Simon-Anthony Rhoden takes on the role of Lola and Emmerdale star Verity Rushworth joins the cast as Lauren in West End hit KINKY BOOTS, which extends until Saturday 24 March 2018.
Kinky Boots, the winner of every major Best Musical award, is pleased to announce that Simon- Anthony Rhoden will take on the role of Lola and Verity Rushworth, popular with TV viewers for her role as Donna Windsor in ITV’s Emmerdale, will star as Lauren from Monday 10 July 2017. Kinky Boots, which recently played its 700th performance at London’s Adelphi Theatre, today also announces the opening of a new booking period until Saturday 24 March 2018, with tickets on sale from Friday 5 May 2017.
Also joining Kinky Boots from Monday 10 July 2017 will be Jed Berry, Momar Diagne, Lauren Drew, Dale Evans, Jordan Fox, Rosie Glossop, Keith Higham, Ben Jennings, Georgia Louise, Emma Odell, Antony Reed and Tom Scanlon.
Continuing with the show are current cast members David Hunter (Charlie Price), Alan Mehdizadeh (Don), Cordelia Farnworth (Nicola), Michael Hobbs (George), Suzie McAdam, Jemal Felix, George Grayson, Robert Grose, Melissa Jacques, Robert Jones, Jane Milligan, Robin Mills, Sean Needham, Jon Reynolds and Dominic Tribuzio.
Matt Henry (Lola) and Elena Skye (Lauren) will play their final performances on Saturday 8 July 2017.
Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre has become a favourite with UK theatregoers having won three Olivier Awards for Best New Musical, Best Costume Design and Best Actor in a Musical for Matt Henry who plays Lola. Kinky Boots also won the London Evening Standard BBC Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical as well as three WhatsOnStage Awards for Best New Musical, Best Actor in a Musical and Best Choreography.
With a book by Broadway legend and four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage aux Folles), and songs by Grammy® and Tony® winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper, this joyous musical celebration is about the friendships we discover, and the belief that you can change the world when you change your mind.
Inspired by true events, Kinky Boots takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos.
With direction and choreography by two-time Tony® Award-winner Jerry Mitchell (Legally Blonde, Hairspray), Kinky Boots is the winner of every major Best Musical award including three Olivier Awards, three WhatsOnStage Awards as well as six Broadway Tony® Awards.
Simon-Anthony Rhoden (Lola) is currently the understudy for Lola in Kinky Boots (Adelphi Theatre). His theatre credits include Ash in Marianne (New Wimbledon Theatre); Devon in Married to the Game (Theatre 503); Man in If I Should Stay (Soho); Lance in Beauty’s Legacy (The Keeper’s Daughter); Jim Conley in Parade (Edinburgh Fringe). Television credits include Let it Snow, and Simon-Anthony has also appeared on film in 2 Birds and a Wrench and Blue.
David Hunter (Charlie Price) has numerous theatre credits including Guy in Once (Phoenix Theatre); One Man, Two Guvnors (National Theatre, Adelphi and UK tour); Tommy (Prince Edward), Seussical (Arts); The Hired Man (Leicester Curve and Colchester Mercury); Pub (The Royal Exchange); Spinach (The Royal Exchange) and The Mayor of Zalamea (Liverpool Everyman). In 2012 David reached the semi-finals of ITV’s Superstar, competing to play the role of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar. As the front man of Pop/Rock band Reemer, he has earned huge support slots playing alongside The Feeling, Scouting for Girls and McFly on their UK arena tour.
Verity Rushworth (Lauren) has multiple theatre credits which include Vera Claythorne in And Then There Were None (UK tour); Velma Kelly in Chicago (Leicester Curve); Penny Lane in Carnaby Street the Musical (UK tour); Beth and Meg in Merrily We Roll Along (Theatr Clwyd); The Girl in The Seven Year Itch (Salisbury Playhouse); Grace Farrell in Annie (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Maria Rainer in The Sound of Music (UK tour); Sophie in Departure Lounge (Waterloo East); and her West End debut as Penny Pingleton in Hairspray (Shaftesbury). At the age of 12, Verity landed the role of Donna Windsor in Emmerdale (ITV), a role which she played for over 11 years. Verity recently returned to reprise her role as Donna for a dramatic and final award-winning five month stint.
Alan Mehdizadeh (Don) has appeared on stage in Billy Elliot the Musical (Victoria Palace, including the live cinema broadcast, DVD release, and 10th anniversary gala performance); Swap! (UK tour); The Incredible Book Eating Boy (The MAC Belfast and Cahoots NI); Robin Hood (Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury); Jack and the Beanstalk (Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds); Watership Down (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (UK tour) and Reg in Table Manners (What Was That Productions). Alan has also appeared on television in Grange Hill (BBC).
Cordelia Farnworth (Nicola) has extensive theatre credits including Sunset Boulevard (London Coliseum); Ultimate Broadway Shanghai (GWB Entertainment); Rock of Ages (UK tour, Shaftesbury Theatre and Garrick Theatre); Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (Cliffs Pavillion); The Wizard of Oz (Larnaka Patticion Ampitheatre) and Mamma Mia! (Prince of Wales and international tour). Credits whilst training: Copacabana and Hot Mikado. Her film credits include Beauty and the Beast (Mandeville Films).
Michael Hobbs (George) 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). Michael has also appeared on screen in A Fairytale of London Town (Mutt & Jeff Pictures) and My Week With Marilyn (Trademark Films).
Kinky Boots is produced by Daryl Roth and Hal Luftig, James L. Nederlander, Terry Allen Kramer, Playful Productions, CJ E&M, Jayne Baron Sherman, Just for Laughs Theatricals/Judith Ann Abrams, Yasuhiro Kawana, Jane Bergère, Allan S. Gordon & Adam S. Gordon, Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Lucy and Phil Suarez, Bryan Bantry, Ron Fierstein & Dorsey Regal, Independent Presenters Network, Jim Kierstead/Gregory Rae, BB Group/Christina Papagjika, Brian Smith/Tom & Connie Walsh, Warren Trepp, and Jujamcyn Theaters, in association with Cameron Mackintosh.
