Cast Complete for West End Transfer of John McCrea-Led EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE

Full casting has been announced for the West End transfer of Everybody's Talking About Jamie, directed by Jonathan Butterell and written by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae, which will play a limited season at the Apollo Theatre from Monday 6 November following a critically acclaimed run at Sheffield Crucible.

As previously announced John McCrea will return to play the title role of Jamie alongside Josie Walker who reprises her role as his Mum, Margaret.

They are joined by the following original cast members from the run in Sheffield: Daniel Davids (Levi), Mina Anwar (Rayia 'Ray' Begum), Luke Baker (Dean Paxton), Courtney Bowman (Fatimah), Tamsin Carroll (Miss Hedge), James Gillan (Tray Sophisticay), Harriet Payne (Bex), Shiv Rabheru (Cy), Lucie Shorthouse (Pritti Pasha) and Kirstie Skivington (Vicki) along with Alex Anstey (Laika Virgin), Luke Bayer, Marvyn Charles, Ken Christiansen (Jamie's Dad), JorDan Cunningham (Sayid), Ryan Hughes (Mickey), Daniel Jacob (Sandra Bollock), Cherelle Jay, Rebecca McKinnis, Phil Nichol (Hugo), Chloe Pole and Lauran Rae (Becca).

Fairy tales really do come true. Jamie New is 16 and lives on a council estate in Sheffield. Jamie doesn't quite fit in. Jamie is terrified about the future. Jamie is going to be a sensation.

Supported by his brillianT Loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies and steps out of the darkness, into the spotlight. This fabulous, funny, feel-good brand new musical sensation hits London with catchy new songs by lead singer-songwriter of The Feeling Dan Gillespie Sells and writer Tom MacRae. Sixteen: the edge of possibility. Time to make your dreams come true.

Watch the Everybody's Talking About Jamie trailer and listen to the music below!

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Everybody's Talking About Jamie is produced in the West End by Nica Burns, Ian Osborne, Paula Marie Black, Teresa and Craig Beech.

Director Jonathan Butterell saw the Firecracker documentary film 'Jamie: Drag Queen at 16' which is the story of Jamie Campbell and his mother, Margaret. This inspired him to create this musical which is a dramatised portrayal of a period in Jamie's life but is not a faithful account. Certain events and characters have been fictionalised.

ABOUT THE ARTISTS:

Alex Anstey plays Laika Virgin and is making his West End debut in Everybody's Talking About Jamie. Previous theatre credits include Pageant (London Irish Centre) and Peter Pan (International tour). Alex performs around the UK as his drag alter ego Vileda Moppe, and won Drag Idol in 2016.

Daniel Davids is returning to the role of Levi. Previous theatre credits include The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre), A New World: A Life of Thomas Paine (The Shakespeare Globe Theatre), Meet The Adebanjo's (Broadway Theatre & The Hackney Empire), My Name is Tom (Dugdale Centre), A Harlem Story (Jermyn Street Theatre) and Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible).

Mina Anwar is returning to the role of Rayia 'Ray' Begum. Mina has previously appeared on stage in Twelfth Night (Royal Exchange), Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), The Infidel - The Musical (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Hard Times (Library Theatre), Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream (Nottingham Playhouse), The Vagina Monologues (West End / Tour), Talent (UK Tour), King Lear (Sheffield Crucible), Skeleton (Soho Theatre), Too Much Too Young (London Bubble), The Iron Man (Young Vic), Hair (Broadway Musical Theatre Company, New York). Film credits include The Infidel and Maybe Baby. Television credits include The Worst Witch, Doctor Who, The A Word, In The Club, Upstart Crow, Marley's Ghosts, Scott and Moving On, Remember Me, Happy Valley, House of Anubis, A Passionate Woman, The Sarah Jane Adventures 2-5, The Invisibles, Shameless, Birthday Girl, The Flint St. Nativity, The Thin Blue Line.

Luke Baker is returning to the role of Dean Paxton. Previous theatre credits include Sunny Afternoon (Harold Pinter Theatre), Link Larkin in Hairspray (Cork Opera House), I Can't Sing! (London Palladium), Bare (Greenwich Theatre), Beautiful Thing (Arts Theatre & UK Tour), Aladdin with Paul O'Grady's Lily Savage at the O2 (Michael Rose Productions), Ultimate Broadway (Shanghai), All The Fun of the Fair (UK Tour), Peter Pan (UK Tour), Sign of the Times (Duchess Theatre) and Salad Days (Riverside Studios).

Courtney Bowman is returning to the role of Fatimah. Courtney's theatre credits include Martha in Blondel (Union Theatre), Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible) and The Wind in the Willows (UK Tour).

