Dusty - cast and opening night confirmed
Casting news
THE world premiere of Dusty, a new British musical about the rise to fame of 60s superstar Dusty Springfield, is currently previewing at Charing Cross Theatre. With a press night now confirmed for Monday, September 7, the production is booking until November 21, 2015.
Dusty puts Dusty herself and her amazing voice in the heart of the action. It tells the incredible story of how Mary Isobel Catherine Bernadette O’Brien became Dusty Springfield, one of the biggest selling female artists and an icon of the 60s, as seen through the eyes of Nancy Jones, one of her childhood friends.
Throughout her career, Dusty Springfield, a musical perfectionist, chases her own unique sound. She turns music studios upside down, records in toilets and corridors to get just the sound she wants – and produces some of the most unforgettable songs ever.
At the same time, she embraces the outsider in society, breaks rules, introduces England to Tamla Motown, ‘The Sound Of Black America’, beats a path to America as part of the British Invasion and gets deported from South Africa for allowing blacks to attend her whites only concerts in the Apartheid era.
Springfield’s solo career began in 1963 with the upbeat pop hit, I Only Want to Be with You, and was followed by many hit songs including Wishin’ and Hopin’, I Just Don’t Know What to Do with Myself, You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me and Son of a Preacher Man.
With her distinctive, sensual sound Dusty Springfield became the best-selling female singer in the world with six top 20 singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 and 16 on the UK Singles Chart from 1963 to 1989.
Today, she continues to be an inspiration for many female artists and is often the benchmark by which they are judged. Her popularity still endures, with her music regularly played on radio, television and in films.
Dusty the musical is a celebration of a peerless career and a tribute to the finest blue-eyed soul singer Britain has ever seen.
The cast includes Alison Arnopp (as Dusty/Mary O’Brien), Francesca Jackson (Nancy Jones), Graham Kent (Gerrard ‘OB’ O’Brien), Leo Elso (Dion O’Brien/Tom Springfield), Sienna Sebek (Norma), Harvey Robinson (Dave Dean), Witney White (Martha Reeves), Luke Thornton (Douggie Reece), Matt Blaker (Johnny Franz), Oliver Lynes (Vic Billing) and Ellen Verenieks (Kay O’Brien).
Ensemble members are Jemma Geanaus (Maddie), Nikkola Burnhope, Amanda Digón Mata, Megan Makin and Jonathan de Mallet Morgan.
Dusty is written by Chris Cowey, Madpan Entertainments Ltd and Kim Weild with dramaturg Jack Bradley. The director is Chris Cowey and co-director and choreographer is Joey McKneely, with additional direction by Christian Durham.
Set designs are by Phil Lindley, with lighting by Richard Williamson, sound by Paul Gavin and James Nicholson, musical supervision by Dean Austin, orchestrations and additional arrangements by Noam Galperin, costume design by Jason Kealer and wig design by Darren Evans.
Dusty is produced in the West End by Freddie Madden, Duncan Sibbald and Patrice Wilson for Five Foot 2 Blonde Ltd and Darren P. DeVerna. Andrew Green and Ben White are Executive Producers, and Paul Howes is Associate Producer.