GLEE star Kevin Mchale to make his UK stage debut in Stephen Sondheim‘s THE FROGS at Southwark Playhouse 23 May – 28 June 2025.
What’s the show about?
Can art save civilisation? Let’s find out! Shaken by a divided and despairing political climate (sound familiar?), Dionysos and trusty sidekick Xanthias take a leap of faith—straight into Hades. Their mission? Find a cure for an ailing world.
But when they reach the River Styx, they encounter Dionysos’ worst nightmare… frogs. Not your average pond dwellers, these amphibians are stubborn beings who resist change and are determined for the status quo to remain the same (sound familiar?)
Will our dynamic duo outsmart these swampy naysayers and hop toward humanity’s salvation? Or will they get bogged down in their muddy resistance?
This is an ancient tale retold as a laugh-a-minute musical comedy. From the writing team behind ‘A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum’ and Broadway legend Nathan Lane, ‘The Frogs’ promises a toad-ally unforgettable journey.
Who’s in the cast?
Kevin McHale (He/Him) is Xanthias. Kevin is best known in the UK for playing Artie Abrams on the TV series Glee. His character, who uses a wheelchair after a car accident, joined the McKinley High Glee Club in the first episode, and he had his first solo performance when he sang “Dancing with Myself”. Kevin has since appeared in multiple TV series, including The Office, When We Rise, and Ryan Murphy’s American Horror Stories. As a singer, he released his debut EP in 2019. Kevin and his Glee co-star, Jenna Ushkowitz, host the hit iHeart Podcast “And That’s What You Really Missed.” He recently starred in The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at the Kennedy Center.
Dan Buckley (He/Him) is Dionysos. He was Rowan in Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical (UK tour), Chris in The House on Cold Hill (The Mill at Sonning) and Ferris in Eugenius! (The Other Palace).
Joaquin Pedro Valdes (He/Him) is Herakles. He is currently playing Michael/Deitz in Alfred Hitchock Presents – The Musical (Theatre Royal Bath). He was recently seen as Luke/Ares in The Lightning Thief (The Other Palace), Dominique in The Baker’s Wife and John Manjiro in Pacific Overtures (both Menier Chocolate Factory), Light Yagami in Death Note The Musical (London Palladium/Lyric Theatre).
Carl Patrick (He/Him) is Charon. He played George Evans in Sinatra The Musical (Birmingham Rep), Zoltan Karpathy in My Fair Lady (London Coliseum & UK tour), Phil in On Your Feet (London Coliseum),
Billy Flynn in Chicago (Pitlochry Festival Theatre).
Bart Lambert (He/Him) is Shakespeare & Cover Xanthias. He recently played Dominique/Philippe/Antoine in The Baker’s Wife (Menier Chocolate Factory). Films include Napoleon and Overlord.
Martha Pothen (She/Her) is Shaw & Cover Dionysos. She is currently in Now That’s What I Call A Musical (UK tour), Oliver! (Leeds Playhouse). She was nominated for an OFFIE Award (Female
Performance in a Supporting Role) as Sylvia Morgan in Privates on Parade (Union Theatre).
Alison Driver (She/Her) is Ariadne & Swing. She was in Madagascar The Musical (UK tour), Rent and Head Over Heels (both Hope Mill Theatre) and What’s New Pussycat? (The Birmingham Rep).
Evonnee Bentley-Holder (She/Her) is Ensemble & Cover Shaw & Charon. She was Luna in Burlesque The Musical (Manchester Opera House) and Mama Rose/Tammi Terrell/Flo Ballard in Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of the Temptations (UK tour).
Milo McCarthy (They/Them) is Ensemble/Dance Captain, Cover Shakespeare & Herakles. They recently played Edward Ashbrook in Coram Boy (Chichester Festival Theatre). other credits include Gatch in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Southwark Playhouse) and Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Hope Mill Theatre).
More cast to be announced.
Creative team
Director – Georgie Rankcom (She/Her)
Musical Director – Ben Mc Quigg (He/Him)
Choreographer – Matt Nicholson (He/Him)
Set and Costume Designer – Libby Todd (She/Her)
Lighting Designer – Samuel Biondolillo (He/Him)
Sound Designer – Joshua Robins (He/Him)
Orchestration – Tim Sutton (He/Him)
Casting Director – Peter Noden (He/Him)
Production Artwork – Rebecca Pitt (She/Her)
Production Manager – Adam Smith (He/Him)
Stage Manager – Waverley Moran (They/She)
Assistant Stage Manager – Evie Graham-Brown (They/Them)
The first production of The Frogs was written and directed by Burt Shevelove in 1971, while he was a graduate student at Yale University. It was staged in the swimming pool in the Payne Whitney Gymnasium with the Frogs, played by members of the Yale swimming team, swimming around the boat. The ensemble included then Yale students Meryl Streep, Sigourney Weaver and playwright Christopher Durang.
Stephen Sondheim compared the acoustics of the production to “putting on a show in a men’s urinal”. For the 2004 Broadway revival, Sondheim wrote seven new songs.
Tickets to THE FROGS
Additional information
Booking until
23 May – 28 June 2025
Show Times
Mon – Sat: 7pm
Tue & Sat: 2.30pm
Running Time
140 minutes including interval
Theatre
Southwark Playhouse, Borough
Age Recommendation
12+
Access Performances
Captioned Performance: Wednesday 25 June 7pm
