Following critical acclaim and announcing an extension in the West End, the Chichester Festival Theatre revival of Guys and Dolls will tour throughout the UK, opening at the Liverpool Empire on 16 March 2016. Casting for the tour includes Richard Fleeshman (Coronation Street, Ghost the Musical, Call the Midwife) as Sky Masterson, Maxwell Caulfield (Grease 2, Emmerdale, The Colbys) as Nathan Detroit, Louise Dearman* (Wicked, Evita) as Adelaide and Anna O’Byrne (Love Never Dies) as Sarah Brown.
Completing the cast are Jack Edwards as Nicely Nicely Johnson, Peter Harding as Arvide Abernathy, Anthony McGill as Lt Brannigan, Mark Sangster as Benny Southstreet, Melanie Marshall as General Cartwright, Craig Pinder as Harry the Horse/Joey Biltmore, Cameron Johnson as Big Julie, Christopher Howell as Rusty Charlie. The ensemble includes Eamonn Cox, Jamal Crawford, Jonny Godbold, Ross Lee Fowkes, Aron Wild, Kiel Payton, Matthew Whennell-Clark, Ruthie Stephens, Bethany Linsdell, Hannah Cauchi, Chloe Chambers, Danielle Stephen, Abigayle Honeywill and Lucy Ashenden.
Nathan Detroit is desperate: he needs money for an illegal dice game, and he needs it fast. Not to mention a 14-year engagement with nightclub singer Miss Adelaide, whose patience is finally running out. Enter notorious gambler Sky Masterson, a guy who can never turn down a bet, and straight-laced missionary Sarah Brown, a doll with a heart of ice. Nathan’s wager is that Sky has to romance Sarah by taking her to Havana for dinner and in return he’ll provide a dozen ‘sinners’ for Sarah’s mission. Surely this is one bet Nathan absolutely can’t lose?
A joyous and vibrant celebration of Prohibition-era New York, Guys and Dolls first premiered on Broadway in 1950 and captured the optimism and energy of post-World War Two America. This hugely popular and multi award-winning musical, based on the colourful stories by American journalist Damon Runyon renowned for his vivid fictional depictions of the gamblers, hustlers and nightclub singers of New York, features some of Broadway’s greatest musical numbers including ‘My Time of Day’, ‘Luck be a Lady’ and the show-stopping ‘Sit Down You’re Rockin’ the Boat’. Guys and Dolls is directed by Gordon Greenberg with choreography by Cuban dancer and former Royal Ballet star Carlos Acosta and Andrew Wright whose credits include Chichester Festival Theatre’s Singin’ in the Rain.
Maxwell Caulfield (Nathan Detroit) Theatre credits include the Tony Award winning production of The Elephant Man and the National Theatre’s transfer of An Inspector Calls on Broadway. In the UK he has starred in the UK touring productions of Singin’ in the Rain, Bedroom Farce and The Rocky Horror Show, as well as starring as Billy Flynn in the West End production of Chicago. In recent years Maxwell has starred several long-running UK television series including Emmerdale and Casualty. Other television credits include the hit US shows Modern Family, NCIS and Castle, as well as The Parade and the global hit series The Colbys. Film credits include the lead opposite Michelle Pfeiffer in Grease 2, The Boys Next Door, Empire Records and The Real Blonde.
Louise Dearman* (Miss Adelaide) played Sarah Brown in the hit Donmar Warehouse production of Guys and Dolls in the West End. Her extensive theatre credits include Kiss Me Kate (Royal Albert Hall), The Water Babies (Leicester Curve), the first actor to play both Elphaba and Glinda in Wicked (Apollo Victoria), Evita (UK Tour), Grease (UK Tour and West End) and Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (UK Tour). As a recording artist Louise has released 3 albums – You and I, Here Comes the Sun and It’s Time.
*Louise will be playing all venues up until and including Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin.
Richard Fleeshman (Sky Masterson) stage credits include A Damsel in Distress (Chichester Festival Theatre), Urinetown (St. James Theatre), Ghost The Musical (Piccadilly Theatre and on Broadway) and Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre). He is best known on screen as Craig Harris in Coronation Street. Richard’s other screen credits include Moving On, Midsomer Murders, All The Small Things, Reading Bedtime Stories, Monday Monday, Blue Murder IV and An Angel For May. Richard also secured a major record deal with Universal Records upon leaving Coronation Street.
Anna O’Byrne (Sarah Brown) theatre credits include Sweeney Todd (ENO), Barnum (Chichester Festival Theatre and UK Tour), Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s). Anna’s film credits include Christine Daae in the acclaimed Australian production of Love Never Dies released internationally in cinemas and on DVD.
The music and lyrics are by Frank Loesser, whose credits include How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and the song ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’. The book is by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. Burrows’ credits include How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying and Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Swerling’s credits include the seminal film It’s A Wonderful Life.
The London Production is playing in the West End at the Savoy Theatre until 12 March 2016 and will then transfer straight to the Phoenix Theatre from 19 March 2016
TOUR DATES
Liverpool Empire, Liverpool
16 March – 19 March
Website: www.atgtickets.com
Box Office: 0844 871 3017
Theatre Royal, Newcastle
22 March – 02 April
Website: www.theatreroyal.co.uk
Box Office: 08448 112 121
His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen
05 April – 09 April
Website: www.aberdeenperformingarts.com
Box Office: 01224 641 122
The Edinburgh Playhouse, Edinburgh
12 April – 16 April
Website: www.atgtickets.com
Box Office: 08448 713 014
Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield
19 April – 23 April
Website: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk
Box Office: 01142 496 000
Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin
26 April – 30 April
Website: www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie
Box Office: 0818 719 377
Theatre Royal, Norwich
03 May – 07 May
Website: www.theatreroyalnorwich.co.uk
Box Office: 01603 630 000
Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
17 May – 21 May
Website: www.mayflower.org.uk
Box Office: 02380 711 811
Grand Theatre, Leeds
24 May – 28 May
Website: www.leedsgrandtheatre.com
Box Office: 08448 482 700
Theatre Royal, Plymouth
31 May – 04 June
Website: www.theatreroyal.com
Box Office: 01752 267 222
King’s Theatre, Glasgow
07 June – 11 June
Website: www.atgtickets.com
Box Office: 08448 717 648
Milton Keynes Theatre, Milton Keynes
14 June – 18 June
Website: www.atgtickets.com
Box Office: 08448 717 652
Theatre Royal, Nottingham
21 June – 25 June
Website: www.trch.co.uk
Box Office: 01159 895 555
The Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury
28 June – 02 July
Website: www.marlowetheatre.com
Box Office: 01227 787 787
New Theatre, Cardiff
05 July – 09 July
Website: www.newtheatrecardiff.co.uk
Box Office: 02920 878 889
Bristol Hippodrome, Bristol
12 July – 16 July
Website: www.atgtickets.com
Box Office: 08443 385 000
Grand Theatre, Wolverhampton
19 July – 23 July
Website: www.grandtheatre.co.uk
Box Office: 01902 429 212
New Victoria Theatre, Woking
26 July – 30 July
Website: www.atgtickets.com
Box Office: 08448 717 645
