THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, the brand-new stage musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked, Godspell), a book by Philip LaZebnik(Mulan, Pocahontas) and based on the celebrated DreamWorks Animation film, today announces further casting for its West End premiere production. Joe Dixon (Seti), Debbie Kurup (Queen Tuya), Gary Wilmot (Jethro), Adam Pearce (Hotep), Tanisha Spring (Nefertari) and Silas Wyatt-Barke (Aaron) join the previously announced Luke Brady (Moses), Liam Tamne (Ramses), Christine Allado (Tzipporah) and Alexia Khadime (Miriam). Further casting to be announced.
Joe Dixon (Seti) is an Associate Artist of the RSC where his leading roles have included: ‘Catiline’ and ‘Antony’ in Imperium I & II; ‘Caliban’ in The Tempest with Simon Russell Beale; ‘Tu'an Gu’ in The Orphan of Zhao; ‘Afanasii Pushkin’ in Boris Godunov; ‘Achilles’ in Troilus and Cressida; ‘Bottom’ in A Midsummer Night's Dream; ‘Armando’ in Love's Labour's Lost; ‘Aaron’ in Titus Andronicus; ‘Mendoza’ in The Malcontent; ‘King of Bakam’ in The Island Princess; ‘Oberon’ in A Midsummer Night's Dream; ‘Antipholus of Syracuse’ in The Comedy of Errors and, as part of the Olivier Award-winning Jacobean Season, ‘Paris’ in The Roman Actor (Olivier Award nomination, ‘Best Performance in a Supporting Role’). His many other stage roles include: ‘Camillo’ in A Winter’s Tale (National Theatre); ‘Dionysus’ in The Bacchae (South Bank Centre) and, for Cheek By Jowl, ‘Jacques’ in As You Like It (Ian Charleson Award). His major television roles include: ‘Philip’ in A.D. Kingdom and Empire (NBC); ‘Ramos’ in Atlantis (BBC); ‘Nick’ in 32 Brinkburn Street (BBC); ‘The Chancellor’ in Doctor Who: The End of Time (BBC); ‘Robert Lloyd’ in Criminal Justice (BBC); ‘DI Simon Rush’ in Silent Witness: Suffer The Children(BBC); ‘Eylot’ in Holding On (BBC) and ‘Terry Moir’ in The Manageress (Channel 4). His also played ‘Jacques’ in the film The Mummy Returns alongside Brendan Fraser, Rachel Weisz and John Hannah.
Debbie Kurup (Queen Tuya) is currently appearing in Blues in the Night (Kiln Theatre). Her numerous leading theatre roles include: ‘Helene’ in Sweet Charity (Donmar Warehouse); ‘Mrs Neilson’ in Girl from the North Country (West End and The Old Vic); ‘Lucy Brown’ in The Threepenny Opera (National Theatre); ‘Velma Kelly’ in Chicago (West End); ‘Reno Sweeney’ in Anything Goes (Sheffield Theatres and national tour); ‘KT’ in the original West End cast of Sister Act; ‘Mimi’ in Rent (West End); ‘Carmen’ in Fame The Musical (national tour) and as ‘Nicki Marron’ in the original West End cast of The Bodyguard, for which she received Olivier, WhatsOnStage and BroadwayWorld Award nominations.
Gary Wilmot (Jethro), the much-loved actor, singer, comedian, impressionist and presenter, first came to prominence on the ITV show New Faces in 1978. Over the subsequent 40+ years, his prolific career has encompassed hundreds of television appearances, with shows including: Cue Gary!; Punchlines; The Saturday Gang; You & Me; So You Want To Be Top?; Copy Cats; Get Fresh; Never Mind the Buzzcocks; Diamonds Are Forever: The Don Black Songbook and the spectacular Showstoppers, and multiple acclaimed stage roles, including his debut in 1989 as ‘Bill Snibson’ in Me and My Girl in the West End (and subsequently on national tour, TMA ‘Best Actor’ nomination) and his most recent show-stopping performances in Dick Whittington and Snow White at the London Palladium. His many other leading stage roles include: ‘Ali Hakin’ in Oklahoma! (national tour); ‘Caractacus Potts’ in Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang (London Palladium and national tour); ‘Fagin’ in the Cameron Mackintosh production of Oliver! (national tour); ‘Billy Flynn’ in Chicago (national tour); ‘Bottom’ in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and ‘Dick Deadeye’ in HMS Pinafore (both at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre) and ‘Joe’ in Carmen Jones (The Old Vic). He has appeared on the Royal Variety Show, been the subject of This Is Your Life and received an MBE in the 2018 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for services to Drama and charity. Prior to THE PRINCE OF EGYPT, Gary is making his National Theatre debut in Mr Gum and the Dancing Bear - The Musical and will return to the London Palladium to star in Goldilocks and the Three Bears.
