Official: Xavier and Beck to Star in Sheffield's SHOW BOAT!

Artistic Director Daniel Evans today announces the company for his new production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's musical Show Boat.

Spanning 40 pivotal years in American history, this epic musical follows the lives and loves of three generations aboard a show boat as it plies the Mississippi River. One of the most romantic musicals of all time, this lavish new production is directed by Daniel Evans and features classics of musical theatre including Make Believe, Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man, and the landmark Ol' Man River.

Evans will direct Michael Xavier as Gaylord Ravenal, Gina Beck as Magnolia Hawks, Lucy Briers as Parthenia Hawks, Sandra Marvin as Queenie, Emmanuel Kojo as Joe, Rebecca Trehearn as Julie La Verne and Allan Corduner as Captain Andy Hawks.

The cast will be completed by Ian Carlyle (Charlie), John Coates (Sherrif Ike Vallon), Danny Collins (Frank Schultz), Adam Dutton(Windy), Akintunde Esuruoso (ensemble), Nolan Frederick (Jake), Bob Harms (Steve Baker), Victoria Hinde (ensemble and Dance Captain), Cristina Hoey (ensemble), Linda John-Pierre (ensemble), Linford Johnson (ensemble), Kate Milner-Evans (Mrs O'Brien),Maria Omakinwa (ensemble), Ryan Pidgen (Pete Gavin ), Kenny Thompson (ensemble), Tosh Wanogho-Maud (Willy ) and Alex Young (Ellie May Chipley). The production opens on 16 December, with previews from 10 December, and runs until 16 January 2016.

Michael Xavier plays Gaylord Ravenal. His theatre credits include The War of the Roses (Rose Theatre Kingston), Assassins (Menier Chocolate Factory), The Pajama Game (Shaftesbury Theatre), The Sound of Music, Into the Woods - Olivier Award nomination for Best Supporting Role in a Musical (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Hello, Dolly! (Curve), Soho Cinders (Soho Theatre), Wonderful Town (Lowry), Love Story - Olivier Award nomination for Best Actor in a Musical (Minerva and Duchess Theatre), Oklahoma!(Chichester Festival Theatre), Spamalot (Palace Theatre), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's Theatre), and My Fair Lady (Theatre Royal Drury Lane). For film, his work includes Never Let Go and Muppets Most Wanted.

Gina Beck plays Magnolia Hawks. Her theatre work includes Wicked (as Glinda both West End, and 1st national tour of the US), Christine Daaé in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty's Theatre), and Cosette in Les Miserables (Queen's Theatre), I Love You You're Perfect Now Change (Arts Theatre Upstairs), Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris (Charing Cross Theatre), The Belle's Stratagem (Southwark Playhouse), Peter Pan (Birmingham Rep) and Imagine This (Plymouth Theatre Royal). For television, her work includes The Return of Sherlock Holmes, The Crust and Dogma; and for film, Les Miserables.

Lucy Briers plays Parthy. For theatre, her work includes The Seagull, Ivanov (Chichester Festival Theatre), Wolf Hall & Bring Up the Bodies (RSC/Aldwych Theatre, West End/Broadway), Top Girls (Chichester Festival Theatre/Duke Of York's Theatre/Out of Joint),Behud (Soho Theatre), Bedroom Farce, Miss Julie (Rose Theatre, Kingston), Ivanov (Donmar West End), Sexual Perversity in Chicago(Norwich Theatre Royal), Some Kind of Bliss (Trafalgar Studios/Brits of Broadway), Catch (Royal Court Theatre) and The Voysey Inheritance (National Theatre). For television, her work includes Count Arthur Strong, Our Girl, Dark Matters, DCI Banks, The Thick of It, Twenty Twelve, Ashes to Ashes, Einstein and Eddington, The Green Green Grass, Bodies, Fathers and Sons, Shadow Play, Wives and Daughters, Pride & Prejudice, Brittas Empire and Red Dwarf; and for film, Genius, Alan Partridge: Alpha Papa, The Children of Men and Perks.

Sandra Marvin plays Queenie. Her theatre work includes City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse), Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre, UK & Ireland tour), Chicago (Curve), Ragtime, A Midsummer Night's Dream (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), Porgy and Bess (Savoy Theatre), The New Yorkers (Sadlers Wells), Cool Hand Luke (Aldwych Theatre) and A Rake's Progress (Royal Opera House). Her film work includes Florence Foster Jenkins. She performed with Kate Bush in Before The Dawn, her 22 date residency at the Eventim Hammersmith Apollo, and she also recorded vocals for The Charlatans new album, Modern Nature, and has just joined them on their 2015 tour.

Emmanuel Kojo plays Joe. His theatre work includes Kiss Me Kate (UK tour), Scottsboro Boys (Garrick Theatre) and Fame (Manchester Palace Theatre).

Rebecca Trehearn plays Julie La Verne. Her theatre work includes Alfie the Musical (Palace Theatre, Watford), We Will Rock You(Dominion Theatre), Dirty Dancing (Aldwych), Aspects of Love (Menier Chocolate Factory), Love Story (Duchess Theatre), The House of Bernarda Alba (Union Theatre), Ghost (UK national tour), Dogfight (Southwark Playhouse), and City of Angels (Donmar Warehouse). For television, Casualty, A470 and Dim Ond Y Gwir.

Allan Corduner plays Captain Andy Hawks. His theatre work includes Taken at Midnight (Chichester Festival Theatre), Passion (Donmar Warehouse) Hello Dolly (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre), A View From the Bridge (Duke of York's Theatre), Born in the Gardens (Theatre Royal Bath, national tour), The Grouch (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Birthday Party (Berlind Theater, Princeton) and Two Thousand Years (National Theatre). For television, his credits include The Musketeers, Da Vinci's Demons, Utopia, We'll Take Manhattan, Rome, Friends and Crocodiles, Trust, Daniel Deronda and Fat Friends; and for film, Florence, The Woman in Gold, The Sweeney, A Passionate Woman, The Waiting Room, The White Countess, Vera Drake, Me Without You, Gladiator and Topsy-Turvy.

Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres Daniel Evans directs. For the company, he previously directed The Effect, Anything Goes (also UK tour), The Sheffield Mysteries, Oliver!(Best Musical Production, WhatsOnStage Awards 2015), This Is My Family (UK Theatre Award for Best Musical Production - also on tour), The Full Monty (UK Theatre Award for Best Touring Production - also national tour and West End), My Fair Lady (Best Musical Production, WhatsOnStage Awards 2014), Macbeth, Othello, Racing Demon as part of The David Hare Season, and An Enemy of the People - the opening production of his inaugural season. He also recently directedAmerican Buffalo in the West End. As an actor, his work for Sheffield Theatres includes Company, The Pride, Cloud Nine and The Tempest. An award-winning actor and director, Evans' work includes Sunday in the Park with George (Menier Chocolate Factory, Wyndham's Theatre and Broadway) - a role for which he won the Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical (his second Olivier Award, the first being for Merrily We Roll Along in 2001) and a Tony Award nomination. His extensive credits include work with the Donmar Warehouse, RSC, Royal Court Theatre and National Theatre. Evans is a Fellow of the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.