From Here to Eternity the brand new musical coming to London’s West End Sept/Oct 2013

Previews from 30 September Shaftesbury Theatre London

Casting has been announced for the world premiere of Tim Rice and Stuart Brayson’s new stage musical From Here to Eternity which begins previews at the Shaftesbury Theatre on 30 September. Darius Campbell (Chicago, West End) will play Warden, Siubhan Harrison (Grease, West End) will play Lorene, Robert Lonsdale (Anna Christie, Donmar Warehouse) will play Prewitt, Ryan Sampson (Open Court, Royal Court) will play Maggio and Rebecca Thornhill (South Pacific, UK tour) will play Karen.

The cast also includes Keisha Amponsa Banson, Marc Antolin, Julie Armstrong, James Ballanger, John Brannoch, Abigail Climer, Brian Doherty, Jessica Ellen, Dale Evans, Shimi Goodman, Kirby Hughes, Lauren Ingram, Dean John-Wilson, Joshua Lacey, Carolyn Maitland, Nuno Queimado, Lucinda Shaw, Warren Sollars, David Stoller, Rebecca Sutherland, Laura Tyrer, Adam Vaughan, Lauren Varnham, Stephen Webb and Matthew Wesley.

The official plot synopsis of FROM HERE TO ETERNITY is as follows: “Pearl Harbor, 1941, where the girls sing ‘don’cha like Hawaii,’ the men of G Company sing the blues, and where even on an army base, love and desire are never very far away. When the troubled Private Prewitt falls for the kind hearted escort club girl Lorene, and when his platoon sergeant, Warden, embarks on a dangerous affair with his commanding officer’s wife, Karen, the lives of both men are set on a course they cannot control. As war approaches, the worlds of the four lovers and the soldiers of G Company are dramatically ripped apart.”

Adapted from one of the greatest novels of the twentieth century, this gripping tale of illicit love and army life unites the writing talents ofTim Rice (lyrics), Stuart Brayson (music) and Bill Oakes (book). It marks Tim’s first new stage musical for over ten years and Stuart’s West End début.

Published in 1951, From Here to Eternity was James Jones’ début novel. It won him the National Book Award for fiction in 1952. The narrative is loosely based on Jones’ experiences in the pre-World War II Hawaiian Division’s 27th Infantry and the unit in which he served. In 1953 the novel was adapted into a film directed by Fred Zinnemann and produced by Buddy Adler, starring Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, Montgomery Clift, Ernest Borgnine, Deborah Kerr and Donna Reed. The film won 8 Academy Awards out of 13 nominations.

 

 

 

Principal Roles and Cast members

 

Warden – Darius Campbell	Darius Campbell (born Darius Campbell-Danesh, 19 August 1980), also known professionally either as Darius Danesh or Darius, is a Scottish platinum-selling singer-songwriter, a West End stage actor, an operatic baritone, an author, and an Ambassador for The Prince’s Trust.
Lorene – Siubhan Harrison	Singer-and West End Actor, performed in West End shows such as, Les Miserables, We Will Rock You, Grease and Marguerite, as well as the Opera Carmen, and UK tours of the musicals, The Stripper and Bad Girls. I have appeared in plays at the Almedia, Tristan Bates and Finborough and for Headlong Theatre company.
Private Prewitt – Robert Lonsdale	West End, Broadway, Film and TV Actor. Trained at the Academy of Live and Recorded Arts in London, graduating in 2008. Starred in Brilliant Adventures, A Life,Made in Dagenham, From Here to Eternity(Work Shop), Anna Christie, Finding Neverland, La Bete.
Maggio – Ryan Sampson	Ryan Oliver Sampson (born 28 November 1985) is an English actor best known for playing Grumio in the British sitcom Plebs and Alex Venables in After You’ve Gone, where he played the son of Jimmy Venables, played by Nicholas Lyndhurst. Theatre includes -Floyd Collins, The Kitchen Sink,Sixty Six Books,Canary,Dido, Queen of Carthage,The Miracle
Karen – Rebecca Thornhill	Singer, West End, Film and TV Actor. Theatre Credits include Mary Poppins, Show Boat, Showstopper, Chicago, Ragtime, The Full Monty, Witches of Eastwick, Les Miserables, Oklahoma! Concerts – Broadway to West end, Three Witches, Gilbert O,Sullivan, Les Miserables 10 Anniversary, Songs of Jason Robert Brown.

Full Cast

Keisha Amponsa Banson Ensemble (Trio)
Marc Antolin (Clark)
Julie Armstrong Ensemble (Mrs Kipfer)
James Ballanger Ensemble
John Brannoch Ensemble (Tommy)
Darius Campbell (Warden)
Abigail Climer Ensemble
Brian Doherty Judson
Jessica Ellen Swing
Dale Evans Swing
Shimi Goodman Drag Queen
Siubhan Harrison Lorene
Kirby Hughes Ensemble
Lauren Ingram Swing
Dean John-Wilson Ensemble (Cadet)
Joshua Lacey Bloom
Robert Lonsdale Prewitt
Carolyn Maitland Ensemble
Nuno Queimado Ensemble
Ryan Sampson Maggio
Lucinda Shaw Ensemble (Sandra, Trio)
Warren Sollars Anderson
David Stoller Galovitch
Rebecca Sutherland Ensemble
Rebecca Thornhill Karen
Laura Tyrer Ensemble (Billie)
Lauren Varnham Ensemble
Adam Vaughan Ensemble
Stephen Webb Ensemble(Hal)
Matthew Wesley Swing (Dance Captain)

Creative

Tim Rice Lyrics & Producer
Stuart Brayson Music
Bill Oakes Book
Tamara Harvey Director
Soutra Gilmour Set & Costume Designer
Javier De Frutos Choreographer
Bruno Poet Lighting Designer
Mick Potter Sound Designer
Jon Driscoll Video Designer
David White Orchestrator & Musical Supervisor
Kate Waters Fight Director
Pippa Ailion CDG Casting Director
James Jones Novelist
Lee Menzies Producer

From Here to Eternity the Musical WebSite

 

In 1953 the novel was adapted into a film directed by Fred Zinnemann and produced by Buddy Adler, starring Burt Lancaster, Frank Sinatra, Montgomery Clift, Ernest Borgnine, Deborah Kerr and Donna Reed. The film won 8 Academy Awards out of 13 nominations.