Casting and new dates announced for Curve socially distanced season

Pictured: Nikolai Foster & Chris Stafford (photo credit: Ellie Kurttz)

Leicester’s Curve has revealed new dates and casting for its upcoming socially distanced productions.

The concert staging of Sunset Boulevard, directed by Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, will open slightly later than originally scheduled due to the current lockdown restrictions, and will now run from 18 December 2020 - 9 January 2021.

Ria Jones and Danny Mac will lead the company, which will include original cast members from the 2017 Made at Curve production: Molly Lynch as Betty Schaefer, Adam Pearce as Max Von Mayerling, Dougie Carter as Artie Green and Carl Sanderson as Cecil B DeMille.

Also performing will be: Benjamin Chambers, Owen Chaponda, Joanna Goodwin, Kristoffer Hellström, James Meunier, Gemma Naylor, Joanna O’Hare, Jessica Paul, Sam Peggs and Barney Wilkinson.

The concert will feature a 16-piece orchestra with musical supervision by Stephen Brooker, set design by Colin Richmond, video by Douglas O’Connell and choreography by Lee Proud.

The previously postponed concert version of The Color Purple, directed by Tinuke Craig, will now play from 1-13 March 2021.

Led by T’Shan Williams, the cast will also include: KM Drew Boateng, Owen Chaponda, Perola Congo, Danielle Kassarate, Anelisa Lamola, Karen Mavundukure, Rosemary Annabella Nkrumah, Landi Oshinowo, Simon Anthony Rhoden and Jo Servi.

Danielle Fiamanya is now unable to join as Nettie in the rescheduled performances.

The Color Purple will feature a six-piece orchestra led by musical director Alex Parker, with set design by Alex Lowde and choreography by Mark Smith.

Both concert productions will have lighting design by Ben Cracknell and sound by Tom Marshall.

The revival of Curve’s Memoirs of an Asian Football Casual production will run from 25 January - 6 February 2021 and will see Hareet Deol reprising his role as Suf Khan.

The play will once again by directed by Foster, with design by Grace Smart, lighting by Charlotte Burton and composition by Tasha Taylor Johnson.

Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said: “ Although the latest lockdown has impacted on our scheduled plans, we are pleased to confirm new dates for both The Color Purple and Sunset Boulevard.

“We are thrilled an incredible ensemble of actors, musicians and creatives will be joining us from next month to bring these extraordinary plays to life. Ria Jones, T’Shan Williams, Danny Mac, Hareet Deol, Adam Pearce and Molly Lynch all made a huge impact in their respective roles, and we are delighted they are returning to Curve to lead our ‘Welcome Back’ company of actors, musicians and creatives. Seeing these actors close-up, in the round, will be thrilling and we can’t wait to revisit these wonderful plays once more in our specially adapted Covid-safe theatre.

For more information and to book tickets, please click here.