Swayze to Make West End Debut in Guys and Dolls, 7/10

The latest performer to play marriage-evading gambler Nathan Detroit in the smash London Guys and Dolls revival will be film star Patrick Swayze, in his West End debut. Swayze will join the cast of the classic Frank Loesser musical on July 10th.

With Claire Sweeney, who will step into the role of Miss Adelaide the same day, Swayze will play a limited eight-week run in the show. Sweeney ("Brookside," West End's Chicago) was also recently cast in the UK tour of Guys and Dolls, which will kick off in Glasgow in September.

Swayze, who made his Broadway debut as Danny in Grease, has also appeared on Broadway in Goodtime Charley and Chicago (as well as in that show's tour). His film credits include Donnie Darko, To Wong Foo Thanks for Everything, Julie Newmar, Point Break, Ghost, Steel Dawn and Dirty Dancing, which will be seen on the West End as a new stage musical beginning in September. He was also seen in its recent sequel, Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.

Guys and Dolls, directed by Michael Grandage, is playing an extended run at the Piccadilly Theatre through December 30th, 2006 (closing was previously announced for September). Plans are also currently being made for it to bow on Broadway sometime during the 2006-2007 season. Nigel Harman--who has previously played Sky Masterson in the West End production--will join Sweeney for part of the tour. Sweeney will stay with the Guys and Dolls tour for its first three months. No other casting has been announced.

Guys and Dolls opened in London on June 1st, 2005 with a lustrous cast in tow--Ewan McGregor (as Sky Masterson), Jane Krakowski (as Miss Adelaide), Russell (as Sarah Brown) and Douglas Hodge (as Nathan Detroit). The show, which has been a big commercial hit, also received a strong critical reception. Directed by Grandage and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Rob Ashford (who will reunite for the upcoming London Evita revival), the show is a somewhat grittier interpretation of the classic musical, which is set in a New York world of gamblers, gangsters, chorus girls and Sarah Brown, a Salvation Army girl who wants to reform all of them. Of course, Sarah also falls in love with gambler Sky Masterson.

The production currently features Sally Ann Triplett as Miss Adelaide, Adam Cooper as Sky Masterson, Kelly Price as Sarah Brown and Neil Morrissey as Nathan Detroit. Cooper and Price will stay on in their roles past July 10th.

The musical is produced by the Donmar Warehouse, The Ambassador Theatre Group and Live Nation in association with Arielle Tepper and David Binder, Tulchin/Bartner Productions and IC Productions.

Visit www.guysanddollsthemusical.com for more information.