Strallen and Grace Join West End The Drowsy Chaperone

Summer Strallen and Nickolas Grace will join Elaine Paige and Bob Martin in the West End production of the five-time Tony Award winning The Drowsy Chaperone opening at the Novello Theatre on 6 June, with previews from 14 May. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, The Drowsy Chaperone has music by Lisa Lambert and Greg Morrison and book by Bob Martin and Don McKellar.

The cast includes Selina Chilton (Kitty), Enyonam Gbesmete (Trix), Nickolas Grace (Underling), Cameron Jack (Gangster), Bob Martin (Man in Chair), Elaine Paige (Drowsy Chaperone), John Partridge (Robert Martin), Adam Stafford (Gangster) and Summer Strallen (Janet Van De Graaff), along with ensemble Nina French, Mark Goldthorp, Paul Iveson and Sherrie Pennington, and swings Christopher Bennett, Vivienne Carlyle, Mark Dickinson and Lincoln Stone. Further casting will be announced shortly.

To chase his blues away, a die-hard musical theatre fan drops the needle on his favourite cast album– the 1928 musical comedy The Drowsy Chaperone. From the crackle of his hi-fi, the outrageously funny musical bursts to life in his living room. What follows is the rip-roaring tale of a pampered starlet determined to give up show business to get married while her ruthless producer is intent on sabotaging the nuptials! Add to this a Latin lover, a debonair groom, an English butler, a pair of gangsters disguised as pastry chefs and a very tipsy chaperone and all manner of mix-ups and mayhem are set to ensue.

Summer Strallen (Janet Van De Graaff) has been nominated for Best Actress in a Musical at this year's Laurence Olivier Awards for her role as Maisie in The Boyfriend which she performed at the Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park. Most recently she played the title role in Dick Whittington at the Barbican Theatre directed by Ed Hall. Her other theatre credits include Helena in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park), Guys and Dolls (Piccadilly Theatre), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (London Palladium), Cats (New London Theatre and on Tour), Fosse (European Tour) and Scrooge(Dominion Theatre). Strallen has also recorded Enid Blyton's Books on Tape and will appear on BBC's Hotel Babylon in the forthcoming series.

Nickolas Grace's (Underling) theatre work includes Dick Whittington at the Barbican, Full Circle and The Chalk Garden both on tour nationally, The Guardsman at the Albery, Life Support at the Aldwych and A Swell Party at the Vaudeville Theatre. His film work includes Confetti, An Ideal Husband, Shooting Fish, Salome's Last Dance and Heat and Dust. On television he played the Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin or Sherwood as well as roles in Casanova, Daniel Deronda, House of Cards, Bugs, Birds of Feather and Brideshead Revisited for which he was nominated for a BAFTA.

John Partridge will play Robert Martin. His West End theatre credits include The Fix at the Donmar Warehouse, Tommy at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Grease at the Dominion Theatre and Starlight Express at the Apollo Victoria. He played John in Miss Saigon on tour nationally, Roger in the European Premiere of Rent, Marilyn in the Boy George Musical Taboo as well as Rum Tum Tugger in Cats both on film and on stage.

Selina Chilton will play Kitty. Her theatre work includes The Boyfriend and The Taming of the Shrew, both for The Open Air Theatre, Regent's Park, The Wizard of Oz for Birmingham Rep, Thoroughly Modern Millie at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Anna Karenina for The King's Head and Mamma Mia! at the Prince Edward Theatre.

The Drowsy Chaperone opened at the Marquis Theatre in New York in May last year and has since become the most celebrated musical on Broadway, receiving the most 2006 Tony Awards of any musical including Best Book and Best Score, seven Drama Desk Awards including Best Musical, four Outer Critics' Circle Awards including Outstanding Score and the Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical.

The Drowsy Chaperone set designs are by David Gallo, costume designs are by Gregg Barnes, lighting is by Ken Billington and Brian Monahan, with sound design by Acme Sound Partners, orchestrations by Larry Blank and dance and incidental music arrangements by Glen Kelly. The Drowsy Chaperone is produced in the West End by Kevin McCollum, Roy Miller, Boyett Ostar, Stephanie McClelland, Barbara Freitag and Jill Furman.

LISTINGS INFORMATION

The Drowsy Chaperone Novello Theatre, Aldwych, London, WC2 5LD
Dates: previewing from 14 May
Press night 6 June (at 7pm)
Booking until 23 February 2008

Performances: Monday – Saturday at 7.45pm
Wednesday matinees at 3.00pm
Saturday matinees at 4.00pm
NB No mid-week matinee on 6 June
Extra matinee Friday 8 June at 3pm

Tickets: Stalls £55, £42.50
Dress Circle £55, £42.50, £32.50
Upper Circle £42.50, £32.50, £25
Balcony £25, £20

Box Office: 0870 950 0935

Public Booking: 5 March 2007

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