ONCE TOUR PACK • 2020 CONTENTS

3 ONCE 4 THE NEW WOLSEY THEATRE 5 THE CREATIVES 7 AUDIENCES ARE SAYING… 8 GET IN TOUCH

Book by , Music & Lyrics by Glen Hansgard & Marketa Irglova Based on the Motion Picture Written and Directed by Performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International (Europe) Limited

Photography: Mike Kwasniak Copyright New Wolsey Theatre ©2018 ONCE 3

A guy, a girl and the song that brought them together. Winner of eight ® in 2012, including BEST MUSICAL, Once tells the unforgettable story of a Dublin street musician and a funny Czech girl, drawn together by their shared love of music.

As they assemble a band from her wild Czech family and his quirky Irish mates, the craic grows, the music WATCH… flows and they fall slowly in love. The ensemble of actor-musicians play their instruments live on stage, in a dynamic show that will steal your heart. PRODUCTION TRAILER Once is what happens when you take chances and go for your dreams.

“Raises the heart “You must have a heart of stone “so moving you will want to see this & hits the spot” if you’re not moved by Once” production more than Once.” Libby Purves, theatreCat “Ultimately triumphs with is stirring cocktail “the choral version of Gold is spine tingling, of folksy tunes and wistful romanticism” and throughout the show the vocals make love Fergus Morgan, The Stage with the theatre’s acoustics, it is a gorgeous show” Paul T Davies, British Theatre THE PRODUCER 4

“Without doubt one of the best things you’ll The New Wolsey Theatre is a producing and receiving see at the theatre this, or any other, year.” house nationally renowned for the quality and diversity Paul Monkhouse of their productions, both as a sole producer and in collaboration with a diverse range of artists and companies.

With a distinct reputation for musical work, often widely featuring actor-musicians, the New Wolsey are “Moving, beautifully produced musical leading players on the development of new musicals, that’s good for the ears and heart” staging the world premieres of It’s a Wonderful Life, 20th Century Boy, Mods & Rox, Miss Nightingale Everything Theatre Midsummer Songs and, most recently, Oxy & the Morons. Musical revivals have included: A national tour of the Tim Firth and Madness musical Our House, Brecht and Weill’s , an actor- “The folk music melodies and actor-muso musician version of Sweet Charity, Jason Robert cast are the pull for this production – and Brown’s The Last Five Years, and Made in Dagenham in this cast doesn’t disappoint… I implore you co-production with Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch. to see it. It will be a new favourite.” Tomm Ingram londontheatre1.com The New Wolsey Theatre and Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch co-produced the UK Regional Premiere of Once in Autumn 2018, receiving tremendous critical acclaim from the industry, press and audiences alike.

ARTISTIC DIRECTOR: Peter Rowe CHIEF EXECUTIVE: Sarah Holmes

NEW WOLSEY THEATRE WINNER UK THEATRE AWARDS 2017: Best Touring Production - Tommy THE TEAM 5

PETER ROWE DIRECTOR LIBBY WATSON DESIGNER

Peter is the Artistic Director of the New Wolsey Theatre. Libby trained at Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and has a 1st Class BA Hons degree in Theatre Design from Wimbledon After training at the Thorndike Theatre, Peter became the Artistic Director for the School of Art. She designed extensively in the UK and Southampton-based Solent People’s Theatre and then Artistic Director for the London abroad, venues include the West End, Birmingham Rep, The Bubble Theatre , touring London in a big top tent. He has held two other Artistic Crucible, The Wolsey, Nottingham Playhouse, Soho Theatre, Directorships, at the Gateway Theatre, Chester and the Liverpool Everyman while freelance Royal Court, Northcott Exeter, Bristol Old Vic, Bolton work has included productions for regional theatres and touring companies up and down the Octagon, Salisbury Playhouse, West Yorkshire Playhouse, country. He has directed Boyband and Return to the Forbidden Planet in the West End and on Riverside Studios, Hampstead Theatre, Tricycle, Stratford national tours, together with his own musical, Leader of the Pack. East, Bury St Edmunds Theatre Royal, Belgrade Coventry, Bush Theatre and Manahattan Theatre Club New York. Libby As Artistic Director of the New Wolsey Theatre, his productions have included Sweeney Todd, designed The Mountaintop at Trafalgar Studios West End Perfect Days, Double Indemnity, A Family Affair, A Mad World My Masters, Leader of the Pack, The which was the winner of 2011 Olivier Award for Best Play. Good Companions, Neville’s Island, Stephen Sondheim’s Company, Sugar, The Price, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, Vincent in Brixton, Blues in the Night, The Glass Menagerie, Recent design credits include: Toast by Nigel Slater at the Laurel and Hardy, Little Shop of Horrors, A Chorus of Disapproval, Chimps, a new musical Lowry and the Traverse, The Philanthropist, Trafalgar Studios adaptation of It’s a Wonderful Life, Noises Off, Up on the Roof, , Bedroom Farce, West End, A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Sir Trevor Mods And Rox, And Then The Dark, the UK National Tour of the Madness musical Our House, Miss Nunn, New Wolsey Theatre, Daisy Pulls it Off, Park Theatre, Nightingale, a major revival of The Threepenny Opera, with co-director Jenny Sealey, Midsummer Peter Pan, Misi Producciones Bogota Columbia, Fences, West Songs, Feed The Beast, a new play by Steve Thompson, Sweet Charity, the Jason Robert Brown End and Theatre Royal Bath. musical The Last Five Years and a touring production of Graham Linehan’s adaptation of The Ladykillers.

