Casting announced for West End transfer of STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE

Photo credit: Steve Gullick

Initial casting has been announced for the West End transfer of Sheffield Theatres’ smash-hit production Standing at the Sky’s Edge, which begins performances at London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre from 8 February 2024.

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.

Joining the cast are Elizabeth Ayodele (Small Island, National Theatre) as Joy, Joel Harper-Jackson (Cock, West End) as Harry, Sharlene Hector (A Strange Loop, West End) as Grace, Mel Lowe (Orlando, West End) as Connie, Laura Pitt-Pulford (Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) as Poppy, and Lauryn Redding (Bloody Elle, Rebel Productions/Royal Exchange) as Nikki.

Returning to reprise their roles are Samuel Jordan (Sex Education, Netflix) as Jimmy, Baker Mukasa (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, West End) as George, Alastair Natkiel (Line of Duty, BBC) as Marcus, and Rachael Wooding (Pretty Woman: The Musical, West End) as Rose. Further casting will be announced.

Director Robert Hastie said: “I’m thrilled that many of the company who created Standing at the Sky’s Edge in Sheffield and at the National Theatre are continuing to tell this important story in the West End, and equally excited that a brilliant new group of actors are joining the cast to bring new perspectives and fresh takes on Chris’s characters and Richard’s songs. Getting the casting right is central to any show’s success, but with this show it feels particularly crucial. The characters in this show might be fictional, but they represent real people's lives, so the actors who embody these roles need to take pride in telling these beautiful human stories, and I’m confident that this incredible cast will do exactly that.”

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, and casting director Stuart Burt CDG.

The original live cast recording of Standing at the Sky’s Edge is available to stream via Spotify and purchase online from major music retailers.

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