Adam Pearce (Hotep) is currently playing ‘Augustin Magaldi’ in Evita (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), directed by Jamie Lloyd. He played ‘Max von Mayerling’ in the acclaimed national tour of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Sunset Boulevard, opposite Ria Jones and Danny Mac. His many West End credits include: Les Misérables; Sweeney Todd (directed by Jonathan Kent); Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (with Lee Mead); Evita (directed by Michael Grandage) and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Love Never Dies. He made his National Theatre debut in The Light Princess (directed by Marianne Elliott).
Tanisha Spring (Nefertari) recently played ‘Crystal’ in Little Shop of Horrors (Storyhouse), directed by Stephen Mear. Her other credits include: Caroline, or Change (West End); Big Fish (The Other Palace); One Love - The Bob Marley Musical (Birmingham Rep); Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (West End) and the film Rocketman, directed by Dexter Fletcher.
Silas Wyatt-Barke (Aaron) played ‘Sir Andrew Aguecheek’ in Kwame Kwei-Armah and Shaina Taub’s musical adaptation of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night(Young Vic). His other credits include: As You Like It (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre); Much Ado About Nothing (Rose Theatre Kingston); Alan Bennett’s Forty Years On (Chichester Festival Theatre); The Go-Between (West End); Dr Seuss' The Lorax (The Old Vic and Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto) and Sunny Afternoon (West End).
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT will star Luke Brady (Moses), Liam Tamne (Ramses), Christine Allado (Tzipporah), Alexia Khadime (Miriam), Joe Dixon(Seti), Debbie Kurup (Queen Tuya), Gary Wilmot (Jethro), Adam Pearce (Hotep), Tanisha Spring (Nefertari) and Silas Wyatt-Barke (Aaron). Further casting to be announced.
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is directed by Scott Schwartz with choreography by Sean Cheesman; set designs by Kevin Depinet; costume designs by Ann Hould-Ward; lighting design by Mike Billings; sound design by Gareth Owen; projection designs by Jon Driscoll; illusion designs by Chris Fisher; orchestrations by August Eriksmoen; musical supervision and arrangements by Dominick Amendum; musical direction by Dave Rose and casting by Jim Arnold CDG.
Performances begin at London’s Dominion Theatre on Wednesday 5 February 2020, with an official West End premiere on Tuesday 25 February 2020, for a limited 32-week engagement. Tickets are now available via www.ThePrinceofEgyptMusical.com
THE PRINCE OF EGYPT has music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz and a book by Philip LaZebnik and features 10 new songs written by Stephen Schwartz, together with 5 of his acclaimed songs from the DreamWorks Animation film, including Deliver Us, All I Ever Wanted, Through Heaven’s Eyesand the Academy Award®-winning When You Believe.
Journey through the wonders of Ancient Egypt as two young men, raised together as brothers in a kingdom of privilege, find themselves suddenly divided by a secret past. One must rule as Pharaoh, the other must rise up and free his true people; both face a destiny that will change history forever.
A milestone in cinematic achievement, DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt captivated audiences across the world and recently celebrated its 20thAnniversary. Hailed as “an outstanding artistic achievement” (Variety) and “a stunning film” (The Guardian), it remains one of the most beloved and acclaimed animated feature films of all time.
The Academy Award®-winning song When You Believe, recorded by Whitney Houston and Mariah Carey in 1998, went on to become a global hit. In 2007, Simon Cowell selected it as the winner’s single for the UK’s popular TV show The X-Factor, spending three weeks at the top of the UK charts.
Developmental productions of THE PRINCE OF EGYPT were presented at TheatreWorks Silicon Valley (winner of the 2019 Regional Theatre Tony Award®) and Fredericia Teater Denmark.
The West End premiere production of THE PRINCE OF EGYPT is produced by DreamWorks Theatricals (a division of Universal Theatrical Group), Michael McCabe and Neil Laidlaw.
