BLONDE is a new musical co-produced by Kristian Thomas Company & Tom Hopcroft, with Music & Lyrics by Adam Howell & Book by Paul Hurt (Angela’s Ashes). As a company, we want nothing more than to celebrate and enhance our local theatre community, so coming out of what has been a challenging year for the industry, we have assembled a professional cast, made up primarily of actors from the East Midlands.
BLONDE is based on the final nine years of the public and private life of Marilyn Monroe, seen through the eyes (and camera) of a young photographer, Georgie Gifford.
Through their friendship, we witness the ups and downs of Marilyn’s career, her failed marriages, her dependency on drugs and alcohol and her radiant beauty that made her the American Goddess of the silver screen and icon she still is today. For all her trials and tribulations, Marilyn’s story is also one of hope and survival, reminding us to enjoy life and, above all, to always… “BE WONDERFUL!"
Verity Power (Lady Parts, Channel 4) will play Marilyn Monroe, Anna Bond (The Creation of Frankenstein, Guildhall Theatre Derby) will play Norma-Jeane, Natalia Brown (Motown, UK Tour) will play Pat Newcombe/Hedda Hoppa, Finlay Paul (The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, West End) will play Georgie Gifford, Charlie Ellerton (The Pirate Queen, The London Coliseum) will play Joe DiMaggio/Arthur Miller, Tom Hopcroft (The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, UK Tour & West End) will play Jimmy Dougherty, Louise Grantham (A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Garden Theatre) will play Paula Strasberg/Momma, Maison Kelley (Brass, The Union Theatre) will play Daryl Zanuck/Laurence Olivier,
Joining them in the ensemble are Chloe Hopcroft, Jinny Gould, Becky Wrench, Samuel Holden, Tom Samuels & Chelsea Hawkins.
The production will be rehearsed and filmed at The Duchess Theatre, East Midlands, in April 2021. It will then be streamed on-demand via DerbyLIVE from 1st-16th May!
