YEARS

• Nottingham Playhouse produces first musical in more than a decade
• Olivier award-winner Rebecca Trehearn to play Charity
• EastEnders’ Marc Elliott taking role of Oscar

Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company confirms full cast for Sweet Charity – its first musical production since 2006.

Subsequently adapted into an Oscar-nominated film, Sweet Charity is a modern Broadway classic following the trials and tribulations of Charity Hope Valentine (played by Rebecca Trehearn).

Working alongside her two best friends Nickie (played by Amy Ellen Richardson) and Helene (played by Carly Mercedes Dyer) as dancers in a sleazy New York bar, Charity is accustomed to being unlucky in love.

After being dumped by her latest boyfriend Charlie (played by Danny Collins), Charity’s luck takes an interesting turn when she meets Oscar (Marc Elliott) in a broken-down lift. The musical comedy follows the blossoming of their budding romance and the struggles they face trying to find love and success in a cynical world.

Charity’s boss Herman will be played by Carl Sanderson, who appeared in the popular West End production of Phantom of the Opera.

Charity’s co-workers Carmen, Frenchy, Rosie, Elaine and Suzanne will be played by Cindy Belliot, Emmanuelle N’zuzi, Sinead Long, Jessica Buckby, and Emily Goodenough, respectively. They will be joined on stage by Shaq Taylor portraying the character Daddy, Louis Gaunt who has been confirmed to play Manfred and Leah West who will play the role of Ursula.

Sweet Charity is the first musical to be produced by the Nottingham Playhouse in more than 10 years and forms a key highlight of Adam Penford’s first season with the theatre.

Artistic director of Nottingham Playhouse Adam Penford said: “This story of a spirited, working-class woman who refuses to give up on life and love, is life-affirming and perfect for Nottingham Playhouse. I’m thrilled that we’re bringing such a talented and prodigious cast and creative team from the West End to the East Midlands. Rebecca is an Olivier award-winning talent and was born to play Charity.

“Musicals are one of the most popular genres of theatre in this country and we’re so proud to be creating a home-grown musical production. The scale of Sweet Charity is enormous and will give our excellent in-house teams a chance to showcase their incredible skills; from costumes and sets, to lighting and sound.”

The cast will be performing hits such as If My Friends Could See Me Now, Hey Big Spender and The Rhythm of Life in this light-hearted fan favourite.

Sweet Charity runs from Friday 31 August through to Saturday 22 September.

Tickets are priced £45 – £8.50.

For more information about Nottingham Playhouse visit www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

Full cast biographies:

Rebecca Trehearn – Theatre Credits: Diary of a Teenage Girl (Southwark Playhouse); The Night Before Christmas; A Little of What You Fancy (Salisbury Playhouse); Floyd Collins (Wilton’s Music Hall); Show Boat (Olivier award winner 2017, Best Supporting Actress in a Musical – New London Theatre/Sheffield Crucible); City Of Angels (Donmar Warehouse); Dogfight (Southwark Playhouse); Ghost (UK National Tour); Bernarda Alba (Union); Love Story (Duchess); Aspects Of Love (Menier Chocolate Factory); Dirty Dancing (Aldwych); We Will Rock You (Dominion); Alfie the Musical (Palace Theatre, Watford). TV credits: Dim Ond Y Gwir (S4C); Casualty (BBC); A470 (S4C).

Marc Elliott – Theatre Credits: City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse); Into The Woods (Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester); Urinetown (St James Theatre/Apollo Theatre); Tape (Trafalgar Studios); The History Boys (National Theatre). TV credits: Eastenders; Holby City (BBC); Midsomer Murders (ITV).

Amy Ellen Richardson – Theatre Credits: How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Royal Festival Hall); Follies (Royal Albert Hall); Merrily We Roll Along (Menier Chocolate Factory/Harold Pinter Theatre); Crazy For You (Novello Theatre); Spamalot (Palace Theatre, London); Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre); Into the Woods; Gigi (Regent’s Park Open Air); On the Town (London Coliseum); Aspects of Love (Prince of Wales Theatre). Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (UK Tour). TV credits: Maddy Burns/The One and Only Double at The Lawrence Olivier Awards (BBC).

Carly Mercedes Dyer – Theatre Credits: Dreamgirls (Savoy Theatre); West Side Story (Salzburg Festival); The Lorax (The Old Vic); Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre); How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Royal Festival Hall); TV credits: Motown the Musical on Ant and Dec’s Saturday Night Takeaway; This Morning; Sunday Night Live at the Palladium; Dancing on Ice 2011 (ITV).

