LOVE STORY Transfers To The West End at The Duchess Theatre, Previews Nov 27

The Chichester Festival Theatre production of Love Story will transfer to the West End previewing at the Duchess Theatre from 27 November, with press night on 6 December 2010. Love Story, which is produced in the West End by Michael Ball - making his producing debut, Adam Spiegel and Stephen Waley-Cohen, is currently booking until 26 February 2011.

Oliver Barrett IV went to Harvard and Jenny Cavilleri to Radcliffe. He was rich, she was poor. He was sporty, she played music. But they fell in love. This is their story.

Erich Segal's best-selling novel, Love Story, became one of the most romantic films of all time, has sold over 21 million copies world-wide and has been published in 33 languages.

This new musical version of Love Story, inspired by Erich Segal's novel, is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with music by Howard Goodall, book by Stephen Clark and lyrics by Stephen Clark and Howard Goodall. Love Story, which enjoyed a run at The Chichester Festival Theatre earlier this year, is designed by Peter McKintosh with musical direction by Stephen Ridley. Casting will be announced shortly.

Emmy, Brit and BAFTA award-winning Howard Goodall is one of the UK's most versatile and distinguished composers having written choral music, stage musicals, film and TV scores. Goodall was appointed as England's first ever National Ambassador for Singing, he is the Classical Brit Composer of the Year and Classic FM's Composer-in-Residence and a highly respected broadcaster and an energetic campaigner for music education. His extensive scores include Q.I., The Vicar of Dibley, The Gathering Storm, The Borrowers, The Catherine Tate Show, Mr Bean, Bean: The Ultimate Disaster Movie, Mr Bean's Holiday and Blackadder. Previously his musical theatre compositions include The Hired Man, Girlfriends, Days of Hope, Catwalk, The Kissing Dance and The Dreaming.

Stephen Clark's work includes Mahabharata for Sadler's Wells, The Far Pavilions at the Shaftesbury Theatre, the Laurence Olivier award-winning Martin Guerre at the Prince Edward Theatre, La Traviata for English National Opera and Zorro at the Garrick Theatre and Folies Bergère, Paris.

Love Story is directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, Artistic Director of Birmingham Repertory Theatre where her many credits include Hapgood, Peter Pan - A Musical Adventure and Uncle Vanya as well as David Hare's Racing Demon, Murmuring Judges and The Absence Of War. Her other credits include The Music Man starring Brian Conley and A Small Family Business for Chichester Festival Theatre, The Merry Wives of Windsor and Alice in Wonderland for the Royal Shakespeare Company, Hilda for Hampstead Theatre and The Rivals for Bristol Old Vic.

Michael Ball makes his producing debut with Love Story. His many West End credits include originating the role of Edna Turnblad in Hairspray, produced by Adam Spiegel, and for which he won the Laurence Olivier and Whatsonstage Awards for Best Actor in a Musical. He can currently be seen on tour in the UK reprising the role of Edna. His other theatre roles include Marius in Les Misérables, Giorgio in Stephen Sondheim's Passion, Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera, Alex in Aspects of Love, Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Count Fosco in The Woman in White in the West End and on Broadway. His made his English National Opera debut as Hajj/Poet in Kismet and in 2005 he made his debut with the New York City Opera as Reginald Bunthrone in Gilbert and Sullivan's Patience. As well as his Sunday Brunch for BBC Radio, he will present a new series for ITV, The Michael Ball Show, starting next month. His 15 solo albums have all achieved gold or platinum status and his discography includes: Michael Ball, Always, One Careful Owner, First Love, The Musicals, The Movies, Music, One Voice and the superb homage to Burt Bacharach, Michael Ball - Back To Bacharach.

Listings Information LOVE STORY

Dates 27 November 2010 - 26 February 2011
Press Night 6 December 7pm

Address Duchess Theatre, Catherine Street,
London WC2B 5 LA

Box Office 0844 412 4659

Running time 90 minutes

Performances times Monday - Saturday at 7.30pm
Wednesday and Saturday at 3pm

Ticket prices £25, £40, £55

Need more UK / West End Theatre News in your life? Sign up for all the news on the Spring season, discounts & more...