Olly Alexander and Iz Hesketh Join Cast for UK Reading of RIGHT BEFORE I GO

Olly Alexander (It's a Sin, The Importance of Being Earnest) and Iz Hesketh (Hollyoaks, Tip Toe) join The Devil Wears Prada stars Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty) and Matt Henry (Kinky Boots), in an industry only UK reading of Stan Zimmerman's acclaimed suicide awareness play, RIGHT BEFORE I GO. The high-profile cast will share the stage with Zimmerman (Golden Girls, Gilmore Girls), who will play the role of "Narrator". The show incorporates real suicide notes from well-known people, including Virginia Woolf, to war veterans, LGBTQ+ members and children that were bullied, but ultimately ending on a message of hope. Jill Green (War Horse) was responsible for casting the Abigail Morris (Colder Than Here) directed play at London's Soho Theatre (Dean Street) at 2:30pm on Monday, March 2. That day was chosen since it is also World Teen Mental Wellness Day.

Following the one-hour performance will be a brief moderated Talk Back with a local mental health professional. Soho Theatre is located at 21 Dean Street, London W1D 3NE. Limited seats still available.

"Tackling the shame and stigma around suicide is very important to me and I'm honoured to be involved with this project and to work with Stan - someone whose work I have enjoyed immensely over the years, Right Before I Go is a deeply moving play and I have huge respect for his commitment to ending the silence around suicide and getting us talking more about mental health.", says Olly Alexander.

RIGHT BEFORE I GO. originated at the 2015 Hollywood Fringe Festival. In 2017, Michael Wilson directed a benefit reading at NYC's Town Hall with an all-star cast that included Judith Light, Ellen Burstyn, Amber Tamblyn, and hosted by Vanessa Williams. It has since been performed around the U.S. with high school and college students, as well as celebrated actors. In 2022, there was a five city East Coast tour with Academy Award nominee Virginia Madsen (Sideways) and cast members from Gilmore Girls.

Last September, Zimmerman made his Off-Broadway playwriting and acting debut at NYC's The Tank theatre. The show ran for three weeks with rotating casts that included: Wendie Malick (Hot in Cleveland, Shrinking), Patrick Page (The Gilded Age, Hadestown), Maulik Pancholy (30 Rock), Peppermint (RuPaul's Drag Race), Hill Harper (The Good Doctor), Emily Kuroda (Gilmore Girls), Pooya Mohseni (English), Danny Pintauro (Who's the Boss?), Ward Horton (The Gilded Age), Juliana Joel (Raven's Home) and Christine Taylor (The Brady Bunch Movie) and Seth Rudetsky (Disaster).

RIGHT BEFORE I GO is presented through special arrangement with TRWSHOWS 1180 Avenue of the Americas, NYC 10036. 19 Margaret Street, London W1W 8RR.

CREATIVE TEAM:

Stan Zimmerman (PLAYWRIGHT, NARRATOR) is a man of many mediums (TV, film and theatre). He has two WGA noms for Best Comedy Writing: The Golden Girls, Roseanne. Stan wrote and produced Gilmore Girls, co-created the Lifetime sitcom, Rita Rocks and wrote both Brady Bunch movies. Stan has a BFA-Drama from NYU/Circle-in-the-Square and has directed such plays as Entertaining Mr. Sloane, A Tuna Christmas, Gemini, and his original works -- Meet & Greet, Have a Good One and the World Premiere of his new musical Long Beach Blanket Bingo. Stan appeared on Broadway with Nureyev & the Joffrey Ballet. He was Host/Showrunner on Sean Hayes' Bravo reality show Situation: Comedy. Stan made his Off-Broadway directing debut with Hypro (Daryl Roth Theatre). TRWshows publishes and licenses Stan's work -- Yes, Virginia, Silver Foxes and Right before I go. Stan's book, "The Girls: From Golden to Gilmore" was released by Indigo River Publishing (2024). This past September, Stan made his Off-Broadway acting and playwrighting debut with Right before I go. at The Tank theatre after touring with it across America. This April, he directs his original comedy play, Knife to the Heart (Desert Ensemble Theatre/Palm Springs), followed by Silver Foxes in May (Revolution Stage Company/Palm Springs). The summer brings the World Premiere of his TV theme song musical, It's On! (North Street Playhouse/VA). July 2026 will mark Stan's first play produced overseas, when Silver Foxes will be performed by InPlayers, an Amsterdam based theatre company.

