(AGENPARL) – gio 25 gennaio 2024 For immediate release: Thursday 25 January 2024
FIRST LOOK AT THE WEST END CAST IN REHEARSALS FOR
THE MULTI-AWARD-WINNING
NEW BRITISH MUSICAL
STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE
AHEAD OF PERFORMANCES BEGINNING
FROM 8 FEBRUARY 2024
CLICK HERE FOR REHEARSAL IMAGES
The National Theatre and Various Productions today released a ‘first look’ at images of the new cast in rehearsals for the West End transfer
of Sheffield Theatres’ smash-hit production, Standing at the Sky’s Edge. Written as a love letter to Sheffield and the city’s iconic Park Hill
Estate, this 2023 Olivier Award-winning ‘Best New Musical’ 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 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. It will make its West End premiere in two weeks at the Gillian Lynne Theatre in London playing from 8 February
2024.
The cast includes, Jonathan Andre (Macbeth, Shakespeare’s Globe; The Lion King, Disney) playing the role of Max, Elizabeth Ayodele
(Small Island, National Theatre; Steel Magnolias, Trafalgar Theatre Productions) playing the role of Joy, Jonathon Bentley (From Here to
Eternity, Aria Entertainment; MAMMA MIA!, Littlestar) playing the role of Gary, Mya Fox-Scott is making her professional debut, playing the
role of Jenny, Joel Harper-Jackson (Cock, Elliot & Harper Productions; Kinky Boots, Adam Blanshay Productions) playing the role of Harry,
Sharlene Hector (A Strange Loop, Trafalgar Theatre Productions/National Theatre; Hairspray, Adam Spiegal Productions/Fiery Angel)
playing the role of Grace, Samuel Jordan (Masters of the Air, Apple TV; Sex Education, Netflix) is reprising the role of Jimmy, Rachael
Louise Miller (Les Misérables, Cameron Mackintosh; Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat, Bill Kenwright Productions) is
reprising the role of Cathy, Mel Lowe (Orlando, The Michael Grandage Company; A Billion Times I Love You, Homotopia/Liverpool
Everyman and Playhouse) playing the role of Connie, David McKechnie (Flowers for Mrs Harris, Riverside Studios; Stepping Out, Stephen
Joseph Theatre) is reprising the role of Joe/Workman, Baker Mukasa (The Comedy of Errors, Royal Shakespeare Company; Tina: The Tina
Turner Musical, Stage Entertainment) reprising the role of George, Alastair Natkiel (Line of Duty, BBC; Strangers on a Train, Barbara
Broccoli) reprising the role of Marcus, Laura Pitt-Pulford (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre; Emmerdale,
ITV) playing the role of Poppy, Adam Price (Privates on Parade, Michael Grandage Company; Hairspray, Stage Entertainment) is reprising
the role of Charles, Lauryn Redding (Bloody Elle, Rebel Productions/Royal Exchange) playing the role of Nikki, Nicola Sloane (Backstairs
Billy, Michael Grandage Company; London Road, National Theatre) is reprising the role of Vivienne, Lillie-Pearl Wildman (Sunset
Boulevard, Jamie Lloyd Theatre Company; Cabaret; ATG/Underbelly) is playing the role of Justine, and Rachael Wooding (Pretty Woman:
The Musical, Ambassador Theatre Group Productions; We Will Rock You, Queen Theatrical Productions/Phil McIntyre/Tribeca Theatrical
Productions) is reprising the role of Rose. They are joined by Monique Ashe-Palmer, Adam Colbeck-Dunn, Viquichele Cross, Jamie
Doncaster, Caroline Fitzgerald, Jerome Lincoln, Sean McLevy and Karen Wilkinson.
The young company completing the cast are, Alayna Anderson, Luca Foster-Lejeune, Renee Hart, Eric Madgwick, Chioma Nduka, and
Sam Stocks.
Robert 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, casting director, Stuart Burt CDG, children’s casting director, Chloe Blake, dialect coaches Michaela Kennen and
Shereen Ibrahim. Associate director is Elin Schofield, associate choreographer is Thomas Herron, musical director and associate music
supervisor is Alex Beetschen, associate sound designer is Jonas Roebuck and associate costume designer is Sally Wilson.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a multi-award-winning production, winning ‘Best New Musical’ at the 2023 Olivier Awards with Sheffield
singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley and Tom Deering also winning ‘Best Original Score and New Orchestrations’. It was recently awarded
the internationally recognised ‘Made in Sheffield’® accolade, the first time a theatre production has received this unique trademark.
Previously it has won the 2020 South Bank Sky Arts Award for Theatre and ‘Best Musical Production’ at the UK Theatre Awards in 2019.
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 released Now Then: The Very Best of Richard Hawley, in autumn 2023, 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 has also announced a UK and Ireland
tour with live performance 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.
Tickets for the musical are available from £20 at SkysEdgeMusical.com. Assisted performances are available throughout the run.
Further Press Materials
Rehearsal images are available here
Cast headshots are available here and biogs are available here
Creative biogs are available here
New artwork is available here
Download files of Lauryn Redding’s rendition of ‘Open Up Your Door’ here with embed link available here
Download files of Samuel Jordan’s rendition of ‘Midnight Train’ here with embed link available here
Images from the 2022/2023 production are available here
Standing at the Sky’s Edge, the original live cast recording is available via Spotify
Listing Information
Dates:
From 8 February 2024
Press night: Wednesday 28 February 2024
Website:
SkysEdgeMusical.com
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
Box Office:
(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 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.
For more information, please visit nationaltheatre.org.uk
@NationalTheatre
@NT_PressOffice
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.
http://www.variousproductions.co.uk
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
sheffieldtheatres.co.uk