Danny Collins – Theatre Credits: Barnum (Menier Chocolate Factory); Oklahoma! – The Proms; Kiss Me, Kate – The Proms (Royal Albert Hall); Matthew Bourne’s Early Adventures (UK Tour); 42nd Street (Théâtre du Châtelet); Jekyll and Hyde (Drew McOnie/The Old Vic); Show Boat (West End/Crucible Theatre, Sheffield); Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man (Ravenna Festival/Sadler’s Wells) TV Credits: Humans (Channel 4); Matthew Bourne’s Christmas 2011 (Leopard Films); Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake 2009 (The Paul O’Grady Show).

Carl Sanderson – Theatre Credits: Sunset Boulevard (UK Tour); Kiss Me, Kate (Kilworth House Theatre); 42nd Street (Théâtre du Châtelet); Guys and Dolls; The Pajama Game; The Music Man (Chichester Festival Theatre); Stephen Ward (Aldwych Theatre); My Fair Lady (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield/National Tour); Ragtime the Musical; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Hello Dolly! (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Crazy For You (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre/Novello Theatre); Hairspray (National Tour); Sweet Charity (Menier Chocolate Factory); Cats (New London Theatre/National Tour); Doctor Dolittle (National Tour) TV Credits: Victoria Wood Christmas Special (BBC); Acorn Antiques The Musical!

Cindy Belliot – Theatre Credits: Aladdin (Prince Edward Theatre); Motown (Shaftesbury Theatre); Fela (Broadway, National Theatre and US Tour); The Hurly Burly Show (The Garrick Theatre); Dirty Dancing (Aldwych Theatre); Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre); Bubbling Brown Sugar; Cats (Dutch Tour); The Lion King; Saturday Night Fever (The Netherlands).

Emmanuelle N’zuzi – Theatre Credits: Grease; Cats (Théâtre Mogador); Cats (Royal Caribbean Productions); Frozen Sing-Along; Grand Celebration (Disneyland Paris).

Sinead Long – Theatre Credits: Chess the Musical (London Coliseum); Oranges and Elephants (Hoxton Hall); Jesus Christ Superstar – 2017 Olivier award-winning show (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Bad Girls: The Musical (Union Theatre); Legally Blonde (UK Tour); Tonight’s the Night (UK Tour); Jersey Boys (UK Tour). TV credits: Doctors (BBC).

Jessica Buckby – Theatre Credits: Singin’ in the Rain (Grand Palais, Paris); The Addams Family (UK Tour); 42nd Street (Théâtre du Châtelet); Thoroughly Modern Millie; South Pacific (Kilworth House Theatre); Miss Atomic Bomb (St James’ Theatre); McQueen (Theatre Royal Haymarket); Singin’ in the Rain (Théâtre du Châtelet) TV credits: Endeavour (ITV).

Emily Goodenough – Theatre Credits: Oklahoma! (Grange Park Opera); Follies (National Theatre); 42nd Street (Théâtre du Châtelet); Thoroughly Modern Millie (Kilworth House Theatre); Mrs Henderson Presents (Noel Coward Theatre/Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto); The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (Birmingham Repertory Theatre); Sunny Afternoon (Hampstead Theatre/Harold Pinter Theatre); TV credits: That Day we Sang (BBC, written and directed by Victoria Wood.)

Leah West – Theatre Credits: Grand Hotel; Allegro (Southwark Playhouse); The Smallest Show on Earth (National Tour); Kiss Me, Kate (Théâtre du Châtelet and Grand, Luxembourg); Annie Get Your Gun (Crucible Theatre, Sheffield); Oklahoma! – the Proms (Royal Albert Hall).TV credits: Unforgotten (ITV/Mainstreet Productions).

Shaq Taylor – Theatre Credits: Titanic; The Life, Wish Me Luck; Hay Fever; Candide. His professional debut as Jean Prouvaire and understudied and played Javert in Les Miserables (Queen’s Theatre); Stephen Sondheim Student Performer of the Year 2017 (Noël Coward Theatre); Olivier Awards 2016 (Royal Opera House); Friday Night Is Music Night (BBC Radio 2).

Louis Gaunt – Theatre Credits: Oklahoma! (Grange Park Opera); Dick Whittington (London Palladium); ISHQ The Musical (Sadler’s Wells); ‘Music of the Night’ – The Andrew Lloyd Webber Gala (LuegArena); Robinson Crusoe (Cliffs Pavilion Theatre).TV credits: Strictly Come Dancing; The Entire Universe (Dancer and vocalist) (BBC); backing dancer for Laura Mvula.

Box Office Information:

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http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk

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