The Toxic Avenger - casting announced
Casting news
CASTING has been announced for the European premiere of the smash-hit off-Broadway rock musical The Toxic Avenger, which runs at Southwark Playhouse from April 26 (previews from April 22) to May 21, 2016.
The line up includes Mark Anderson (as ‘Toxie’, The Toxic Avenger), Hannah Grover (Sarah), Lizzii Hills (Ma Ferd, Mayor and Nun), Marc Pickering (White Dude) and Ashley Samuels (Black Dude).
Mark Anderson played Elder Thomas in the original West End cast of The Book of Mormon for two years from 2013 – 2015. His other credits include Legally Blonde, Love Me Tender, Mary Poppins, Stiles and Drewe’s 3 Little Pigs (International Tour), Once Upon A Mattress (Union Theatre), Jack and the Beanstalk, Aladdin (Salisbury Playhouse) and Hello Dolly! (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre).
Hannah Grover most recently played the role of Molly in Ghost the Musical (English Theatre, Frankfurt). Her other leading credits include Evita, Legally Blonde and Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat (UK Tours) and Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales Theatre).
Lizzii Hills’ credits include The Wizard of Oz, Chicago (West End), Karen in EastEnders (BBC), Vanessa in Hollyoaks (Lime Pictures), Guys and Dolls, Crazy For You (Kilworth House Theatre), High Society and The Ratpack (Adelphi Theatre, UK Tour).
When Marc Pickering was 12, he was put forward for and won the role of Young Masbeth in Tim Burton’s film of Sleepy Hollow. He went on to appear in other high-profile films including Calendar Girls and Les Miserables. His theatre credits include The Elephant Man, An Incident at the Border (Trafalgar Studios), The Merchant of Venice (Arcola Theatre), Honeymoon Suite (Hull Truck), The Glee Club (UK Tour), The Wizard of Oz (Royal and Derngate) and The Long and the Short and the Tall (Pleasance Theatre).
On television, Pickering has appeared in Boardwalk Empire and Peter Kay’s Britain’s Got the Pop Factor.
Ashley Samuels played The Doctor in The Book of Mormon (West End) from 2014-2016.
The citizens of Tromaville are crying out for a hero – enter Melvin Ferd the Third, an aspiring earth scientist determined to clean up the toxic waste problem. But when a corrupt Mayor and her government goons try to stop this heroic feat, Melvin is tossed into a vat of toxic waste and transformed into The Toxic Avenger, New Jersey’s first superhero!
‘Toxie’ is a seven-foot mutant freak with superhuman strength and a supersized heart to match. He’s out to save New Jersey, end global warming, woo the prettiest (blindest) librarian in town and get home in time for dinner, in this toxic love story with an environmental twist. Prepare to laugh, scream and sing as ‘Toxie’ rocks the house and saves the day.
The Toxic Avenger is directed by Benji Sperring, with musical direction by Alex Beetschen, set and costume design by Mike Lees, lighting design by Nic Farman, sound design by Andy Johnson and choreography by Lucie Pankhurst.
Read more about The Toxic Avenger.