Groundhog Day The Musical is closing tonight, Saturday 19 August 2023, after a hugely successful run at The Old Vic theatre in London.
The theatre put out a statement this week saying that the show had exceeded all previous box office records, to become the highest-grossing Old Vic production in history.
And that’s quite something given that The Old Vic started life in 1818! Almost 90,000 people have seen the show, with 60% of them new audiences to the South London venue.
The musical won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical when it premiered at The Old Vic in 2016, and this current production scooped fabulous reviews when it opened in June this year.
Groundhog Day reunites the team behind the RSC’s Matilda The Musical, with direction by Matthew Warchus, and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. The show also has a book by Danny Rubin, co-writer of the screenplay for the original movie Groundhog Day starring Bill Murray.
There have been rumours over the last few weeks that Groundhog Day may go on to have a life beyond The Old Vic, something that The Old Vic’s Artistic Director Matthew Warchus alluded to in a press statement this week, saying: “I can’t wait to bring it to a wider audience in the near future. Watch this space…”.
Warchus also said that “it has been a true honour and delight to bring Groundhog Day back to The Old Vic and give it a fresh new lease of life. The show, now seen by over 65,000 people in 2016 and almost 90,000 people this summer, has broken all box office records (including its own records set in 2016) and its immense popularity is a tribute not only to the brilliant writers, Tim Minchin and Danny Rubin, but also the outstanding creatives, cast, band and crew, and all the teams at The Old Vic who helped deliver the production with such skill, commitment and affection. This surprisingly moving and joyful show is very dear to my heart.”
Groundhog Day The Musical stars Andy Karl as Phil Connors, reprising his Olivier Award-winning performance, alongside Tanisha Spring as Rita Hanson.
The cast also incudes 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), 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 includes: Choreography by Lizzi Gee, Set & Costume by Rob Howell, Orchestration, Additional Music & Musical Supervisor by Christopher Nightingale, Lighting by Hugh Vanstone, Sound by Simon Baker, Illusions by Paul Kieve, Additional Movement by Finn Caldwell, Video & Animation by Andrzej Goulding, Casting for Will Burton for GBC, Musical Director Alan Berry, Voice by Charlie Hughes-D’Aeth, Dialect by Penny Dyer, Associate Directors are Paul Warwick Griffin and Nik Ashton, and Assistant Musical Supervisor by Jack Hopkins.
More about Groundhog Day at the Old Vic Theatre in London
