Set to star Elizabeth Ayodele, Joel Harper-Jackson, Sharlene Hector, Mel Lowe, Laura Pitt-Pulford, Samuel Jordan, Baker Mukasa, Alastair Natkiel, Rachael Wooding
The National Theatre has announced casting for the West End transfer of its award-winning new musical Standing at the Sky’s Edge.
The show will open at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in February 2024.
In the West End, joining the Standing at the Sky’s Edge cast will be Elizabeth Ayodele (Small Island, Steel Magnolias) as Joy, Joel Harper-Jackson (Cock, Kinky Boots) as Harry, Sharlene Hector (A Strange Loop, Hairspray) as Grace, Mel Lowe (Orlando) as Connie, Laura Pitt-Pulford (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers) as Poppy and Lauryn Redding (Bloody Elle) as Nikki.
Returning to reprise their roles are Samuel Jordan (Masters of the Air, Sex Education) as Jimmy, Baker Mukasa (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical) as George, Alastair Natkiel (Line of Duty) as Marcus and Rachael Wooding (Pretty Woman: The Musical) as Rose.
Additional casting will be announced soon.
Directed by Robert Hastie, with a book by Chris Bush and songs by Sheffield singer-songwriter Richard Hawley, the musical was a massive hit at the National Theatre earlier this year, and in its original home at Sheffield Theatres.
It was first commissioned by Sheffield Theatres and Various Productions, and had its world premiere at the Crucible Theatre in 2019, before returning in December 2022. The show made its London premiere in the National Theatre’s Olivier theatre in early 2023.
The show was recently nominated for an Evening Standard Theatre Award, and won Best New Musical and Best Original Score / New Orchestration for Hawley’s music at the 2023 Olivier Awards. It also pleased the critics, with a number of four and five star reviews.
The musical follows three storylines across three generations: Poppy wants to escape her old life in London; Joy and Jimmy want to spend the rest of their lives together; and Rose and Harry want the new life they’ve been promised.
Joining Robert Hastie in the creative team are: set and costume design by Ben Stones, choreography by Lynne Page, music supervision, orchestrations and arrangements by Tom Deering, lighting by Mark Henderson, sound by Bobby Aitken, wigs, hair and make-up design by Cynthia De La Rosa and casting by Stuart Burt CDG. Music director is John Rutledge, fight director is Kenan Ali, associate choreographer is Thomas Herron, assistant music director is Ehsaan Shivarani, dialects coaches are: Michaela Kennen and Shereen Ibrahim, and casting of young performers by Chloe Blake.
Director Robert Hastie said in a statement: “I’m thrilled that many of the company who created Standing at the Sky’s Edge in Sheffield and at the National Theatre are continuing to tell this important story in the West End, and equally excited that a brilliant new group of actors are joining the cast to bring new perspectives and fresh takes on Chris’s characters and Richard’s songs. Getting the casting right is central to any show’s success, but with this show it feels particularly crucial. The characters in this show might be fictional, but they represent real people’s lives, so the actors who embody these roles need to take pride in telling these beautiful human stories, and I’m confident that this incredible cast will do exactly that.”
Standing at the Sky’s Edge will play the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8 February to 3 August 2024.
Currently playing at the Gillian Lynne Theatre is Crazy For You starring Charlie Stemp and Carly Anderson, which is booking to 20 January 2024.
Book tickets to Standing at the Sky’s Edge at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London
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