Cast announced for A Damsel in Distress musical

Richard Fleeshman and Summer Strallen will lead the new musical version of George and Ira Gershwin's A Damsel in Distress at Chichester Festival Theatre, which opens on 30 May.

Rob Ashford's production will also feature Desmond Barrit (The History Boys, Wicked), Isla Blair (Made in Dagenham, The Lyons), Nicholas Farrell (South Downs, The Browning Version), Sally Ann Triplett (Follies, Anything Goes), Richard Dempsey (A Midsummer Night's Dream) and Melle Stewart (Assassins).

The cast is completed by: Mairi Barclay, Chris Bennett, Stephanie Bron, Sam Harrison, Chloe Hart, Matthew Hawksley, Kirby Hughes, Harry Morrison, David Roberts, Jonathan Stewart, Lucie-Mae Sumner, Laura Tyrer, Alan Vicary and Matt Wilman.

Based on a novel by P.G. Wodehouse, A Damsel in Distress brings together a world-weary American composer, a beautiful and irrepressible English socialite, a fierce aunt and lots of other delightfully eccentric characters.

It features songs including "Nice Work If You Can Get It" and "A Foggy Day (In London Town)", and had a film version in 1937 starring Fred Astaire.

A Damsel in Distress runs at Chichester Festival Theatre from 30 May to 27 June 2015.