He has written ten record-breaking Christmas shows which are currently being produced annually at the New Wolsey Theatre, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre, and Leeds City Varieties. He wrote a musical about Ellie Greenwich, the writer of the great girl group songs of the sixties - Leader of the Pack – which has played at the New Wolsey and on two national tours. He has also written the books for Songs From a Hotel Bedroom, a setting of Kurt Weill songs produced at Watford Palace Theatre and the Linbury Studio at the Royal Opera House, and 20th Century Boy, a musical inspired by of Marc Bolan, which has played at the New Wolsey, The Belgrade, Coventry and on a major national tour. His original play Midsummer Songs, with music by Ben Goddard, premiered at the New Wolsey Theatre in 2014. THE TEAM 6

BEN GODDARD MUSICAL DIRECTOR FRANCESCA JAYNES CHOREOGRAPHER

Ben has musically directed countless rock ‘n’ roll shows in Theatre credits include: Up on the Roof (Oldham Coliseum the UK and around the world. For the last 15 years, Ben has Theatre); Orpheus in the Underworld (Holland Park Opera); been working as MD for the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich, After Life, The Threepenny Opera and The Day After Tomorrow on productions including Mods and Rox, Little Shop of Horrors, (National Theatre); ’s Cinderella (The Old Vic) Made In Dagenham, Oxy and The Morons and 14 rock ‘n’ roll My Best Friend (Hampstead Theatre); Little Shop of Horrors, pantos including Red Riding Hood. The Entertainer, Romeo and Juliet, Pinocchio and Toad of Toad Hall (The Birmingham Rep); It’s a Wonderful Life, Little Shop Composer credits: Midsummer Songs (NWT); a musical of Horrors, Blues in the Night, A Funny Thing Happened on Once is nominated for 6 Offies version of The Two Gentleman of Verona (Seoul); an original The Way to The Forum, Sugar, Laurel and Hardy and A Chorus (Off-West End Awards): score for Macbeth (Barbados) and endless music for of Disapproval (New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich); Cinderella, corporations worldwide. He has previously musically Beauty and the Beast, Happy End, Hosts of Rebecca, Sweeney supervised the shows Jackie – the Musical and That’s Alright Todd, Silas Marner, The Cavalcaders and Happy End (Theatre BEST MUSICAL PRODUCTION: Mama (number one tours) and arranged music for the Clwyd); The Gambler, The Winter’s Tale and Frankie and Tommy Once national tour of Tom: a Story of Tom Jones. He is also the (Liverpool Everyman); Guys and Dolls (Salisbury Playhouse). musical director at EastEnders for the BBC. Feature Films: Francesca often works with director Tim BEST MUSICAL DIRECTOR: Burton. Their collaborations include Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Sweeney Todd, Dark Shadows, Alice Ben Goddard in Wonderland and most recently, the forthcoming Miss MARK DYMOCK LIGHTING DESIGNER Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children. She worked with devising movement concepts for Jude BEST FEMALE PERFORMANCE Law and the robots in his film A.I. Artificial Intelligence and IN A MUSICAL: with on Vera Drake and Topsy Turvy (for which JAMES COOK SOUND DESIGNER Emma Lucia she was nominated for Best Choreography in a film by the American Choreography Awards). BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN A MUSICAL: Daniel Healy

BEST MALE PERFORMANCE IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL: Sean Kingsley and Samuel Martin AUDIENCES ARE SAYING… 7

An emotional tour de force. I can see no way to improve this What an absolute joy! astonishing show. Talented musicians, Each member of the great story and cast is fully engaged fabulous music. The in the ensemble show exceeded my whenever they are Excellent show, expectations and left on stage. All the wonderfully me on a high for my performances are vibrant singing. journey home. strong and deliver a convincing plot

through beautiful What an absolutely music. The design wonderful show. Absolutely fantastic Outstanding is imaginative but Every single member and with the standing entertainment. literal. We enjoyed of the cast is so ovation and the Loved this as a film, ourselves so much multi-talented, and cheers that went up totally enhanced now that we have bought Great show, fantastic it is by far the best I wasn’t alone in my by this wonderful tickets to a second Really enjoyed the cast. Loved it. show I have seen. praise for the show. live production. performance. show - Peter Rowe’s

version brings new energy and pathos to the story. If you Absolutely amazing Great opening A great high-energy What an amazing haven’t got a ticket production! All the We loved it, fantastic production with musical performed musical - great for the show - go buy cast were amazing show, excellent superb cast, music brilliantly by all the singing playing and one - you will not Definitely recommend musicianship and singing. Not to Artists. Absolutely dancing. So uplifting - regret it! this show. and acting. be missed. excellent. loved it - a must see!

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FOR MORE INFORMATION : @NewWolsey Sophie Flack Sarah Holmes New Wolsey Theatre Company Limited Programme Manager Chief Executive Civic Drive /NewWolsey New Wolsey Theatre New Wolsey Theatre Ipswich Suffolk newwolsey T: 01473 295914 T: 01473 295913 IP1 2AS E: [email protected] E: [email protected] wolseytheatre.co.uk New Wolsey Theatre