Abigail Morris (DIRECTOR), career includes the founding of women's theatre company Trouble and Strife in 1987, which went on win many awards most notably with Now and At the Hour of Our Death, tour the UK and NYC and San Francisco. In 1989 she directed Britten's Noye's Fludde in St. James's Piccadilly, which went on to become the first fully staged BBC Promenade Concert at the Royal Albert Hall, before being performed at the Royal Festival Hall, and St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. From 1992-95 she worked as Artistic Director and CEO of the Soho Theatre Company where she led the team that built Soho Theatre in Dean St. During this period, she directed acclaimed productions including the highly regarded Kindertransport, which transferred to NYC and West End as did Laura Wades' Colder Than Here. Abigail's other notable productions during this tenure included Amanda Whittington's Be My Baby (Soho Theatre and UK tour), Shan Khan's Office (opened the Edinburgh International Festival) and the discovery of writers such as Tanika Gupta, Matt Charmin, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Jack Thorne, Martin McDonagh. She was appointed Artistic Director and CEO of Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in 2021. In 2024 she was a co-judge on the Kenneth Branagh Award for New Drama Writing.

JOAN LANE (ASSOCIATE PRODUCER) originally trained as a Speech and Language Therapist. Joan has worked in arts management and production and is best known for her contribution to the making of the film, The King's Speech. For several years she was part of Major Sir Michael Parker's team working on official State occasions such as VE Day, VJ Day, and HM the (late) Queen's 80th Birthday Celebrations. She was the Assistant Director on HM the Queen Mother's 100th Birthday Parade which was televised worldwide. Her theatre company, Wild Thyme Productions, has toured highly regarded productions of Shakespeare's plays in the UK and Germany (including the first all-female cast of Hamlet) and mounted world premiere showcases and readings of new plays and musicals in London. She was a director for BBC Radio Two and Television's New Talent UK-wide search for the 'Voice of Musical Theatre' and coordinator for the BBC Promenade Concert production, 'The Water Diviner's Tale'. Since 2018, she has been the resident Judge on the Kenneth Branagh New Drama Awards. She is co-writer of the film 1242 Gateway to the West (2025). Also in 2025, she successfully workshopped the new musical, The Golden Door, devised and written by Brian Degas and Phil Lanzon. Set in 1917, the musical is a 24-hour snapshot of life on Ellis Island based on true historical accounts of immigration to America from war-torn Europe. A concept album is due for release soon.

MELANIE CANTOR (PRODUCTION COORDINATOR) started her career in 1978 working in theatre PR working on shows from Annie, My Fair Lady, Tell Me On A Sunday, Dracula (Terrence Stamp) to Cats. In 1982 she left to become press officer at TV-am (launch Feb 1983). In April 1984, aged 26, she left to start her own PR company, working with clients from Adam Ant, Angela Rippon, Selina Scott to Michael Parkinson and Michael Aspel as well as magazines including New Woman, OK! and Tatler. In 1991 she turned her hand to becoming an agent representing Ulrika Jonsson. Among others, she has also looked after Melinda Messenger, Julia Carling and Melanie Sykes. In 2008 she left celebrity behind to start a second life career and pursue her passion for writing. Her first novel Death And Other Happy Endings was published in 2019. Her second, The F**k It! List (2024) is a best seller. Melanie has two grown up sons and lives between Dorset and London with her dog Mabel.

