CURVE ANNOUNCES BRAND NEW PRODUCTIONS OF ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER'S MASTERPIECE SUNSET BOULEVARD & LESLIE BRICUSSE’S MAGICAL FAMILY MUSICAL, SCROOGE
Following Curve’s most successful Christmas season on record, with Grease and The Twits entertaining over 65,000 people to date, we are delighted to announce two new Made at Curve productions for Autumn & Winter 2017 : Andrew Lloyd Webber, Don Black & Christopher Hampton’s Sunset Boulevard from 16-30 September 2017 and Leslie Bricusse’s family musical Scrooge, from 18 November 2017 – 07 January 2018.
Tickets for both productions will go on sale to the general public on 23 January, with Curve members able to book a week ahead from 16 January at www.curveonline.co.uk or by calling the box office on 0116 242 3595.
Curve Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said in a joint statement:
“We are proud to present these two magnificent British musicals during 2017, cementing Curve’s reputation as one of the UK’s leading producers of musical theatre. Sunset Boulevard is undoubtedly one of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s finest scores and it will be the first time we have produced his work here at Curve. Strong female characters defined last year’s season and we are proud the astonishing Ria Jones will lead the Sunset company, continuing this tradition.
Dickens’ astonishing hymn to humanity and the transformative power of charity over capitalism seems more relevant than ever and we are honoured Leslie Bricusse has trusted us with his musical adaptation of this timeless story. As always, we are indebted to the Arts Council and Leicester City Council, but also to our co-producers, Michael Harrison and David Ian. Theatre must continue to evolve and find innovative ways to make the sums add up and we are honoured to work with such an accomplished range of theatres and co-producing partners across this year.”
SUNSET BOULEVARD
Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber
Book and lyrics by Don Black & Christopher Hampton
Based on the film by Billy Wilder
Directed by Nikolai Foster
16 – 30 September 2017
A brand new Made at Curve production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tony Award winning (Best Musical, Best Original Score & Best Book of a Musical) masterpiece Sunset Boulevard directed by Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster and starring Ria Jones as Norma Desmond. The production will open at Curve before joining other recent Made at Curve productions such as Breakfast at Tiffany’s Sister Act, Hairspray, The Witches and The Twits on tour. The tour is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian.
Co-producers Michael Harrison and David Ian said “We are absolutely thrilled to be presenting this incredible show with Curve. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s fabulous score and Don Black and Christopher Hampton’s wonderful book and lyrics make this one of the all-time great musicals.”
In her mansion on Sunset Boulevard, faded, silent-screen goddess, Norma Desmond, lives in a fantasy world. Impoverished screen writer, Joe Gillis, on the run from debt collectors, stumbles into her reclusive world. Persuaded to work on Norma’s ‘masterpiece’, a film script that she believes will put her back in front of the cameras, he is seduced by her and her luxurious life-style. Joe becomes entrapped in a claustrophobic world until his love for another woman leads him to try and break free with dramatic consequences.
A complex study of unrequited love, loneliness and searing ambition, Sunset Boulevard pays homage to the golden age of Hollywood.
Internationally acclaimed musical theatre star Ria Jones, who received standing ovations every night when performing the role at the London Coliseum, will play Norma Desmond both at Curve and on tour across the UK.
With book and lyrics by Academy Award winners Don Black and Christopher Hampton and music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sunset Boulevard features songs such as With One Look, The Perfect Year, The Greatest Star Of All and the title song, Sunset Boulevard.
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SCROOGE
Music, Book and Lyrics by Leslie Bricusse
Directed by Nikolai Foster
18 November 2017 – 14 January 2018
“What made me write the show was Dickens’ genius for defining characters by their names- Cratchit, Fezziwig, Buzfuz, Pecksniff, Pumblecheek, Pickwick, Honeythunder – all perfectly crystallized in the one wonderful word Scrooge! It is nice to know that “Scrooge” continues to bring people together at Christmas. Long may he continue to do so.” – Leslie Bricusse
Following the critically acclaimed and record-breaking run of Grease, Curve Artistic Director Nikolai Foster, will direct a magical new version of Academy Award winning composer, Leslie Bricusse’s, festive family musical, Scrooge.
Based on one of the most powerful and enduring stories of all time, Charles Dickens’ classic A Christmas Carol, Scrooge brings the plight of the poor and their children during the boom decades of the industrial revolution, into startling focus.
A timeless story of the perils of greed and the transformative power of charity over capitalism, Curve’s 25th anniversary production of this great British musical, features the songs I Hate Christmas, A Better Life and, Thank You Very Much.
Join Ebenezer, Bob Cratchit, Tiny Tim and a host of Dickens’ other famous characters as Scrooge journeys with the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future in this spectacular retelling of the famous story.
Scrooge will also be presented by Michael Harrison and David Ian throughout the UK for Christmas seasons in 2018.
Further casting for both productions to be announced.