First Look at New Immersive Production of Zorro the Musical Opening at Manchester’S Hope Mill Theatre
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IMAGE RELEASE – Wednesday 25 February 2020 Images available to download here Twitter / Facebook / Instagram / website #ZorroMusicalUK FIRST LOOK AT NEW IMMERSIVE PRODUCTION OF ZORRO THE MUSICAL OPENING AT MANCHESTER’S HOPE MILL THEATRE ▪ REHEARSAL IMAGES RELEASED FOR ZORRO THE MUSICAL STARRING ANTONY COSTA, ALEX GIBSON-GIORGIO, EMMA KINGSTON, GENEVIEVE NICOLE, KIT ORTON AND BENJAMIN PURKISS ▪ FEATURING MUSIC BY THE GIPSY KINGS, DIRECTED BY CHRISTIAN DURHAM, AND PRESENTED BY ARIA ENTERTAINMENT AND JOHN GERTZ ▪ AT MANCHESTER’S HOPE MILL THEATRE FROM 14 MARCH – 18 APRIL 2020 WITH OPENING NIGHT FOR PRESS ON 18 MARCH ▪ IMAGES ARE AVAILABLE TO DOWNLOAD HERE Zorro The Musical reveals a first look at the cast in action as rehearsal images for the new immersive production are released today. The production features music by The Gipsy Kings and the evening will start with live entertainment and a Flamenco party in the foyer of Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre before the story continues in the auditorium itself, bringing the legendary adventure of the masked hero to life. Zorro the Musical is directed by Christian Durham and runs from 14 March – 18 April 2020, with opening night for press on 18 March. Zorro the Musical will be performed by a cast of 16 actor-musicians with Antony Costa as Garcia, Alex Gibson-Giorgio as Ramon, Emma Kingston as Luisa, Genevieve Nicole as Inez, Kit Orton as Don Alejandro and Benjamin Purkiss as the masked hero, Zorro. The cast is completed by Ajjaz Awad, Amy Bastani, Isobel Bates, Ben Boskovic, Maxwell Griffin, Matthew Heywood, Jessica Pardoe, Thomas Ping, Seren Sandham-Davies and Stylianos Thomadakis. With music by the Gipsy Kings and John Cameron, lyrics by Stephen Clark and a book by Stephen Clark and Helen Edmundson, Zorro the Musical reinvigorates the story of the iconic hero, who appears when times are hardest and the struggle for freedom feels lost. The audience will be enveloped by the action of the legendary adventure as they are taken on a thrilling journey into an iconic story of good vs. evil, love vs. hate, brother vs. brother. The production is presented by Katy Lipson and John Gertz and features original music by the Gipsy Kings, alongside their international hits including Bamboleo, Baila Me and Djobi, Djoba. The production will be filled with pounding flamenco, breathtaking sword fights, tricks and magic, comedy and, at its heart, the desperate battle within a family of power versus freedom. Antony Costa (Garcia) is best known as a member of the chart-topping boyband Blue. Most recently on stage he starred in the 2019 Rock of Ages UK tour. Previous stage credits also include A Judgement In Stone, Save The Last Dance For Me (Bill Kenwright Productions), Blood Brothers (Phoenix Theatre) and Boogie Nights (UK tour). For TV he has appeared in Holby City and Casualty. Alex Gibson-Giorgio’s (Ramon) stage credits include Aria Entertainment’s recent production of RAGS The Musical (Park Theatre), Everything’s Coming Up Sondheim (Chapel off Chapel), Yank (Understudy Productions), Mamma Mia! (Australian Tour) and Anything Goes (Opera Australia). Emma Kingston (Luisa) starred as Eva Peron in Evita (2017-18 international tour), Hodel in Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre) and Vanessa in In the Heights (King’s Cross Theatre). Further stage credit includes Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (UK Tour) and Grease (UK Tour). Genevieve Nicole’s (Inez) musical credits include Guys & Dolls, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Spamalot in the West End, UK tours of Hairspray, Chicago, The Producers, Miracle on 34th Street and White Christmas, and previously at the Hope Mill in Pippin. Kit Orton’s (Don Alejandro / Gypsy Leader / Guitar / Violin) theatre credits include Tom (UK Tour 2014/2016), Spamalot (UK Tour & West End), Oliver!, Spend Spend Spend, Martin Guerre (Watermill Theatre) and Dickens Abridged (Arts Theatre). Benjamin Purkiss (Zorro/Diego) recently performed as the alternate Strat in the original West End cast of the Evening Standard Award and BBC Radio 2 Audience Award winning Bat Out Of Hell The Musical (Dominion Theatre/ Manchester Opera House). His other stage credits include Broken Wings (The Other Palace), Macheath in The Beggar’s Opera (William Christie and Les Arts Florissants) and Allegro (Southwark Playhouse). Zorro the Musical brings together Director Christian Durham (Breaking The Code, Quaint Honour, Café Society Swing), Choreographer Cressida Carre (Avenue Q, Titanic, Pippi Longstocking), Designer Rosa Maggiora (Hobson’s Choice, Approaching Empty, ‘Nina’ A Story About Me & Nina Simone) and Orchestrator and Musical Director Nick Barstow (RAGS The Musical, Just So, RE:arrangement). The creative team also includes Sound Designer Andrew Johnson, Lighting Designer Matt Haskins, Flamenco Specialist Maria Vega, Fight Director Renny Krupinski, and Casting Director Jane Deitch. Tickets are now on sale at www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk/events/zorro/ -ENDS- For further information please contact The Corner Shop PR on 020 7831 7657 Su-Ann Chow-Seegoolam | Chloe Pritchard-Gordon LISTINGS ZORRO THE MUSICAL Directed by Christian Durham Book and Lyrics by Stephen Clark Music by Gipsy Kings Original Story by Stephen Clark and Helen Edmundson Co-Composer and Adapter: John Cameron Hope Mill Theatre 113 Pollard Street, Manchester M4 7JA First Performance: Saturday 14 March 2020 Press Night: Wednesday 18 March 2020 Final Performance: Saturday 18 April 2020 Performances: Tuesday to Saturday at 7:30pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2:30pm, Sunday at 3pm Box Office details Website: www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk/events/zorro/ Tel: 0333 012 4963 Prices from £16 Twitter: @ZorroMusicalUK Facebook: /ZorroMusicalUK Instagram: /ZorroMusicalUK # ZorroMusicalUK NOTES TO EDITORS BIOGRAPHIES CHRISTIAN DURHAM (DIRECTOR) Christian recently directed Hugh Whitemore’s Breaking The Code at the Salisbury Playhouse. The story of the national hero, Alan Turing who broke the Enigma codes in World War II but was then found guilty by the justice system of being a homosexual. Christian's other work includes the new jazz musical Café Society Swing at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, highlighting the story of the first racially-desegregated jazz club in NY, which helped launch the careers of singers like Billie Holliday and Lena Horne. The revival of Quaint Honour, at the Finborough, won rave reviews, sold out and was nominated for an OFFIE Award. At the Union Theatre, Christian directed the story of Viv Nicholson and her tragic pools win, Spend Spend Spend, and staged the first professional revival in the UK of Stephen Schwartz’s Children Of Eden. Further credits include creating and staging the new musical Dusty Springfield for Carnival Cruise lines, directing the National Tour of Boy George’s Taboo, which won the Manchester Evening News Best Musical Award and the porn musical Debbie Does Dallas at Oxford Fire Station & The Udderbelly, Edinburgh (Nominated Best Musical Production) plus various development workshops of new writing including Finding The Burnett Heart with Michael Pennington, Just A Man & This Is England for Page To Stage and Nobody’s Business for the Charing Cross Theatre. He is also Associate Director for Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’, directing productions in Europe and Japan plus the recent National Touring production of Dr Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas. ARIA ENTERTAINMENT (PRODUCER) Aria Entertainment was founded in 2012 by Katy Lipson. In 2017, Katy was awarded the Best Producer award by the Off-West End Awards and is a recipient of the Stage One Bursary and Start Up Award. She made The Stage 100 in 2018, 2019 and 2020 with Joseph Houston and William Whelton for their work at Hope Mill Theatre. Katy produced the UK Premiere Tour of The Addams Family and the 50th Anniversary production of HAIR at the London Vaults, which she originally coproduced with Hope Mill Theatre in 2016, where she was the Producing Artistic Director for all in-house musicals from 2016 - 2019. HAIR (The Vaults) won the award for Best Off-West End Production at the 2018 Whatsonstage Awards and has recently completed a major UK Tour. Their transfer of Pippin, which played at the Southwark Playhouse, was nominated for a record number of Off West End Awards. Their production of Spring Awakening won the award for Best Regional show at the 2019 WOS awards. Their recent production of Mame, starring Tracie Bennett, was recently nominated for 7 WhatsOnStage Awards and recently completed its run at the Hope Mill Theatre and a short UK Tour. In 2012, the bicentenary year of Charles Dickens’ birth, she produced a revival of The Mystery of Edwin Drood at the Arts Theatre, West End. This was followed by a transfer to the same venue in 2017 of new musical The Toxic Avenger following runs at The Edinburgh Festival’s Pleasance Theatre and the Southwark Playhouse. Katy set up the From Page to Stage festival to support new musicals at all difference stages of development. In 6 years FPTS has given platform to over 100 new musicals of which many have gone on to have full productions and be licensed worldwide and now they run a full time literary department for new musicals. Other productions include: Unexpected Joy (Southwark Playhouse and York Theatre, Off- Broadway); It’s Only Life (Union Theatre); Mame, The Astonishing Times of Timothy Cratchit, Rags The Musical, Putting it Together, The Return of the Soldier, Pippin, Spring Awakening, Aspects of Love, Little Women, The ToyBoy Diaries, Yank!, Parade and HAIR (Hope Mill Theatre); the London transfers of Pippin (Southwark Playhouse) and Yank! (Charing Cross Theatre); tick, tick...BOOM! (Park Theatre); Aspects of Love, The Toxic Avenger and Promises, Promises (Southwark Playhouse); Vanities The Musical (Trafalgar Studios); House Of Mirrors And Hearts (Arcola Theatre); See What I Wanna See and The Return Of The Soldier (Jermyn Street Theatre); The Adventures of Pinocchio, Lizzie and The Who’s Tommy (Greenwich Theatre), Marry Me A Little, Jerry’s Girls and Forever Plaid (St.