Grand Hotel - see the big Charleston showstopper in rehearsal
Casting news
CHECK out Director Thom Southerland and Choreographer Lee Proud discussing Grand Hotel and revealing the show’s big Charleston showstopper in rehearsal at www.youtube.com/.
Previously Posted: Check out this exclusive video of Victoria Serra as Flaemmchen, a pretty young typist who has theatrical ambitions, singing her big Act 1 number, The Girl in the Mirror, by Maury Yeston.
Previously Posted: Full casting has been announced for the new London production of the acclaimed Broadway musical Grand Hotel, which runs at Southwark Playhouse from August 5 (previews from July 31) to September 5, 2015.
The Grand Hotel in 1928 Berlin is bustling with eccentric and sometimes dubious guests.
Amongst them are a fading prima ballerina being forced to dance again; a fatally ill Jewish bookkeeper who wants to spend his final days living in luxury; a young, handsome, but destitute Baron; a cynical doctor suffering from World War I wounds; an honest businessman going bad as he faces financial ruin and a typist dreaming of Hollywood stardom.
Over the course of a weekend, their extraordinary stories interweave with each other and the hotel’s hard-working staff.
The 17-strong international cast are:
Christine Grimandi (as Elizaveta Grushinskaya) is an acclaimed Italian Musical Theatre star making her eagerly awaited UK stage debut. Her previous starring roles include three years as Norma Desmond in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, Mrs Potts in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Grisabella in Cats, Anita in West Side Story (all in Germany) and the Mother Superior in The Sound of Music (Rome).
Scott Garnham (Baron Felix Von Gaigern) has just played Edgar Beane in the transfer of Titanic to the Princess of Wales Theatre in Toronto. His West End roles include Buddy Cortina in Made in Dagenham (Adelphi Theatre) and covering Liam O’Deary in I Can’t Sing! (London Palladium).
George Rae (Otto Kringelein) was Timon in Disney’s The Lion King, TJ in Sister Act, Ko-Ko in The Mikado (UK tour) and had featured roles in Whisky Galore – A Musical!, Kiss Me Kate and Company.
Victoria Serra (Flaemmchen) has just played Kate McGowan in the transfer of Titanic to Toronto, a role she created in London. Her other leading roles include Sophie in Mamma Mia! (international tour) and Jenny in Love Story (Union Theatre).
Philip Rham (Colonel-Doctor Otternschlag) has just played Captain Smith in the transfer of Titanic to Toronto, a role he also created at Southwark Playhouse. He was also Judge Roan in Tarento’s Parade at Southwark Playhouse.
Jacob Chapman’s (Hermann Preysing) West End credits include playing the rebel leader in We Will Rock You (Dominion Theatre) and Combeferre and understudying Jean Valjean in Les Misérables (Queens Theatre). His other roles included Pish-Tush in The Mikado (Charing Cross Theatre) and Henri in Carnival Of The Animals (Riverside Studios).
Valerie Cutko (Raffaela) played Mrs Mullin in Carousel at the Arcola Theatre and Fraulein Kost in Cabaret, directed by Rufus Norris. She was in the original Broadway cast of Grand Hotel.
Jonathan Stewart (Erik) has just played George Button in A Damsel in Distress at Chichester Festival Theatre. He was Pinocchio in the original West End cast of Shrek.
James Gant (Rohna/Zinnowitz) has recently played both Jean Valjean and Javert in Les Misérables in the West End. He also had featured roles in the UK tours of Evita, Jekyll & Hyde and Oliver!
Charles Hagerty (Sandor/Chauffeur) was in the original Broadway cast of If/Then. His other major musicals include Wicked, Jesus Christ Superstar and Les Misérables.
Paul Iveson (Witt) has been in Jersey Boys (West End), Annie Get Your Gun (Young Vic) and Hello, Dolly! (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).
Completing the cast are Rhiannon Howys, Jammy Kasongo, Ceili O’Connor, Durone Stokes, Samuel J Weir and Leah West.
Grand Hotel reunites producer Danielle Tarento and director Thom Southerland, the team behind the multi award-winning production of Titanic, which played at Southwark Playhouse in Summer 2013.
Read more about Grand Hotel.