Tamsin Carroll is returning to the role of Miss Hedge. Tamsin's numerous theatre credits include Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), Shirley in Strictly Ballroom (West Yorkshire Playhouse and Global Creatures), Baroness Bomburst in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (West Yorkshire Playshouse), Chairy Barnu in Barnum (Chichester Festival Theatre), Rita in Casa Valentina (Southwark Playhouse), Ellen in Miss Saigon (Prince Edward Theatre), The Magistrate (National Theatre), Emma Goldman in Ragtime (Regents Park Open Air Theatre), Titania in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Regents Park Open Air Theatre), Nancy in Oliver! (Theatre Royal Drury Lane), Magenta in The Rocky Horror Show (ATG and New Theatricals - Sydney and Melbourne), Martha in Company (Kookaburra), Dusty Springfield in Dusty (Dusty Productions), Isabella in Measure for Measure (Bell Shakespeare Co) Rizzo in Grease - The Arena Spectacular (SEL/GFO), Tracy Lord in High Society (The Production Company), Allie/Olivia on Harbour/The Republic of Myopia (STC), Rita in Side Show Alley (Workshop-Pratt Foundation), Rose in Bye Bye Birdie (The Production Company), Sheila in Hair (The Production Company), Nancy in Oliver! (IMG), Marianna Ranate in Shout, Vicki in Long Gone Lonesome Cowboys (Railway Street Theatre), Red Riding Hood in Into The Woods (MTC). Film credits include Goddess, Holy Smoke and Ms Understanding. Tamsin's television credits include Nicole in Eastenders, A Difficult Woman, Above The Law, All Saints, Heartbreak High and The Three Stooges.

Ken Christiansen plays Jamie's Dad. Ken's theatre credits include A Jovial Crew, Anthony & Cleopatra, The School of Night and Misha's Party (RSC), Mother Courage and Her Children (National Theatre) alongside Diana Rigg, and as Eric Birling in Stephen Daldry's landmark production of An Inspector Calls (National Theatre/West End), Fool For Love (UK Tour), Handbag (UK Tour), An Absolute Turkey (West End), Unleashed and White Something (Arcola), Lord of the Flies (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Death Takes a Holiday (Charing Cross Theatre), Closer to Heaven (Union Theatre), Pacific Overtures (Union Theatre), The Rise and Fall of Little Voice (Union Theatre) and The Fix (Union Theatre). Television credits include Kingmakers, Picking Up The Pieces, Insiders, Coronation Street, Mrs Hartley And The Growth Centre, The History File: Germany, Cracker, Where The Heart Is, Casualty, Holby City, Dream Team, Peak Practice, Midsomer Murders, Hollyoaks, Doctors, 9/11:Voices From The Air, 50 Ways To Kill Your Lover, Fortitude and The Bill. Film credits include The Selfish Giant, Treacle, War Bride, Fish-Eye, First Love, Last Day on Earth, Gorka, The Obit Woman, Bug, The Resurrection, Cabro?n, Empire, Chasing Robert Barker, The Black Prince, Slayers, Breathe Easy. Radio credits include David Grieg's The Events.

JorDan Cunningham plays Sayid. Previous theatre credits include Ritchie Valens in The Buddy Holly Story (UK Tour), West Side Story (Kilworth House Theatre), Stiles and Drewes Peter Pan: A Musical Adventure (Really Useful Theatres) and Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Theatres).

James Gillan returns to the role of Tray Sophisticay. Full theatre credits include Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), The Donkey Show (Camden Proud Galleries), The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe (Rose Theatre Kingston), Little Shop of Horrors (Aberystwyth Arts Theatre), The Secret Garden (Birmingham Rep and West Yorkshire Playhouse), Peter Pan (West Yorkshire Playhouse and the Royal Festival Hall), original Boq in Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre), Assassins (Sheffield Crucible), Starlight Express (Apollo Victoria theatre and UK Tour), Taboo (UK Tour), Fame (Arena Tour of Sweden), Godspell (Chichester Festival Theatre), Anthony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare's Globe), Julius Caesar (Shakespeare's Globe), Pippin (The Bridewell Theatre), Tommy (Shaftesbury Theatre), Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour) and James and the Giant Peach (UK Tour). Television credits include Doctors, 'Orrible, Casualty, The Seven Industrial Wonders of the World, The Inbetweeners, The C Word, A Tale of Two Cities and Suspects.

Ryan Hughes plays Mickey and is making his West End debut in Everybody's Talking About Jamie. Ryan has performed in Groove on Down the Road, Into the Hoods: Remixed and The Mad Hatters Tea Party for ZooNation.

Daniel Jacob plays Sandra Bollock. Theatre credits include Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour), Ragtime (JWC Productions), Aladdin (Blue Genie Entertainment), Bugsy Malone (Future Cinema), Angelina Ballerina the Mousical (UK Tour), Charming Dick (Royal Vauxhall Tavern), The Macbeths (Ferodo Bridges CIC), Rent Party (Darren Pritchard Dance). Daniel also originated the role of The Diva in the award winning play, Testosterone by Rhum & Clay. Screen credits include Piss Off, I Love You and Queer Britain. Daniel is also known by his Drag Queen persona, Vinegar Strokes.

