Rehearsals are underway for the upcoming U.K. world premiere of Douglas Carter Beane's musical adaptation of To Wong Foo. The new musical will take the stage at Hope Mill Theatre October 21 ahead of an October 26 opening night, with the run continuing through December 17.
Based on the film To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar, the story centers on three drag queens in the midst of a cross country road trip. The film was one of the first mainstream positive depictions of drag as an art, rather than as the butt of a joke. Beane, who penned the film's screenplay, has written the musical's book. Music and lyrics are by Lewis Flinn (Lysistrata Jones). Beane is also helming the world premiere.
Theo Maddix and Natalie Day
Peter Caulfield, Emily Ooi, Gregory Haney, and Pablo Gomez Jones
Pablo Gomez Jones, Gregory Haney, Peter Caulfield, and Douglas Carter Beane
Pablo Gomez Jones and Peter Caulfield
Ayesha Maynard, Scott Hunter, Jermaine Woods, Arthur Boan, Samantha Bingley, and Natalie Day
Alexander Kranz and Pablo Gomez Jones
Lee Harris
Gregory Haney and Susie Fenwick
Duncan Burt
Carolyn Maitland and Peter Caulfield
The cast is led by Peter Caulfield (Tammy Faye) as Vida Boheme, Gregory Haney (Tina) as Noxeema Jackson, and Pablo Gómez Jones (In Dreams) as Chichi Rodríguez, along with Carolyn Maitland (Next to Normal) as Carol Ann, Duncan Burt (Friendsical) as Sheriff Dollard, Alexander Kranz as Bobby Ray, Arthur Boan (Oklahoma!) as Tommy Paul, Ayesha Maynard (Hairspray) as Beulah June, Emily Ooi (Miss Saigon) as Bobby Lee, Jermaine Woods (Sister Act) as Willie Joe/John Jacob, Lee Harris (Les Misérables) as Ed Earl/Crazy Elijah, Natalie Day (The Mystery of Edwin Drood) as Mary Lou, Scott Hunter (The Play That Goes Wrong) as Billy Budd, Susie Fenwick (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical) as Clara Pearl, Samantha Bingley (Beauty and the Beast) as Rose of Sharon, and Theo Maddix (Cabaret) as Rachel Tensions/Jimmy Jack.
Rounding out the company are Jamil Abbasi (Great British Bake-Off Musical) and Megan Davies-Truin (Jerry Springer the Opera).
The production features choreography by Jane McMurtrie, musical supervision by Brad Simmons, set design by Katie Lias, costume design by Gregory Gale, wig design by Bobbie Zlotnik, make up design by Andrew Sotomayor, sound design by Sam Glossop, lighting design by Jack Weir, video design by Dan Light, musical direction by Andrew Hilton, associate direction by Joseph Houston, intimacy coordination and fight direction by Haruka Kurado, associate costume design by Rachel Tansey, and casting by Sarah Leung.
Visit HopeMillTheatre.co.uk.
