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Home , Dominic Cooke, Follies, Janie Dee, Musical theatre

FOLLIES – FULL CASTING ANNOUNCEMENT

Book by , and Lyrics by Directed by Olivier Previews from 22 August, Press Night 6 September, last 3 January

1971, New York. There’s a party on the of the Weissman Theatre. Tomorrow the iconic building will be demolished. Thirty years after their final performance, the girls gather to have a few drinks, sing a few and lie about themselves. Including such classic songs as , I’m Still Here and , Stephen Sondheim’s legendary musical is staged for the first time at the NT. , and the magnificent Follies in this dazzling new production. Featuring a cast of 37 and an of 21, the production is directed by Dominic Cooke (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom).

Director Dominic Cooke said: “Sondheim is one of the great innovators of modern theatre. Everything he has written breaks new ground thematically and finds a fresh form to express it. His restless, questing spirit defines, for me, what it means to be an artist. I love Follies for its iconic score, brutal honesty and psychological accuracy. It depicts a profound crisis and that most American of themes: the question for authenticity in a world of illusion. For this production we have put together a book mainly drawn from original 1971 text with some additions from later rewrites. We have brought together an incredible cast and a top notch team. I can't wait to get started.”

Winner of Academy, Tony, Grammy and Olivier awards, Sondheim’s previous work at the NT includes , and Sunday in the Park with George.

The cast includes Julie Armstrong (Christine Donovan), Norma Atallah (Emily Whitman), (Heidi Schiller), Jeremy Batt (Chorus Boy) Tracie Bennett (Carlotta Campion), (Hattie Walker), Billy Boyle (Theodore Whitman), Janie Dee (Phyllis Rogers Stone), Anouska Eaton (Young Emily), Liz Ewing (), (Solange Lafitte), (Buddy Plummer), Emily Goodenough (Showgirl), Bruce Graham (Roscoe), Adrian Grove (Sam Deems), Fred Haig (Young Buddy), Aimee Hodnett (Young Hattie), Dawn Hope (Stella Deems), Liz Izen (Deedee West), Alison Langer (Young Heidi), Emily Langham (Young Carlotta), Sarah-Marie Maxwell (Young Solange), Ian McLarnon (Company), Leisha Mollyneaux (Young Stella), Gemma Page (Sandra Crane) Kate Parr (Young Sandra), (Ben Stone), Edwin Ray (Chorus Boy), Gary Raymond (Dimitri Weissman), Adam Rhys-Charles (Young Ben), Jordan Shaw (Chorus Boy), Imelda Staunton ( Durrant Plummer), Zizi Strallen (Young Phyllis), Barnaby Thompson (Chorus Boy), Christine Tucker (Young Deedee), Michael Vinsen (Chorus Boy) and Alex Young (Young Sally).

Follies is designed by Vicki Mortimer, with choreography by Bill Deamer, musical supervision by Nicholas Skilbeck, by , additional orchestrations by Josh Clayton, musical director Nigel Lilley, lighting design by and sound designer by Paul Groothuis.

The original production of Follies premiered on Broadway in 1971, where it was nominated for eleven , and won seven. The show premiered in London in 1987, and has been revived around the world many times to great acclaim. This 2017 staging will be the first time the musical has been performed at the National Theatre.

Supported by the Follies production syndicate.

Press Night: Wednesday 6 September

Talks and Events Janie Dee and Philip Quast – Olivier Theatre Thursday 14 Sept, 3pm The Future of – Cottesloe Room, Friday 15 Sept, 6pm Dominic Cooke – Olivier Theatre, Wednesday 18 October, 6pm The Works of Stephen Sondheim – Cottesloe Room, Friday 3 November, 10.30am

ENDS

For images, please click here.

Press : Emma Hardy on 020 7452 3231 / [email protected]

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