Casting has been announced for A Journey to the Past, Maria Friedman’s 1-night only celebration of the works of Ahrens & Flaherty.
The principal cast features three-time WhatsOnStage award-winner Carrie Hope Fletcher (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, Heathers), Rob Houchen (South Pacific, Les Misérables), Cedric Neal (Back To The Future, The Voice UK), Lucy St Louis (The Phantom of the Opera, Motown the Musical) and four-time Olivier Award-nominated Summer Strallen (Young Frankenstein, Top Hat).
Supporting cast members include Georgia Anderson (Hairspray), Jordan Cunningham(Heathers, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie), Jemal Felix (The Phantom of the Opera, Kinky Boots),Teddy Hinde (Anyone Can Whistle), Claudia Kariuki (Six, School of Rock), Nardia Ruth (The Prince of Egypt), Hana Stewart (Six, West End & Broadway) and Rodney Vubya (Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, Tina: The Tina Turner Musical).
The musical celebration, directed by Maria Friedman, will feature a selection of music from the writing duo’s most beloved works, including Maria Friedman reprising her Olivier Award-winning performance of “Back to Before” from Ragtime.
Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty are considered the foremost theatrical writing team of their generation. They won Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards for the Broadway hit Ragtime and were nominated for two Academy Awards and two Golden Globes for Twentieth Century Fox’s animated feature film Anastasia, which they also adapted for the Broadway stage. Their newest musical Knoxville is currently making its world premiere in Florida.
Their musical Once On This Island won London’s Olivier Award and Broadway’s 2018 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical. Other theatre credits include Ragtime, Seussical (one of the most produced shows in America); Rocky; My Favourite Year; Chita Rivera – The Dancer’s Life; Dessa Rose; A Man of No Importance; The Glorious Ones; Lucky Stiff and two upcoming shows, Knoxville and Little Dancer.
Lynn Ahrens said, “After two long years of uncertainty, what a wonderful way to celebrate the return to theater. I’m honored to have my work back on the boards in London!”
Stephen Flaherty said, “I can’t wait to have our music and lyrics back on the West End in the historic Lyric Theatre, under the direction of our RAGTIME leading lady and friend, Maria Friedman. What an evening it’s going to be!”
Joining Maria Friedman in the creative team are Simon Lee as Musical Supervisor, Michael Bradley as Musical Director, Nathan M Wright as Choreographer, Leon Kay Casting as Casting Director and Andrew Exeter as Set & Lighting Designer.
Further principal and supporting casting will be announced at a later date.
A Journey to the Past will be performed for one performance only at the Lyric Theatre on 6 June 2022.
UPDATE: A Journey to the Past will now be performed at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue on 12 September 2022. Tickets for this performance are on sale here.