John McCrea returns to the role of Jamie New. His theatre credits include The Buskers Opera (Park Theatre), Peter Pan (Adelphi Theatre), Streets and RENT! (Cockpit Theatre), The Sound of Music and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium), Barney's Colourful World and The King and I (National Tour). John's television credits include Documental, The Catherine Tate Show, New Tricks, Kerching! and Let's Roll With Roland Butter. Film credits include God's Own Country (Sundance Film Festival 2017), Late Night With Albin, Balbita and The Cult (Shorts). Workshops include Stella Boulton in Fanny & Stella, Jez in Philip Ridley's Moonfleece and Jamie in Everybody's Talking About Jamie.

Phil Nichol plays Hugo. Theatre credits include The Machine (Manchester International Festival/ The Park Avenue Armory New York), One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest (Gielgud), Twelve Angry Men (Assembly Rooms) and Taboo (Venue Theatre). Telvision and film credits include Man Down, Catastrophe, Siblings, Uncle, Holy Flying Circus, Confetti. Phil is Artistic Director of Comedians Theatre Company, and has produced and starred in over 15 shows in the past 12 years including True West, School for Scandal, Killer Joe, Gagarin Way and Talk Radio. Phil is also a stand-up comedian, and having been twice nominated previously, won the 2006 Edinburgh Comedy Award.

Harriet Payne returns to the role of Bex. Full theatre credits include Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), Charlotte's Web (Gordon Craig Theatre Stevenage), Snow White (Southport Theatre and Grimsby Auditorium), Sleeping Beauty (Millfield Arts Centre London), The Little Mermaid (Dugdale Centre London), Beauty and the Beast (The Victoria Theatre Halifax), The Wizard of Oz (UK Tour) and Spring Awakening (The Bull Theatre Barnet).

Shiv Rabheru returns to the role of Cy. Shiv's theatre credits include The Taming of the Shrew (Lazarus Theatre Company), Submission (The King's Head Theatre and The Edinburgh Fringe Festival), Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), Prevent Tours (The Bunker Theatre), Cats (UK and European Tour), Sleeping Beauty (Millfield Arts Theatre), Celebrity Cruises (Celebrity Infinity) and Dick Whittington (Imagine Theatre).

Lauran Rae plays Becca. Her theatre credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Bugsy Malone (Lyric Hammersmith), Ghost (Asian Tour), Hairspray (Macau), Heathers (The Other Palace), Hairspray (Gordon Craig Theatre), Bare (Greenwich Theatre), Aladdin (Cambridge Arts Theatre) and Get Ready (Assembly Hall Theatre, Tunbridge Wells). Television credits include Ghetto Heaven (TV Pilot).

Lucie Shorthouse returns to the role of Pritti Pasha. Full theatre credits include Roller Diner (Soho Theatre), Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), The House of In Between (Theatre Royal Stratford East) and The Comedy of Errors (Shakespeare's Globe). Television credits include Line of Duty, Doctors and The Sound of Music Live.

Kirstie Skivington returns to the role of Vicki. Full theatre credits include Jesus Christ Superstar (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible), Side Show (Southwark Playhouse), West Side Story (Salzburg Festival), Bend It Like Beckham (Phoenix Theatre), I Can't Sing (London Palladium), Viva Forever (Piccadilly Theatre) and Ghost (Piccadilly Theatre).

Josie Walker returns to the role of Margaret New. Her theatre credits include The Plough and the Stars, Husbands and Sons, 3 Winters, The Silver Tassie and War Horse for the National Theatre, Matilda The Musical (RSC and Cambridge Theatre), Enjoy (UK Tour, Gielgud Theatre), Corrie - the Play by Jonathan Harvey (The Lowry Manchester) and The Secret Garden (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Television credits include Midwinter of the Spirit, Call the Midwife, Waterloo Road, Psychoville, Holby City, Eastenders, Blessed, and The Bill. Film credits include Where Hands Touch, Fishbowl and Sleeping Beauty.

Luke Bayer plays Swing. Theatre credits include Yank! The Musical (Hope Mill Theatre), The 12 Tenors (China Tour), Les Miserables (Queen's Theatre), Out There The Musical (Original YMT Cast). Luke was a finalist in The X Factor 2007.

