Video: Watch highlights from the UK premiere of Becoming Nancy Musical

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Video: Watch highlights from the UK premiere of Become Nancy musical

Jerry Mitchell directs the coming-of-age musical with a score by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe.

The UK premiere of the new musical become Nancy, Previews began on October 2nd and will officially open at Birmingham Rep on October 15th. Watch highlights from the production, directed and choreographed by Tony winner Jerry Mitchell, in the video above.

The coming-of-age musical, which had its world premiere at Atlanta’s Alliance Theater in 2019, continues through November 2nd.

The company is led by Joseph Peacock (The Last Ship) as David Starr, Joseph Vella (Fame) as Maxie Boswell, Paige Peddie (Book of Mormon) as Frances Bailey, Olivier winner Rebecca Trehearn (Cinderella) as Kath Starr, Genevieve Nicole (Dr. Seuss The Grinch Musical Live) as Aunt Val, Mathew Craig (Crazy about you) as Eddie Starr, Olivier winner Stephen Ashfield (The Book of Mormon) as Hamish McClarnon, Daisy Greenwood (Made in Degenham concert) as Abigail Henson, Layla Armstrong-Hughes as Marcia Tubbert, Isaac Elder as Squirrel, Tom Andrew Hargreaves as Bus Conductor/Mr. Boswell, Sebastian Harwood as Jason Lancaster, Lucas Impey as Dennis Gordon, Dominique McIntyre as Chrissie Starr, Richard Meek as Bob Lord and Rachel Rawlinson as Muriel/Mrs. Boswell.

Ensemble members include Shannon Bourne, Joseph Craig, Cameron Gabriel, Ollie Hart-Bradford, Peter Lavery, Zara McLellan and Harry Warburton with swingers Elliot Copeland, Jessica Daugirda and Jordan Isaac.

The production previously released a six-track EP with songs from the score.

Based on the novel by Terry Ronald, Become Nancy features a book by Elliot Davis, music by George Stiles and lyrics by Anthony Drewe, and additional music and lyrics by Ronald, Davis and Stiles. (Stiles and Drew’s production of Horn! won the Olivier Award for Best Musical in 2000.)

Become Nancy is set in 1979 and David Starr is undoubtedly one of the brightest and most talented high school students in East Dulwich and much to his surprise he has just landed the female lead in the school play. The unconventional line-up sends shockwaves through everyone around him.

The new musical also features co-set design by David Rockwell and TJ Greenway, costume design by Jean Chan, lighting design by Philip Rosenberg, sound design by Tony Gayle, video design by Dick Straker, hair and makeup -Design by Susanna Peretz and musical direction and arrangements by Steve Anderson and casting by Jill Green with casting partners Tom Shiels and Olivia Laydon.

Director Mitchell, who first discovered the novel at Heathrow Airport in 2013, said in an earlier statement: “Become Nancyis about finding love. Love for yourself, love for others and love for what matters most in life. As soon as I saw The Rep and visited Birmingham I knew it was the right place to open the show. It has been a privilege to turn Terry’s beautiful story into a musical and we are all looking forward to working on the show and sharing this beautiful musical with Birmingham, the rest of the UK and the world.”

Birmingham Rep’s artistic director, Sean Foley, added: “I’m delighted to announce this Become Nancyand welcoming the extraordinary Jerry Mitchell and his world-class creative team to The Rep. When I first saw and heard this touching, funny and relevant show at the workshop stage, I knew we had to help make it possible and produce it. Stiles and Drewe, along with Elliot Davis and original writer Terry Ronald, have created as exciting, often hilarious and heartbreaking a show about first love and selfhood as anyone could hope for. I’m sure Birmingham itself will fall in love with this brilliant new musical.”

The director and choreographer Mitchell received Tony Awards for Best Choreography for Kinky boots And La cage Aux Folles. He was also nominated for a Tony for Best Choreography The Full Monty, Haarspray, Never Gonna Dance, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, And Legally blonde and for best direction of a musical for Perverse Boots. He was also awarded the 2023 Isabelle Stevenson Tony Award in recognition of his commitment and contributions to Broadway Cares and for more than three decades of volunteer work in the arts.

Mitchell also takes over the management The devil wears Prada, which opens in the West End later this month.

Visit Birmingham Rep.co.uk.

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