Photo Flash: First Look at Tim Rice's BLONDEL at Union Theatre

Producers have announced the cast for the world premiere of a spanking new version of the Tim Rice musical comedy Blondel. Check out photos from the show below!

Following the trials and triumphs of an ambitious minstrel in King Richard the Lionheart's court, Blondel will get its London premiere at the Union Theatre fromWednesday 21 June - Saturday 15 July. Press night is Friday 23 June.

Blondel has lyrics by Tim Rice and music by Stephen Oliver. The book is by Tom Williams and Tim Rice, with additional music by Mathew Pritchard.

Connor Arnold has been cast in the title role as Blondel. Connor is a 2016 graduate from Mountview Academy Of Theatre Arts. He recently played The Pardoner on a European tour of Canterbury Tales. His previous credits include Silent Witness (BBC1) and Catch Me at the Arts Theatre.

The rest of the cast features: Courtney Bowman (Winner Stephen Sondheim Performer of The Year 2016, she's just played Fatimah in the acclaimed new musical, Everybody's Talking About Jamie at Sheffield Crucible); Michael Burgen (Patsy, Spamalot, West End, Samuel, The All-Male Pirates of Penzance, UK Tour); Lauren Byrne (recently in the UK tour of Sunny Afternoon as first cover Rasa); David Fearn (A Christmas Carol, Lyceum Theatre); Ryan Hall(making his professional debut after graduating from Mountview); Oliver Marshall (has just played Rumbold in Forty Years On at Chichester Festival Theatre; Dog Boy in the musical Side Show, Southwark Playhouse); Jessie May (Regina in Rock of Ages, UJK toourt, Sophie, Mamma Mia!, West End); Katie Meller(Billie Trix in Closer to Heaven, Union Theatre, The Phantom of the Opera, West End) Calum Melville (featured soloist, Danny Elfman's Music from the Films of Tim Burton at the Royal Albert Hall); Neil Moors (Caiaphas, Jesus Christ Superstar, UK Tour, Pirate King, The All-Male Pirates of Penzance, UK Tour);Craig Nash (currently in 110 in the Shade, Ye Olde Rose and Crown, Mark Cohen in Rent); Michaela Stern (Soho Cinders, Union Theatre, You Won't Succeed on Broadway, If You Don't Have Any Jews, international tour); James Thackeray (Compliance, Theatre503, A Haunting, King's Head Theatre); Jay Worthy (Call Me Madam, Little Shop of Horrors, Parade).

Tim Rice said: "I'm delighted Blondel is returning to the stage. It was one of the most enjoyable projects of my career, and I've always felt Stephen Oliver's wonderful music deserved a larger audience than it reached back in 1983 when the show first ran. I hope this new production at the terrific Union Theatre will please old fans and find some new ones."

Photo credit: Scott Rylander

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