The full cast for the West End premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical Memphis has been announced.
Opening at the Shaftsbury Theatre following the smash-hit musical The Pajama Game, Memphis the Musical will star the legendary Beverley Knight as soul sensation Felicia Farrell, Killian Donnelly as Huey Calhoun, Tyrone Huntley as Gator, Rolan Bell as Delray, Claire Machin as Gladys, Mark Roper as Mr Simmons and Jason Pennycooke as Bobby.
Memphis is written by Joe DiPietro and alongside the string of sole classics features an original score by Bon Jovi’s David Bryan and DiPietro. The musical picked up four Tony Awards including Best Musical when it opened on Broadway back in October 2009.
Directed by Christopher Ashley and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo, the musical follows the story of Felicia Farrell, a talented black singer who can’t seem to get her big break from the segregated clubs of Memphis Tennessee during the 1950’s. The chance meeting with a white radio DJ who can look beyond race and prejudice rockets her to world stardom, allowing her music to reach audiences all over the globe.
The diva of British Soul music Beverley Knight recently wowed audience and critics when she starred as Rachel Marron in The Bodyguard at the Adelphi Theatre and it seems that she has acquired a taste for musical theatre.
Originally from the Emerald Isle, Killian Donnelly is a West End regular, having appeared as Enjolras in Les Misérables, Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera and Deco in The Commitments.
Memphis The Musical opens at the Shaftesbury Theatre on 23 October 2014, following previews from 9 October and is currently booking until 28 March 2015.
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