Casting is complete for Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Birmingham Rep, and Kenny Wax's revival of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s production of Bugsy Malone, which will open July 2 at Theatre Royal Bath followed by performances at Birmingham Rep beginning July 27. The leading roles are played by young performers, ages 9 –15, who are joined by an adult ensemble.
The musical, based on Alan Parker's 1976 film, will subsequently play Newcastle Theatre Royal, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton, Leeds Grand Theatre, Glasgow Theatre Royal, Belgrade Theatre, Coventry, Oxford Playhouse, Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, Leicester Curve, Milton Keynes Theatre, Theatre Royal Plymouth, Hull New Theatre, Nottingham Theatre Royal, Manchester Opera House, Edinburgh Playhouse, Southend Cliffs Pavilion, Cardiff’s Wales Millennium Centre and Marlowe Theatre, and Canterbury with more venues to be announced.
The lead roles will be performed by three casts of seven in rotation. Bugsy Malone will be played by Shaun Sharma, Gabriel Payne, and Amar Blackman; Blousey Brown by Mia Lakha, Delilah Bennett-Cardy, and Avive Williams; Fat Sam by Albie Snelson, Isham Sankoh, and Charlie Burns; Tallulah by Taziva-Faye Katsande, Jasmine Sakyiama, and Fayth Ifil; Fizzy by Aidan Oti, Jamie Northey-Dennis, and one performer to be announced; Lena/Babyface by Cherry Mitra, Kayla-Mai Alvares, and Ava Hope Smith; and Dandy Dan by Rayhaan Kufuor-Gray, Kit Cranston, and Desmond Cole.
They will be joined by adult ensemble members Georgia Pemberton, Alisha Capon, Lucy Young, D’Mia Lindsay Walker, Jessica Daugrida, Alicia Ally, Alicia Belgarde, Esme Bacalla-Hayes, Luchia Moss, Kalifa Burton, Rory Fraser, Andile Mabhena, Thomas Walton, Ru Fisher, Mohamed Bangura, Marcus Billany, Luke Mills, and Will Lucas.
Bugsy Malone, directed by Sean Holmes, features a book by Parker and songs by Oscar winner Paul Williams, including "Ordinary Fool," "You Give a Little Love," and "Fat Sam’s Grand Slam."
Set during Prohibition, Bugsy Malone spotlights rival gangster bosses Fat Sam and Dandy Dan, who are at loggerheads. Enter Bugsy Malone, a penniless one-time boxer thrust not-so-willingly into the gangster limelight when he becomes the last resort for Fat Sam's hapless hoodlums. All Bugsy really wants to do is spend time with his new love, Blousey, but that just isn't on the cards.
The creative team also includes Olivier-winning choreographer Drew McOnie, music director Connagh Tonkinson, designer Jon Bausor, associate director Franny-Anne Rafferty, musical supervisor, arranger, and orchestrator Phil Bateman, lighting designer Phil Gladwell, sound designer Ben Harrison, associate choreographer Leanne Pinder, children's casting director Verity Noughton, adult casting director Will Burton, and wig designer Susannah Peretz.
