Cast joining Sheridan Smith in new West End musical Opening Night announced, including Shira Haas, Hadley Fraser, Nicola Hughes and Amy Lennox

Further cast has been revealed alongside Sheridan Smith in new musical Opening Night. 

The musical is based on John Cassavetes’ 1977 film Opening Night, which follows an alcoholic actress who is concerned about aging and haunted by the ghost of one of her deceased fans. The film was initially panned when released but, like so many works, it later came to hold a strong reputation amongst screen aficionados.

Ivo van Hove (A Little Life), who directed a non-musical version of the show for Dutch theatre company Toneelgroep Amsterdam in 2006, returns to the director’s chair for this production.

Songwriter Rufus Wainwright will pen new tunes for the piece, which is set to be led by Smith. The Shirley Valentine star has credits including Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Funny Girl. 

Alongside Smith as Myrtle will be Hadley Fraser (The Lehman Trilogy) as Manny, Shira Haas (Unorthodox) as Nancy, Nicola Hughes (Fosse) as Sarah, Amy Lennox (Cabaret) as Dorothy and John Marquez (Pygmalion) as David. Further casting to be announced.

The show will run at the Gielgud Theatre from 6 March until 27 July 2024. Tickets are on sale now.

Opening Night has a book by van Hove with music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright. It is directed and conceived by van Hove, has set, lighting and video design by Jan Versweyveld, costume design by An D’Huys and sound design by Tom Gibbons and Alex Twiselton.

Orchestrations are by Wainwright, with musical supervision and musical direction by Nigel Lilley. Movement and choreography is by Polly Bennett, casting is by Julia Horan CDG and the associate director is Daniel Raggett.