(AGENPARL) – dom 17 dicembre 2023 Immediate Release: Sunday 17 December 2023
WORLD RENOWNED ‘MADE IN SHEFFIELD’ ^® ACCOLADE AWARDED
TO NEW BRITISH MUSICAL
STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE
DUE TO MAKE ITS WEST END
PREMIERE AT THE GILLIAN LYNNE
THEATRE IN LONDON FROM 8
FEBRUARY 2024
Image
Standing at the Sky’s Edge 2022/2023 Production Image © Johan Persson
The National Theatre and Various Productions announce today that Sheffield Theatres’ smash-hit production, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, has been awarded the internationally recognised ‘Made in Sheffield’ ^® accolade ahead of it making its West End premiere at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London from 8 February 2024.  Originally created to protect the city’s unique reputation for world leading manufacturing, this is the first time a theatre production has received this registered trademark. 
Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a multi-award-winning production, winning ‘Best New Musical’ at the 2023 Olivier Awards earlier this year with Sheffield singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley and Tom Deering also winning ‘Best Original Score and New Orchestrations’.  Previously it has won the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre and ‘Best Musical Production’ at the UK Theatre Awards in 2019. 
Written as a love letter to Sheffield and the city’s iconic Park Hill Estate, Standing at the Sky’s Edge is directed by Sheffield Theatres’ Artistic Director, Robert Hastie and features songs by the legendary Sheffield singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley.  With a hilarious and gut-wrenching book by Sheffield playwright, Chris Bush, Standing at the Sky’s Edge charts the hopes and dreams of three generations over the course of six tumultuous decades, navigating universal themes of love, loss and survival. 
First commissioned by Sheffield Theatres and Various Productions, Standing at the Sky’s Edge had its world premiere at the Crucible Theatre in 2019. Following a hugely successful, sold-out run, it returned to the Crucible Theatre in December 2022, selling out again, before making its London premiere in the National Theatre’s Olivier theatre in early 2023 where it continued to sell out and receive standing ovations. 
Revealing the history of modern Britain, through the stories of this iconic housing estate, Standing at the Sky’s Edge, is a heartfelt exploration of the power of community and what it is we all call home.
Richard Hawley, singer-songwriter, said:
“I’m just a musician and to be connected in any way to Made in Sheffield^® is just an honour for me – it’s mind blowing”
Robert Hastie, director and Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatre, said:
“To receive the Made in Sheffield^® mark is a true honour.  On behalf of everyone who contributed to the creation of Standing at the Sky’s Edge, we are thrilled that the production is the first of its kind to receive this accolade.  I’d like to pay particular tribute to the craft and dedication of our in-house teams at Sheffield Theatres, who year-round turn ideas from brilliant artists into the highest quality work on stage.  We are incredibly proud of Standing at the Sky’s Edge, for the way it has been received by audiences at home and now in London, and are delighted to have it recognised amongst Sheffield’s celebrated makers.”
Chris Bush, playwright, said:
“Etymologically, playwrights have more in common with cartwrights or shipwrights than authors or poets – we aren’t just abstract storytellers, but makers of things.  Nowhere makes things better than Sheffield, and it’s a huge honour to see our work of artistic creation acknowledged alongside the city’s proud industrial heritage.”
Charles Turner, Master Cutler, Chair to Made in Sheffield, MD of Durham Duplex, said:
“Standing at the Sky’s Edge is as Made in Sheffield ^® as my knives, it’s created here, its music comes from here, it’s about the heart and soul of Sheffield and tells the story of Sheffield to the world. We’re an export city and to have something like this going to London as a cultural export item is absolutely brilliant – why wouldn’t we give it the Made in Sheffield^ ® mark?!”  
Rupert Lord, Producer, Various Productions said:
“Our musical is a wholly Sheffield-made show.  Conceived, written and first performed in Sheffield deploying the enormous talents of a Sheffield born and bred writer, Chris Bush and songwriter, Richard Hawley and directed by a Yorkshireman, Rob Hastie, who is Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres, this production is truly a love letter to this great city.  I couldn’t be more delighted and proud that it has now been awarded the honour of using the iconic Made in Sheffield^ ® mark.  Like great Sheffield cutlery, we believe Standing at the Sky’s Edge is of the highest quality and built to last, and this award is a fitting tribute to the creative energies that the city embodies.”