Jill Green (CASTING DIRECTOR), originally from Newcastle, is an award-winning Casting Director and a full member of the CDG, CDA, CSA. Jill won the What's On Stage Award for Best Casting Direction for The Little Big Things at @sohoplace. Theatre: War Horse (2015- present including its return home to The National Theatre 2026), The Devil Wears Prada (Theatre Royal Plymouth/Dominion Theatre); The Great Gatsby (London Coliseum); Shucked! (Regents Park Open Air Theatre); The Little Big Things (@Soho Place); Becoming Nancy (Birmingham Rep); Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward); Jersey Boys (All UK Productions); The Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time (Gielgud Theatre/Piccadilly Theatre/Tours 2015-2019); Beautiful - The Carole King Musical (Aldwych/ Tours to 2020); Lazarus (Kings Cross Theatre); Kinky Boots (Adelphi/UK & Ireland Tour); The Scottsboro Boys (UK Casting, Garrick/Young Vic); The Producers (Theatre Royal Drury Lane/UK Tours); Contact (Queens Theatre); Fosse(Prince Of Wales). Film: dance casting for Steve McQueen's Blitz, Paddington 2, and Beyond the Sea. She is also highly active in the development of new material, frequently casting workshops and readings that nurture emerging voices in theatre and film. Casting Associates: Olivia Laydon & Tom Shiels.

CAST:

VANESSA WILILAMS (WOMAN) has been recognized with 4 Emmy nominations, 11 Grammy nominations, a Tony nomination, 3 SAG Award nominations and 7 NAACP Image Awards. Her Platinum single, "Colors of the Wind," from Disney's Pocahontas, won the Oscar, Grammy and Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Prior to taking on the iconic role of "Miranda Priestly" in the World Premiere of The Devil Wars Prada, Vanessa most recently returned to Broadway in the World Premiere of Selina Fillinger's Potus. She starred with Cicely Tyson in The Trip to Bountiful, the # 1 play of the 2013 Broadway season, as well as the acclaimed West End revival of City of Angels. Vanessa earned a Tony Award nomination for her portrayal of "The Witch" in the James Lapine-directed Broadway revival of Into the Woods and received a Theatre World Award for her Broadway debut in the Tony Award-winning production of Kiss of the Spider Woman. Broadway credits also include: St. Louis Woman, Sondheim on Sondheim and After Midnight. She headlined a special limited engagement of Hey, Look Me Over at New York City Center and a special performance of Stephen Sondheim's Anyone Can Whistle at Carnegie Hall. She was a producer on A Wonderful World: The Louis Armstrong Musical. Vanessa will receive the Stephen Sondheim Award at Signature Theatre's 2026 Sondheim Award Gala in Washington, D.C. March 16th.

Vanessa has sold millions of records worldwide, amassing numerous #1 and Top 10 hits. Her discography includes her debut album, The Right Stuff, The Comfort Zone, The Sweetest Days, The Real Thing and her classic holiday album, Star Bright and Silver & Gold. Hit singles include "Save the Best for Last", "Dreamin", "The Right Stuff", "Work to Do" and "Love Is," among many others. Her first new release in 15 years, "Survivor", a genre-defying collection of songs that reflect her rich and diverse musical catalogue, is out now.

Perhaps best known for Emmy and SAG Award-nominated role of "Wilhemina Slater" in the worldwide hit, Ugly Betty, Vanessa has had an extensive career on screen. She starred on Desperate Housewives, VH1's Daytime Divas, ABC's movie musical Bye Bye Birdie and will be seen on CBS's Elsbeth. Her many film credits include Eraser, Soul Food, Shaft, Dance with Me, Hoodlum, and Johnson Family Vacation. Vanessa earned A BFA degree in musical theatre at Syracuse University. She is a strong advocate for equal rights, especially for the gay community and minorities and was honored with the Human Rights Campaign Ally for Equality Award for humanitarian contributions. She received her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2007 and her 2012 autobiography, "You Have No Idea", co-written with her mother Helen Williams, was a New York Times Best Seller.

