Carousel at Regents Park Open Air Theatre announces lead casting

Casting has been revealed for Carousel at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

Carly Bawden and Declan Bennett play Julie Jordan and Billy Bigelow, John Pfumojena plays Enoch Snow, award-winner Joanna Riding plays Nettie Fowler and Natasha May Thomas plays Louise Bigelow.

It is s created by Joanna Bowman (associate director), Lucy Casson (casting director), Tom Deering (musical supervisor and orchestrator), Mark Dickman (associate musical director), Molly Einchcomb (co-costume designer), Annie May Fletcher* (creative team associate – sound), Barbara Houseman (season associate director/voice and text director), Nick Lidster (sound designer), Simisola Majekodunmi* (creative team associate – lighting), Aideen Malone (lighting designer), Drew McOnie (choreographer), Ebony Molina (associate choreographer), Verity Naughton (children's casting director), James Orange (casting director), Tom Scutt (set designer and co-costume designer), Timothy Sheader (director), Jacob Sparrow (casting director), Kate Waters (fight director).

The show has also announced it will work with Refuge, a charity to aid those who are affected by domestic violence and other forms of gender-based violence.

Sheadeer said today: "As with our previous reimagining of classic musicals, I am excited to remove the rose-tinted specs and examine this amazing piece through a 2021 lens. With new orchestrations by Tom Deering and Drew McOnie's distinctive choreographic language rethinking the role of dance in the storytelling, we look forward to inviting a new audience to Carousel. It's also important to us that, because of the story and content of Carousel, we are able to support the vital work of Refuge."

Featuring classic numbers such as "If I Loved You" and "You'll Never Walk Alone", Rodgers and Hammerstein's second musical follows the misfortunes of carousel barker Billy Bigelow. Cast and further creative team members are to be announced.

Carousel runs from 31 July to 25 September.