Kate Varah, Executive Director, National Theatre said:
“Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a uniquely special musical, deeply grounded in its specificity to Sheffield and, one that beautifully transformed our Olivier stage into the city’s iconic Park Hill Estate earlier this year.  All at the National are thrilled to be part of the show created in Sheffield and are delighted that such a unique honour has been bestowed upon it.”
Standing at Sky’s Edge will make it West End premiere at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8 February 2024.  Joining the cast for this new production are, Elizabeth Ayodele (Small Island, National Theatre; Steel Magnolias, Trafalgar Theatre Productions) as Joy, Joel Harper-Jackson (Cock, Elliot & Harper Productions; Kinky Boots, Adam Blanshay Productions) as Harry, Sharlene Hector (A Strange Loop, Trafalgar Theatre Productions/National Theatre; Hairspray, Adam Spiegal Productions/Fiery Angel) as Grace, Mel Lowe (Orlando, The Michael Grandage Company; A Billion Times I Love You, Homotopia/Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse) as Connie, Laura Pitt-Pulford (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; Emmerdale, ITV) as Poppy and Lauryn Redding (Bloody Elle, Rebel Productions/Royal Exchange) as Nikki.
Returning to reprise their roles are, Samuel Jordan (Masters of the Air, Apple TV; Sex Education, Netflix) as Jimmy, Baker Mukasa (The Comedy of Errors, Royal Shakespeare Company; Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Stage Entertainment) as George, Alastair Natkiel (Line of Duty, BBC; Strangers on a Train, Barbara Broccoli) as Marcus and Rachael Wooding (Pretty Woman: The Musical, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions; We Will Rock You, Queen Theatrical Productions/Phil McIntyre/Tribeca Theatrical Productions) as Rose.  Further casting will be announced. 
Hastie is joined by set and costume designer, Ben Stones; choreographer, Lynne Page; orchestrator and arranger, originating music supervisor, Tom Deering; lighting designer, Mark Henderson; sound designer, Bobby Aitken; wigs, hair and make-up designer, Cynthia De La Rosa and casting director, Stuart Burt CDG.
Richard Hawley has recently released Now Then: The Very Best of Richard Hawley, his first ever best of collection.  This 36-track deep dive into his hugely successful career to date includes his original versions of songs from the musical including Open Up Your Door, Tonight the Streets Are Ours, Coles Corner  and the production’s title track, Standing at the Sky’s Edge.  He also has a UK and Ireland tour with gig dates from May 2024.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge, the original live cast recording is available to stream via Spotify and purchase online from major music retailers.
ENDS
FURTHER PRESS MATERIALS
LISTING INFORMATION
Dates:   From 8 February 2024
   Press night: Wednesday 28 February 2024
Address:  Gillian Lynne Theatre
166 Drury Lane
London
WC2B 5PW
Assisted performances:
Audio Described Performances
Wednesday 13 March 2024, 2:30pm
Saturday 13 April 2024, 7:30pm
Captioned Performances
Tuesday 26 March 2024, 7:30pm
Saturday 13 July 2024, 2:30pm
BSL Performances
Thursday 23 May 2024, 7:30pm
Saturday 22 June 2024, 2:30pm
Tickets:   From £20
(lines open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5:30pm)
(lines open Monday to Saturday 9:30am – 8pm)
Running Time:  2 hours 50 minutes, including an interval
Follow us on social media:  
Instagram: @skysedgemusical 
Twitter: @SkysEdgeMusical
Facebook: Standing At The Sky’s Edge – A New Musical
NOTES TO EDITORS
About Made in Sheffield
Sheffield has a long and proud history as a producer city.  It became famous for products with a cutting edge, and the first official reference is a tax return of Robert the Cutler, which was filed in 1297.  The area was ideally suited to the production of items with a cutting edge – the original definition of the word cutlery.  By 1624, the date of the original Act establishing the Company of Cutlers in Hallamshire, there was a thriving industry producing cutlery (knives), edge tools (items such as wood chisels) and agricultural implements (e.g. scythes and sickles).