Marvyn Charles plays Swing. Theatre credits include Thriller Live (Lyric Theatre and International Tours), Milkshake Live! The Magic Story Book (UK Tour), In The Night Garden Live! (UK Tour), Smurfs Live on Stage (Saudi Arabia), Dora the Explorer (International Tours), Red Show (Ferrari World, Abu Dhabi) and Robin Hood (Elgiva Theatre). Film and television credits include Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix and Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

Cherelle Jay plays Swing. Theatre credits include I Can't Sing! (London Palladium) and Some Like It Hop Hop (UK Tour and West End) and Into The Hoods (The Peakcock Theatre and UK Tour) for ZooNation. Film and television credits include The Holiday.

Rebecca McKinnis plays Understudy Margaret New, Rayia 'Ray' Begum and Miss Hedge. Theatre credits include MAMMA MIA! (Novello Theatre and Prince of Wales Theatre), Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown (Playhouse Theatre), A Small Family Business (National Theatre), Viva Forever (Piccadilly Theatre), Les Miserables (25th Anniversary Tour), We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre), Fat Pig (Trafalgar Studios), Three Hours After Marriage (Union Theatre), The Taming of the Shrew and Beggars' Opera (both Changeling Theatre Company), Taboo (UK Tour), Starting Here Starting Now (Upstairs at the Gatehouse), Half A Sixpence and Charley's Aunt for CMC.

Chloe Pole plays Swing, and is making her West End debut in Everybody's Talking About Jamie.

Jonathan Butterell's theatre credits include Love Musik (La Plaza, Buenos Aires), Second Chance (The Public Theatre, New York), Whida Peru, Resurrection Tangle and Tres Nin?as (Inner Voices for Premier Stages New York), Giant (Signature Theatre), The Sound of Music (Opera Theatre, Buenos Aires), Orpheus Descending and Creditors (Theatre Project, Tokyo). Broadway credits include Musical Staging for the 2005 Tony Award Winning Nine, Fiddler On The Roof, Assassins, Light In The Piazza.

Further New York work includes Musical Staging for the original workshop of Sondheim's Wise Guys (New York Theater workshop), A Man of No Importance (Lincoln Center Theatre), and staged the 50th Anniversary Celebration of The Public Theater titled Public Sings! (New York City Center).

UK theatre credits include Musical Staging and Movement direction for Donmar Warehouse Productions of Company (West End Transfer), Habeas Corpus, Into The Woods (co-directed with John Crowley), How I Learned To Drive, Electra (Broadway Transfer) and The Maids. Jonathan also devised and directed Michael Ball; Alone Together - Divas at the Donmar (also at the Royal Haymarket Theatre, London). Co-directing credits include Sweeny Todd (Opera North/Sadlers Wells) and Peter Pan (Royal Festival Hall). Jonathan's film credits include.

Dan Gillespie Sells is best known for being the lead vocalist and principal songwriter in The Feeling. Their debut album, Twelve Stops and Home sold over a million copies, whilst their second album, Join With Us reached the No. 1 spot in the UK Charts. The band's 5th album was released in March 2016. Before The Feeling, Dan worked as a session musician. Dan's additional theatre credits include The Bad, The Sad, and the Broken Hearted (Soho Theatre, The Steve Allen Theatre Los Angeles), which is currently being developed as a series in America and 3WITHD (Colosseum and the Stuttgart Ballet). Dan was the recipient of the 2015 Stonewall award for Entertainer of the Decade for his work in the LGBT community and the 2007 Ivor Novello Award for Songwriter of the Year. Dan most recently won the Best Composer award at The 2017 Stage Debut Awards, for Everybody's Talking About Jamie.

Tom MacRae has written extensively for television, with credits including Doctor Who, Mayo, Marple, Lewis, Bonekickers, Casualty and Fungus The Bogeyman. He wrote and created Comedy Central UK's Threesome, and is currently working as a writer and producer on UK TV drama The Librarians. Tom is also a children's author and has had three picture books published, including the award winning The Opposite. Everybody's Talking About Jamie marks Tom's debut as a playwright and lyricist.

IF YOU GO:

EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE

Music by Dan Gillespie Sells
Book and Lyrics by Tom MacRae
From an idea by Jonathan Butterell

Directed by Jonathan Butterell
Design by Anna Fleischle
Choreography by Kate Prince
Lighting design by Lucy Carter
Sound design by Paul Groothuis
Video design by Luke Halls
Musical direction by Theo Jamieson
Casting by Will Burton

Previews from: Monday 6th November 2017
Press Night: Wednesday 22 November 2017
Performances: Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm, Matinees - Wednesday and Saturday at 2.3pm

Ticket prices - £10 to £65
Preview pricing 6th November to 23rd November: £10 off all prices.

Box Office: 31 Shaftesbury Avenue London W1D 7ES
Booking number: 0330 333 4809
Website: www.nimaxtheatres.com / www.EverybodysTalkingAboutJamie.co.uk
*NO BOOKING FEES FOR BOOKINGS THROUGH THE THEATRE AND OFFICIAL WEBSITE*

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