15.03.2017
The summer season at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is going to start with great style and verve this year with four ArtsEd faces leading the cast of On The Town.
Class of 2017 graduates, Siena Kelly and Miriam-Teak Lee, will make their professional stage debuts as Ivy and Hildy, joined by ArtsEd alumna, Lizzy Connolly as Claire, three roles played in the original film version by Vera-Ellen, Betty Garrett and Ann Miller. Siena and Miriam-Teak are well prepared for their stage debut having performed lead roles in Lady Be Good and The Life during their final year of training.
The male lead, Gabey, will be played by ArtsEd alumnus, Danny Mac, recently seen in the finals and live arena tour of Strictly Come Dancing. The role of Gabey is well known to Chris Hocking, ArtsEd’s Deputy Director, who played the character on the last UK tour of On The Town in 1989.
Chris Hocking says: “It’s an incredible achievement for Miriam-Teak and Siena to launch their professional careers in such an iconic musical. We are ecstatic to see ArtsEd students and alumni in four of the six lead roles!”
Playing 19 May to 1 July 2017, On The Town is based on a concept by Jerome Robbins with music by Leonard Bernstein and book and lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, including the hit song “New York, New York (it’s a helluva town)”. The production will be directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie. Drew won the Olivier Award for Best Theatre Choreography for In the Heights before scoring a hit with his choreography for Jesus Christ Superstar in 2016, for which he is nominated in The Olivier Awards 2017.
Photo credit: Hugo Glendinning