Olly Alexander (YOUNG MAN) Olly's influence on pop culture continues to shine bright. The singer, songwriter, actor, fashion icon and activist has scored two #1 UK albums as Years & Years, ten UK Top 40 singles, and was awarded the BRIT Billion Award, with over 7.5 billion streams globally to date. Having headlined arenas and festivals worldwide - not to mention collaborating with Elton John, Kylie and Pet Shop Boys - it's an icon status that even saw him immortalised at Madame Tussauds London. Olly's latest album Polari, released in 2025, was met with critical acclaim and draws inspiration from the coded, often playful language shared between gay men in inter- and post-war Britain. Created with producer Danny L. Harle in Hackney, the album passes a luminous baton from one era of riveting queer pop history to another.

Most recently, Alexander completed a sold-out run of The National Theatre's West End transfer of 'The Importance of Being Earnest', starring as Algernon at the Noël Coward Theatre alongside an acclaimed cast including Nathan Stewart-Jarrett and Stephen Fry. He was nominated for Leading Actor at the 2022 BAFTA Television Awards for his role in the hit show 'It's A Sin', which won Best New Drama at the National Television Awards and brought the fight against HIV/AIDS back into public conversation and challenged perceptions of queer life for good. His other credits include 'The Riot Club', 'Skins' and 'The Fades'. In collaboration with Mighty Hoopla, he will present Trans Mission, an all-star solidarity concert for the trans community at OVO Arena Wembley on 11th March 2026. Supporting Good Law Project and trans-led charity Not A Phase, the one-night-only event brings together an extraordinary line-up of artists, friends and allies from across music and the arts in a powerful act of collective visibility, fundraising and resistance.

Matt Henry (MAN) was awarded an MBE in the Queens New Years Honours list 2017 for his work in Musical Theatre. Winner of The Laurence Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical for his esteemed performance as Lola in Kinky Boots, voted Best Actor in a Musical at the What's On Stage Awards and also nominated for a Grammy Award for his solo performance in the London Kinky Boots cast recording. Matt is currently playing 'Nigel' in the West End production of The Devil Wears Prada Musical. His other recent credits include playing the doctor in the 2022 Film Adaptation of Matilda the Musical and has also appeared in the smash hit series Bridgerton. Henry is billed as one of the co-creators and finished performing in the Olivier nominated show The Drifters Girl Musical at the Garrick Theatre originating the role of 'Clyde McPhatter' in October 2022. Matt also toured the UK promoting his debut album, Red Flare, supporting Grammy and Tony winning pop icon, Cyndi Lauper. The album was recorded live at the studio of Dan Gillespie Sells (The Feeling) and produced by Mr. Hudson. It's available on iTunes. Previous credits include; Drifter Girl(Garrick Theatre), Hushaby Mountain (The Hope Mill Theatre), Our Lady of Blundellsands (Liverpool Everyman), Shakespeare Globe in a production of The Two Noble Kingsmen, Avenue Q (Noël Coward Theatre and UK tour), Lion King (Lyceum), Miss Saigon (UK tour), Saturday Night Fever (Apollo Victoria), Hair (UK tour), The Rat Pack Live from Vegas (Adelphi and UK tour), The Harder They Come (Stratford East and UK tour), The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe (Royal & Derngate) and The Frontline(Shakespear's Globe).

Iz Hesketh (YOUNG WOMAN) is joining Alan Cumming in the upcoming Channel 4 series Tip Toe created by Russell T. Davies. She is known for playing Kitty Draper on the long running popular soap, Hollyoaks and won Best Newcomer at the 2024 Radio Times Awards for that role. Her stage credits include: Lucy Moss revival of Legally Blonde (Regents Park Open Air Theatre), Rent 2020 revival (Hope Mill Theatre), Cherry Jezebel (Liverpool Everyman), Head Over Heels, Fury and Elysium, Snowflake, The Book of Mormon (UK/International tour). Other television credits include: Renegade Nell (Disney+) and Buffering (ITV) and the video game Hellraiser: Revival.