Initial Cast Announced For BROKEN WINGS At Charing Cross Theatre

Aria Entertainment today announces initial casting for the musical adaptation of Kahlil Gibran's Broken Wings by Nadim Naaman - who will also play Kahlil Gibran - and Dana Al Fardan. Bronagh Lagan directs the cast including Yasmeen Audi (Layla Bawab/Ensemble), Haroun Al Jeddal (Mansour Bey Galib), Lucca Chadwick-Patel (Young Kahlil Gibran), Soophia Foroughi (Mother), Alex Kais (Ensemble), Nadim Naaman (Kahlil Gibran), Ayesha Patel (Dima Bawab) and Noah Sinigaglia (Selma Karamy). After multiple productions of the musical in concert form around the Middle East this will be the first full staging of the musical. The production opens at Charing Cross Theatre on 26 January, with previews from 21 January, and runs until 5 March 2022. Full casting will be announced shortly.

Performances run 21 January - 5 March 2022.

New York City, 1923. Through exquisite poetry and enchanting music, an ageing Gibran narrates our tale, transporting us back two decades and across continents, to turn-of-the-century Beirut. Gibran meets Selma; their connection is instant and their love affair, fated. However, their journey to happiness is soon thrown off course, as the pair face obstacles that shake the delicate foundation of their partnership. Will their love win out or will their dream of a life together be torn apart?

Performed in-the-round, Broken Wings takes us on an unmissable musical voyage, exploring issues of gender equality, immigration, the freedom to love who we love, and what 'home' really means to us. Over a century later, and the themes and debates raised in Gibran's story, remain increasingly relevant today.

Nadim Naaman is the book writer and co-composer, and is also playing Kahlil. His credits include Rumi: The Musical - released by Broadway Records as a Concept Album. His credits as an actor include A Little Night Music (Holland Park Opera), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's Theatre/Greek tour), By Jeeves (The Old Laundry), Sweeney Todd (Tooting Arts Club), One Man, Two Guvnors (Theatre Royal Haymarket), and The Sound of Music (London Palladium). As a soloist, he has performed concerts in venues including The Hong Kong Philharmonic, Birmingham Symphony, Concertgebouw Amsterdam, RTE Concert Orchestra Dublin, Liverpool Philharmonic, The John Wilson Orchestra, London Symphony and BBC Proms at The Royal Albert Hall. His 2016 studio album, Sides, topped the iTunes UK Vocal Chart, and is available on iTunes and Spotify. Naaman is also an associate at The Royal Academy of Music.

Dana Al Fardan is a Qatari composer, songwriter and symphonic artist. Her credits include Rumi: The Musical - released by Broadway Records as a Concept Album. She is the official composer of Qatar Airways and also Brand Ambassador of Qatar Philharmonic Orchestra, with whom she has recorded two albums: Layla and Sandstorm - the latter has been performed by The London Metropolitan Orchestra at Theatre Royal Haymarket in London.

Yasmeen Audi plays Layla Bawab/Ensemble. She recently graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London, where she won the 2019 Toni V. Fell Prize for Acting through Song. She made her West End debut playing the legendary in Umm Kulthum & The Golden Era (London Palladium). Her other work includes Broadway's Gypsy of the Year (assistant choreographer/swing), RENT, Little Shop of Horrors and Into the Woods.

Haroun Al Jeddal plays Mansour Bey Galib. He recently graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. His performance credits Grease (UK tour), Bring It ON (The BTA), West Side Story (FutureStages), Imaginary, The Battle of Boat (NYMT), Peter Pan Goes Wrong (Mischief Theatre), and Baby and We Lost Elijah (National Theatre Connections); and for television, Coronation Street.

Lucca Chadwick-Patel plays Young Kahlil Gibran. He graduated this year from Guildford School of Acting. His theatre work includes The Magician's Elephant (RSC), In Pieces (Turbine Theatre), Dogfight (Southwark Playhouse), and Carousel: In Concert and The Clockmaker's Daughter (Cadogan Hall).

Soophia Foroughi plays Mother. Her theatre credits include The Prince of Egypt (Dominion Theatre), Rumi - The Musical (Concert/Workshop/Recording), Spamalot (Frankfurt, Germany), The Sound of Music (Popular Productions), Michael Ball Sings The Musicals, Michael Ball: Both Sides Now (UK tours), White Christmas (Pitlochry Festival Theatre), The Rat Pack, Live From Las Vegas (Wyndham's Theatre), The House of Bernarda Alba (Union Theatre), Thursford Christmas Spectacular, and Jack and the Beanstalk (Mercury Theatre Colchester).

Alex Kais is making his London stage debut in the Ensemble. He recently appeared in The Hades & Persephone Project and partnered with Trinacria Theatre Company to develop the production. He is currently part of the team that are producing the 2021 Black British Theatre Awards.

Ayesha Patel makes her professional stage debut playing Dima Bawab. She recently graduated from Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts. Her television work include as part of the choir in Ball & Boe: A Very Merry Christmas.

Noah Sinigaglia makes her professional stage debut playing Selma Karamy.

Bronagh Lagan directs. Her theatre credits include Cruise (Duchess Theatre), Rags The Musical (Lyric Theatre/Park Theatre), Umm Kulthum (London Palladium), Putting It Together, Little Women (Hope Mill Theatre), A Winter's Tale (Rose Theatre Kingston), Brexit the Musical (Edinburgh Festival Fringe), Promises, Promises (Southwark Playhouse), tick, tick... BOOM! (Park Theatre), As You Like It (Jackson's Lane), The Adventures of Pinocchio (Ambassadors Theatre), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Chipping Norton Theatre), The Pajama Game, A Man of No Importance (Pleasance Theatre), Heart of Winter, The Stationmaster (Tristan Bates Theatre), James and The Giant Peach (UK/international tour), Portia Coughlan (The Old Red Lion), Girlfriends (Union Theatre), A Day in the Death of Joe Egg (Greenwich Theatre), The Mistress Cycle (Landor Theatre), Expectations (Arcola Theatre), Blood Wedding (Courtyard Theatre), Newsrevue (Canal Café Theatre), Henry VI Part 1 (Rose Theatre), Erris (Theatre503), Julius Caesar (The Scoop) and The Madness of Sweeney (Lyric Theatre, Belfast). Lagan is also part of the From Page To Stage Literary department for Aria Entertainment.

www.brokenwingsmusical.co.uk