Casting: New recruits announced for The Bodyguard

Joining them will be Debbie Kurup as Nicki Marron (Velma Kelly in Chicago, Tonight’s The Night, Rent), Mark Letheren as The Stalker (All My Sons, Cloud Nine and the RSC’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream), Ray Shell as Bill Daveny (Miss Saigon, Gone With The Wind ,The Lion King, Jesus Christ Superstar ), Nicolas Colicos as Tony (Mamma Mia, The Producers) and Mark McKerracher as the Herb Farmer (Les Miserables).

The Bodyguard will feature all of the film’s songs, as well as ten other Houston hits. The score includes “Queen of the Night”, “So Emotional”, “One Moment in Time”, “Saving All My Love”, “I’m Your Baby Tonight”,”How Will I Know”, “I Wanna Dance With Somebody” and, of course, “I Will Always Love You”.

Both “Run to You” and “I Have Nothing”, which will be included in the stage production, were nominated for Oscars for best New Music.

The show tells the story of a former Secret Service agent, Frank Farmer, who is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker – the two then fall in love.

The show will be directed by Thea Sharrock and has a book is by Alex Dinelaris, designs by Tim Hatley, lighting by Mark Henderson and sound by Richard Brooker. Choreography is by Arthur Pita, orchestrations by Chris Egan and musical supervision by Mike Dixon. It is produced by Michael Harrison and David Ian.

The Bodyguard opens on 5 December 2012 with previews from 6 November. It is currently booking until 27 April 2013.