Major West End guest stars are announced today to appear alongside students from the British Theatre Academy in a stunning semi-staged concert version of ‘Godspell’ at Cadogan Hall on Saturday 29 June.
BTA Artistic Director Matthew Chandler said: “I am so excited about this line-up and giving our kids the opportunity to work with such amazing, inspiring, world class talents. ‘Godspell’ promises to be an unforgettable experience for them all.”
The guest stars are: Laura Baldwin (currently playing Dawn in Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre, Eugenius!), Luke Bayer (Jamie New in Everybody’s Taliking About Jamie), Max Bowden (EastEnders’ bad boy Ben Mitchell) Rachel John (Olivier award-nominated as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton), Ramin Karimloo (The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera on Broadway and in the West End, Tony nominated as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables on Broadway and currently in BBC1’s Holby City).
Full of charm, warmth and great philosophy, Godspell, the heart-lifting feel-good Broadway musical from Stephen Schwartz (Wicked), featuring such the songs Day By Day, Prepare Ye, Turn Back O Man and Beautiful City. It is being performed by a cast of talented new young performers of The British Theatre Academy, the award winning youth theatre which has been set up to give young people who can not afford to access theatre training the opportunity to work with top creatives in venues around the country.
Director Dean Johnson. Musical Director James Taylor. Choreographer Thea Butler.
A cast of 350 British Theatre Academy performers are currently rehearsing for their annual summer season at Southwark Playhouse. This year they are presenting Once On This Island, Disney’s My Son Pinocchio, Dogfight and a new one-hour version of Footloose. This comes after the success of Bring It On last year’s sell out production that was watched by Lin Manuel Miranda.
The British Theatre Academy was set up to give talented young people the opportunity to perform in top venues nationwide for free. Previous acclaimed productions include The Secret Garden, The
Adventures of Pinocchio, and 13 the Musical (staged in West End seasons at the Ambassadors Theatre), last year’s sell-out production of Bring It On and Goodnight Mr Tom (Offie nominated as Best Production for Young People 8+) at Southwark Playhouse, and Annie Jr and Spring Awakening. During last year’s Southwark Playhouse season, Lin-Manuel Miranda surprised the cast of the BTA’s critically acclaimed production of his early musical Bring It On telling them: “You did an amazing job, I’m so proud and this was so wonderful. You made my wife cry!”
