AUSTENLAND, a new musical based on the novel by Shannon Hale, will have its world premiere with two concert workshop performances at the Savoy Theatre on Monday 24 March 2025.
What is AUSTENLAND about?
Meet Jane Hayes – unlucky-in-love and Austen-obsessed, she’s ditching the dating apps for a dream vacation to Austenland, where every dance, duel, and scandal promises a taste of Regency romance.
But beneath the corsets and cravats lies a world where nothing is as it seems, and love is never scripted. Is the mysterious Mr Nobley an authentic suitor… or an actor who works for Austenland? Is the gorgeous gardener the real deal? Will Jane become fully immersed in the fantasy or could her true Mr Darcy be the person she least expects…
Who is in the cast of AUSTENLAND?
The West End’s Lucie Jones will star as Jane Hayes, with further casting to be announced.
Theatre credits include: Genevieve in The Baker’s Wife (Menier Chocolate Factory); Catherine in Pippin (Theatre Royal Drury Lane); Katie in Super You (Lyric Theatre); Jenna Rink in 13 Going on 30 (Workshop at Battersea Arts Centre); Fantine in Les Misérables (Sondheim Theatre); Elphaba in Wicked (Apollo Victoria); Jenna Hunterson in Waitress (Adelphi Theatre & UK Tour); Fantine in Les Misérables (Sondheim Theatre); Martha Percy in Treason (Cadogan Hall); Maureen in RENT (The Other Palace and UK Tour); Elle Woods in Legally Blonde (Leicester Curve, UK Tour and South Korea Opera House); Victoria in American Psycho (Almeida); and Cosette in Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre).
Who is in the creative team?
The new musical, based on Shannon Hale’s 2007 novel, is the third musical adaptation from the writers of The Book Thief (Leicester Curve, Belgrade Theatre Coventry) and Between the Lines (Off-Broadway), with book by award-winning best-selling author Jodi Picoult (My Sister’s Keeper & Small Great Things) and Timothy Allen McDonald (adaptor of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka & James and the Giant Peach) and music & lyrics by Kate Anderson and Elyssa Samsel (Apple TV’s Central Park & Olaf’s Frozen Adventure).
AUSTENLAND will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle (Cruel Intentions, The Other Palace; Calendar Girls, UK Tour) with choreography by Joanna Goodwin (My Fair Lady, Leicester Curve; An Officer and a Gentleman, UK & Ireland Tour), musical supervision, orchestration and arrangements by Matthew Malone (The Book Thief, Leicester Curve, Carousel, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), music direction by Natalie Pound (The Creakers, Southbank Centre & Theatre Royal Plymouth; Lovestuck,, Theatre Royal Stratford East), design by Polly Sullivan (Cruel Intentions The 90s Musical,The Other Palace & tour; Describe the Night, Hampstead Theatre), lighting by Jack Weir (The Woman In White, Electric Theatre; One Night Only, Sandi Toksvig, Theatre Royal Drury Lane) and sound by Sound Quiet Time (Clueless, Churchill Theatre; Manic Street Creature, Southwark Playhouse, London).
Are there any accessible performances scheduled?
TBC
