Three-time Tony winner Nicholas Hytner (War Horse, The History Boys, Carousel) will direct a revival of the classic 1950 musical Guys and Dolls in 2023 at London's Bridge.
The immersive production, the first musical to play the London venue, will begin performances February 27, 2023, prior to an official opening March 9. Casting will be announced at a later date.
The musical will feature designs by Bunny Christie, choreography by Arlene Phillips, associate direction and choreography by James Cousins, lighting by Paule Constable, sound by Paul Arditti, musical direction by Tom Brady, orchestrations by Charlie Rosen, and casting by Charlotte Sutton.
Seating for the production, according to the Bridge, will be "wrapped around the action while the immersive tickets transport you to the streets of Manhattan and the bars of Havana in the unlikeliest of love stories."
Based on a story and characters by Damon Runyon, Guys and Dolls features music and lyrics by Frank Loesser and a book by Jo Swerling and Abe Burrows. The original Broadway production opened at Broadway's 46th Street Theatre (now the Richard Rodgers, home to Hamilton) in November 1950, running 1,200 performances before closing November 28, 1953. Among the premiere cast were Robert Alda as Sky Masterson, Isabel Bigley as Sarah Brown, Sam Levene as Nathan Detroit, and Vivian Blaine as Miss Adelaide. Blaine re-created her role for the 1955 film, which also starred Marlon Brando as Sky Masterson, Jean Simmons as Sarah Brown, and Frank Sinatra as Nathan Detroit.
For the Bridge Theatre, Hytner has directed Young Marx, Julius Caesar, Allelujah!, Alys, Always, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Two Ladies, Beat the Devil, The Shrine, Bed Among the Lentils, A Christmas Carol, Bach & Sons, and The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage. He recently directed Ralph Fiennes in David Hare’s Straight Line Crazy at The Bridge, and this month he directs Alex Jennings in Stephen Beresford’s The Southbury Child at Chichester Festival Theatre and The Bridge.
Guys and Dolls is currently scheduled to run through September 2, 2023. Tickets, now available for Bridge members, will go on sale to the general public June 23.