As the city entered the 20th century, the city leaders recognised the value of the words “Made in Sheffield”, and the likelihood that other parts of the world would seek to emulate Sheffield’s success by misusing the word Sheffield.  Therefore, in the early 1900’s, the Sheffield Defence Committee was formed, possibly the first partnership organisation in the city comprising the Cutlers Company, the Chamber of Commerce and the City Council.  This committee was charged with defending the good name of Sheffield throughout the world.  In many countries the word Sheffield was registered as a trademark, to ensure that it could not be “usurped”.
A great deal has changed since Robert the Cutler filed his tax return, but Sheffield remains at the forefront internationally in metals and metal products and in materials related technology, as well as home to a number of new industries in the medical and bioscience fields, creative and digital industries and much more besides.
About the National Theatre
The National Theatre makes theatre that entertains and inspires using its creativity, expertise and unique reach.  The National Theatre shares unforgettable stories with millions of audience members across the UK and around the world – on its own stages, on tour, in schools, on cinema screens and streaming at home.  
World-leading artists make their best work at the National Theatre with the widest possible audience and impact.  The National Theatre invests in talent and innovation on stage and off, taking seriously its role as the nation’s theatre.  Of the new productions developed each year with a wide range of theatre companies, a third of that research and development resource is dedicated to shows staged at theatres outside London.  
Through touring our work to local theatres and schools and nationwide education and community programmes, we are active in 71 of the 109 levelling up priority areas in the UK.  A registered charity with deeply embedded social purpose, the National Theatre works with hundreds of schools and communities across the UK to fire imagination and inspire creativity, and to develop skills and pathways for careers in theatre.  
About Various Productions 
Various Productions is an award-winning production company working across theatre, film, TV, led by Rupert Lord.
Working with some of the world’s greatest playwrights and musicians, we commission, develop and present brave, entertaining and compelling new work with universal appeal.
Having commissioned Standing at the Sky’s Edge with Sheffield Theatres, the show opened at the Sheffield Crucible in 2019 to critical and audience acclaim, winning awards for Best Musical Production at UK Theatre Awards in 2019 and the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge is currently being developed for television with Lord co-producing.
Various Productions currently have three new musicals in development, and two plays due to for the West End in 2023 and 2024.  
Past projects include Our House, with music and lyrics by Madness and a book by Tim Firth, which Rupert Lord conceived and co-produced.  It won the Oliver Award for Best New Musical in 2003. 
About originating co-producer, Sheffield Theatres
Sheffield Theatres is home to three theatres: the Crucible, the Sheffield landmark with a world-famous reputation; the Playhouse, an intimate, versatile space for getting closer to the action; and the gleaming Lyceum, the beautiful proscenium that hosts the best of the UK’s touring shows.
Having held the title ‘Regional Theatre of the Year’ on four separate occasions, Sheffield Theatres is the ticket to big names and local heroes, timeless treasures and new voices. Committed to investing in the creative leaders of the future, Sheffield Theatres’ dedicated talent development hub, The Bank, supports a new cohort of emerging theatre-makers every year.
Sheffield Theatres has a reputation for bold new work. Starting life in the Crucible in 2019, the award-winning Life of Pi transferred to the West End in 2021 and to Broadway in 2023. This success follows hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie which also transferred to the West End, toured the UK and enjoyed a feature film release internationally on Amazon Prime in 2021. Both Life of Pi and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie return home to Sheffield Theatres as part of their 2023 – 24 UK and Ireland tours. Last year, ROCK / PAPER / SCISSORS was staged across all three theatres to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Crucible and Playhouse, winning Best Directors at the UK Theatre Awards 2022. Also during the anniversary year, the acclaimed Accidental Death of an Anarchist opened the newly named Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse in September 2022. The show transfers to the West End in June 2023. Over Christmas 2022, Sheffield Theatres, in co-production with the National Theatre and Various Productions, revived Standing at the Sky’s Edge, returning the show to the Crucible before transferring to the Olivier Theatre and winning two Olivier awards including Best New Musical. The show transfers to the West End in February 2024. This year Sheffield Theatres productions have received five UK Theatre Award nominations, including two for their reimagined revival of Miss Saigon, staged by special arrangement with Cameron Mackintosh in summer 2023.
Crucible Lyceum Playhouse 55 Norfolk Street, Sheffield, S1 1DA
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National Theatre Live Limited, National Theatre, South Bank, London SE1 9PX United Kingdom