Two-time Olivier nominee Scarlett Strallen will star in the title role of Chicago Shakespeare Theater's North American premiere of Jessica Swale’s Nell Gwynn, which will be presented September 20–November 4.
The music- and dance-filled play, winner of the Olivier for Best New Comedy, will be directed by Christopher Luscombe, who also directed the London staging.
Strallen will be joined by leading Chicago actor Timothy Edward Kane as King Charles II, two-time Olivier winner David Bedella as Edward Kynaston, Larry Yando as Lord Arlington, Hollis Resnik in the dual roles of Ma Gwynn and the Portuguese Queen, John Tufts as Charles Hart, Emily Gardner Xu Hall as Lady Castlemaine and Louise de Keroualle, Natalie West as Nancy, Emma Ladji as Nell’s sister Rose, Christopher Sheard as playwright John Dryden, and William Dick as director Thomas Killigrew.
Rounding out the ensemble are Jeff Diebold, Dylan Obrochta, and Carter Sherman.
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Nell Gwynn tells the true story of the beloved mistress to a king. Young Nell Gwynn is selling oranges in the burgeoning West End when she is discovered by a theater troupe, and becomes one of the first women to take center stage as a leading actor of Restoration England.
Joining Luscombe on the creative team are Drama Desk Award-winning composer Nigel Hess, music director Jermaine Hill, Olivier-winning designer Hugh Durrant, lighting designer Greg Hofmannn, sound designer Stephen Ptacek, make-up designer Richard Jarvie, choreographer Amber Mak, dialect coach Eva Breneman, and assistant director Lanise Antoine Shelley.
For more information, visit chicagoshakes.com.
