Arcola Theatre announces full cast for UK premiere of CRY-BABY, THE MUSICAL
Photo credit: Charlie Flint
Arcola Theatre has announced the full cast and creative team for its upcoming production of Cry-Baby, The Musical, which runs at the venue from 6 March-12 April.
The Tony-nominated cult classic from the makers of Hairspray tells the love story of Allison, a straight-laced rich girl and member of the ‘squares’, and ‘Cry-Baby’, the bad boy from the wrong side of the tracks. Ditching her Square boyfriend, Baldwin, Allison and Cry-Baby’s romance intensifies gang rivalries, and the city is turned upside-down in a rollicking tale of forbidden love and teen rebellion.
Set in 1954 Baltimore, Cry-Baby, The Musical is a politically charged, laugh-out-loud cult classic, with infectious rockabilly hits like ‘The Anti-Polio Picnic’, ‘Screw Loose’ and ‘Girl, Can I Kiss You with Tongue’. Described as ‘Romeo and Juliet meets High School Hellcats’, this subversive musical promises a toe-tapping, boundary-breaking good time.
The musical, which was originally presented on Broadway in 2008, is based on the Universal Pictures film written and directed by John Waters. The book was written by Mark O’Donnell & Thomas Meehan - who also wrote the book for Hairspray, with songs by David Javerbaum & Adam Schlesinger.
The role of Wade ‘Cry-Baby’ Walker will be played by Adam Davidson (Grease, UK tour), with Allison Vernon-Williams (Les Miserables, West End) as Lulu-Mae Pears, Elliot Allinson (Jersey Boys, West End) as Baldwin Blandish, and Jazzy Phoenix (The Phantom of the Opera) as Pepper Walker, alongside Lenora Frigid as Eleanor Walsh, Chad Saint Louis as Dupree W. Dupree, Kingsley Morton as Mona Malnorowski, India Chadwick as Wanda Woodward, Shirley Jameson as Mrs Cordelia Vernon-Williams, and Paul Kemble as Judge/Father O’Neill.
Making up the ensemble is JR Ballantyne, Laura Buhagiar, Omer Cem Coltu, Ellie-Grace Cousins, Joe Grundy, Ryan Heenan, and Michael Kholwadia. The 17-strong cast being the largest ensemble for a production in the theatre’s history.
Cry-Baby will be directed by Arcola Theatre’s Artistic Director, Mehmet Ergen, with design by Robert Innes Hopkins, choreography by Chris Whittaker, musical direction by Ashton Moore, lighting by David Howe, sound by Matthew Giles, and casting by Jane Deitch.