The new concert production of The Book Thief musical adaptation has announced initial casting.
The Book Thief in concert will play for one night only at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London, on Sunday 19 October 2025.
The show will star Melanie La Barrie (Hadestown, & Juliet, Wicked, Matilda) as Death, with further casting to be announced.
Melanie La Barrie’s next London show is Mary Page Marlowe at The Old Vic from 23 September 2025.
The Book Thief musical is based on the best-selling novel by Markus Zusak, and has a book by Jodi Picoult (My Sister’s Keeper, Small Great Things) and Timothy Allen McDonald, adaptor of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka & James and the Giant Peach. Music and lyrics are by Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel (Apple TV’s Central Park, Olaf’s Frozen Adventure).
The concert is directed and choreographed by Tom Jackson Greaves, whose recent production of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry is transferring next year from Chichester to the Theatre Royal Haymarket in the West End.
The wider creative team includes original direction by Lotte Wakeham, with orchestrations & musical supervision by Matthew Malone, set & costume design by Good Teeth, lighting design by Nic Farman, sound design by Sound Quiet Time, casting by Abby Galvin and musical direction by Natalie Pound.
The musical had its world premiere at the Octagon Theatre, Bolton in 2022, and has also been produced in Coventry and Leicester.
The Book Thief is produced in concert by Deus Ex Machina Productions (RIDE; Alice in Wonderland; Four Play), Writers’ Cage, and Andrew Paradis in association with Bethany Cooper Productions.
What They Said
Writers Jodi Picoult & Timothy Allen McDonald said in a statement: “We couldn’t be prouder to present this new, gorgeous incarnation of The Book Thief in London. As Americans, we are very much aware of how quickly fascism can take hold of a country — this show is the right story, at exactly the right time. To have Melanie La Barrie leading the company as Death, our narrator, is a dream — her immense talent and experience has given us so many colours we writers can paint with.”
Composers Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel said: “We are so excited to bring this score back to life on stage, with some new songs that have grown and changed with the show’s evolution. To have our music in the talented and capable hands of an actor like Mel LaBarrie is a dream come true!
Producers Emily Lunnon and Ramin Sabi said: “It’s our great pleasure to bring this beautiful show to London for the first time. The unique musical language created by the writing team has brought Markus’ timeless and timely story to life in that very special way that only theatre can. We couldn’t be more excited for Tom Jackson Greaves’ genius staging to propel the show through its next steps, to a new audience and beyond.
Director and choreographer Tom Jackson Greaves said: “I am thrilled to be leading this incredible musical into its next chapter, alongside our brilliant writers, creative team, cast and exceptional storyteller, Melanie La Barrie. It’s a story that needs to be heard now more than ever and I cannot wait for a London audience to experience it for the very first time.”
More about The Book Thief musical stage adaptation
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