Full casting is announced today for Once, which embarks on its first major UK tour from January 2020, following a run at Fairfield Halls, Croydon from Thursday 19 December to Saturday 11 January.
Joining the previously announced Daniel Healy as Guy and Emma Lucia as Girl are Dan Bottomley as Billy, Matthew Burns as Eamon, Ellen Chivers as Reza, Rosalind Ford as Ex-Girlfriend, Lloyd Gorman as Svejc, David Heywood as Emcee, Samuel Martin as Bank Manager, Peter Peverley as Da, Susannah Van Den Berg as Baruska and James William-Pattison as Andrej. The cast also includes Emma Fraser, Seán Keany, Hanna Khogali and Conor McFarlane.
Based on the critically acclaimed and much-loved film, Once tells the uplifting yet yearning story of two lost souls – a Dublin street busker and a Czech musician – who unexpectedly fall in love. Following their relationship across five short days, big changes happen to both of them in little ways. Celebrated for its original score including the Academy Award-winning song Falling Slowly, Once is a spell-binding and uplifting story of hopes and dreams.
Daniel Healy and Emma Lucia return to the roles of ‘Guy’ and ‘Girl’ after receiving critical and audience acclaim in the production’s premiere last year at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich and Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch. Daniel Healy is a singer-songwriter, musician and actor, who has co-written songs for multi-platinum artist Ronan Keating including the single Breathe, which topped the BBC Radio 2 Playlist. Theatre credits include Backbeat and Once, both in the West End. Emma Lucia made her professional debut as Marilyn and understudying Carole King in the UK Tour of Beautiful, before taking on the role of Girl in Once.
Once is directed by Peter Rowe with set and costume design by Libby Watson, musical supervision by Ben Goddard, choreography by Francesca Jaynes, lighting design by Mark Dymock, sound design by James Cook, projection design by Peter Hazelwood and orchestrations by Martin Lowe. Casting is by Debbie O’Brien.
Based on the cult 2007 Irish indie feature, originally shot on a micro-budget of just $160,000, Once premiered at the New York Theatre Workshop in 2011 before transferring to Broadway in 2012. There it won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical, the Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical and the Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album. Productions have since opened all over the world, including the West End production in 2013 which received the Olivier Award for Outstanding Achievement in Music.
Once has a Book by award-winning Irish playwright and screenwriter Enda Walsh, and Music & Lyrics by Academy Award winning Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová who, for Falling Slowly, won the Oscar for Best Original Song. It is based on the motion picture Written and Directed by John Carney. The Original Production Concept is by John Tiffany.
Thursday 19 December – Saturday 11 January 2020 ASHCROFT THEATRE at FAIRFIELD HALLS, CROYDON
Monday 13 – Saturday 18 January 2020 SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION
Monday 20 – Saturday 25 January 2020 LIVERPOOL EMPIRE THEATRE
Monday 3 – Saturday 8 February 2020 YORK GRAND OPERA HOUSE
Monday 10 – Saturday 15 February 2020 WOKING NEW VICTORIA THEATRE
Monday 17 – Saturday 22 February 2020 MILTON KEYNES THEATRE
Monday 24 February – Saturday 1 March 2020 IPSWICH NEW WOLSEY THEATRE
Monday 2 – Saturday 7 March 2020 BATH THEATRE ROYAL
Tuesday 10 – Saturday 14 March 2020 COVENTRY BELGRADE THEATRE
Tuesday 17 – Saturday 21 March 2020 STOKE REGENT THEATRE
Monday 23 – Saturday 28 March 2020 MALVERN FESTIVAL THEATRE
Monday 30 March – Saturday 4 April 2020 ABERDEEN HIS MAJESTY’S THEATRE
Monday 6 – Saturday 11 April 2020 NOTTINGHAM THEATRE ROYAL
Tuesday 14 – Saturday 18 April 2020 OXFORD NEW THEATRE
Monday 20 – Saturday 25 April 2020 BRIGHTON THEATRE ROYAL
Tuesday 5 – Saturday 9 May 2020 SHEFFIELD LYCEUM THEATRE
Monday 11 – Saturday 16 May 2020 CARDIFF WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE
Monday 18 – Saturday 23 May 2020 SOUTHAMPTON MAYFLOWER THEATRE
Tuesday 26 – Saturday 30 May 2020 EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE
Monday 1 – Saturday 6 June 2020 BIRMINGHAM ALEXANDRA THEATRE
Monday 8 – Saturday 13 June 2020 CANTERBURY MARLOWE THEATRE
Monday 15 – Saturday 20 June 2020 LEICESTER CURVE
Monday 22 – Saturday 27 June 2020 SALFORD THE LOWRY
Monday 6 – Saturday 11 July 2020 PLYMOUTH THEATRE ROYAL
Monday 13 – Saturday 18 July 2020 GLASGOW KING’S THEATRE
Monday 20 – Saturday 25 July 2020 HULL NEW THEATRE
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FOLLOW WEST END WILMA
