The national tour of Cameron Mackintosh and Chichester Festival Theatre's production of Barnum will open at Leicester Curve on 5 September 2014. The tour will star Brian Conley in the title role, alongside Linzi Hateley as Chairy.
Cy Coleman's 1980 Broadway musical follows the life of Phineas T Barnum, America's "Greatest Showman". The score includes "Come Follow The Band", "The Colours Of My Life" and "There Is A Sucker Born Ev'ry Minute".
The revival, directed by Open Air Theatre's Timothy Sheader, was first seen at Chichester Festival Theatre's temporary Theatre in the Park in July last year.
Linzi Hateley created the role of Mrs Banks in Mary Poppins on stage and was nominated for an Olivier Award for her performance as The Narrator in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She most recently appeared in the National Theatre's hit production of London Road, which is currently being adapted for the big screen.
They will be joined by Kimberly Blake (Jenny Lind), Mikey Jay-Heath (Tom Thumb), Landi Oshinowo (Joice Heth/Blues Singer) and John Stacey (Ringmaster/Bailey).
The ensemble includes Georgie Ashford, Alison Connell, David Birch, Nick Butcher, Stefan Dermendjiev, Silvia Dopazo, Pascal Haering, Erin Jameson, Courtney-Mae Briggs, Jen Robinson, Louis Stockil, Lucy Thatcher and Edward Wade. Swings will include: Greg Bernstein, Chris Gage, Rebecca Hawkins and Joanna Goodwin.
Chichester’s production of Barnum was directed by Timothy Sheader and was billed as a “revised version” of the Cy Coleman musical by Mackintosh and Mark Bramble. It ran from July to August this year, starring Christopher Fitzgerald in the title role, and opened to mixed reviews.
While The Independent labelled the production “mind-numbing”, The Stage praised the “energy and sheer pizzazz of Andrew Wright’s dance numbers” and described the show as “extremely slick”.
