Kinky Boots - casting announced
Casting news
CASTING has been announced for the UK premiere of Kinky Boots, which opens at the Adelphi Theatre on September 15, 2015, following preview performances from August 21.
Leading the cast as Charlie and Lola are Killian Donnelly and Matt Henry. They are joined by Amy Lennox (as Lauren), Jamie Baughan (Don), Amy Ross (Nicola) and Michael Hobbs (George).
And completing the cast are Gemma Atkins, Paul Ayers, Jeremy Batt, Arun Blair-Mangat, Marcus Collins, Emma Crossley, Jordan Fox, Callum Francis, Robert Grose, Gillian Hardie, Chloe Hart, Sophie Isaacs, Luke Jackson, Robert Jones, Adam Lake, Catherine Millsom, Sean Needham, Tim Prottey-Jones, Verity Quade, Javier Santos, Dominic Tribuzio, Alan Vicary, Michael Vinsen and Bleu Woodward.
Director and choreographer, Jerry Mitchell said: “Casting the entire London company of Kinky Boots has been an amazing and energizing experience; each character has a true individual significance in this show and that makes it so special. We are delighted to have found our Lola and Charlie in the hugely talented Matt Henry and Killian Donnelly. Both gentlemen will bring effortless charm and sensational voices to the show. I am really looking forward to working with all my wonderful cast on Kinky Boots, which will be my 7th production in the West End.”
Killian Donnelly is currently playing Huey Calhoun in Memphis at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End. His other theatre credits include The Commitments (Palace Theatre), Billy Elliot (Victoria Palace Theatre), The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Les Misérables (Queens Theatre), Michael Collins – A Musical Drama (Cork Opera House), The Full Monty (Olympia Theatre) and West Side Story (Solstice Theatre).
Donnelly has also appeared in the film version of Les Misérables and on television in Showbands (RTÉ) and The Last Furlong (RTÉ).
Matt Henry recorded an album in 2014 after appearing as a finalist on Series 2 of The Voice. His theatre credits include Avenue Q (National Tour), The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe (Northampton), The Harder They Come (Theatre Royal Stratford East, Nottingham Playhouse and National Tour), The Rat Pack Live from Las Vegas, The Frontline (Shakespeare’s Globe), Hair (English Theatre Frankfurt), Saturday Night Fever (National Tour) and Miss Saigon (Cameron Mackintosh).
Henry’s film credits include Muppets Most Wanted and Gulliver’s Travels.
Amy Lennox’ numerous theatre credits include Tracks and The Miniaturists (Arcola Theatre), The Pink Bedroom (Defibrillator), 9 to 5 (UK Tour), Soho Cinders (Soho Theatre), Legally Blonde (Savoy Theatre and UK Tour), Decade (Headlong Theatre), The Secret Garden (Birmingham Rep), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (Royal & Derngate/Assembly Rooms), Peter Pan (West Yorkshire Playhouse) and The Sound of Music (The London Palladium).
Lennox has appeared on screen in Wrong Turn 5, The Cab Ride and Never Let Me Go.
Jamie Baughan has appeared on stage in Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf (Southwark Playhouse), Robin Hood (Bolton Octagon), Chicago (UK and European Tour), Mirror Teeth (Finborough Theatre), Dreams of Violence (Out of Joint, Max Stafford-Clark) and Joe Orton (Phoenix Theatre).
Baughan’s screen credits include Alice in Wonderland – Through the Looking Glass, Legend, The Comedian and Inkheart (film); Hollyoaks, The C Word, Casualty, The Song of Lunch, EastEnders and The Roman Mysteries (TV).
Amy Ross is currently playing Joyce in Sunny Afternoon at the Harold Pinter Theatre after transferring from The Hampstead Theatre. Her other theatre credits include Jesus Chris Superstar (AEG Live Tour), Legally Blonde (UK Tour), Mamma Mia! (West End), Hairspray (Shaftesbury Theatre) and High School Musical (UK Tour).
Michael Hobbs has appeared on stage in Darling of the Day (Union Theatre), Radio Times (Watermill Theatre), Aladdin (Salisbury Playhouse), Who Ate All The Pies (Ladida Productions) and Johnny Johnson (Lost Musicals). He has also appeared on screen in A Fairytale of London Town and My Week With Marilyn.
Inspired by a true story and based on the Miramax film written by Geoff Deane and Tim Firth, Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie Price who has reluctantly inherited his father’s Northampton shoe factory. Trying to live up to his father’s legacy and save the family business from bankruptcy, Charlie finds inspiration in the form of Lola.
A fabulous entertainer in need of some sturdy stilettos, Lola turns out to be the one person who can help Charlie become the man he’s meant to be. As they work to turn the factory around, this unlikely pair finds that they have more in common than they ever dreamed possible… and discovers that when you change your mind, you can change the world.
Read more about Kinky Boots.