Chichester Festival Theatre announces 2021 season of shows

Chichester Festival Theatre has revealed its shows right the way through to the end of 2021.

The venue will reopen in July with the previously covered South Pacific revival, led by Gina Beck and Julian Ovenden.

The Minerva Theatre will reopen in August with Zoe Cooper's new play The Flock, directed by Guy Jones. which follows a parish trying to stage Noah's Ark. Selina Cadell stars, with the piece featuring design by Natasha Jenkins, with lighting by Zoe Spurr, sound design by Alexandra Faye Braithwaite and casting by Charlotte Sutton. One performance each week will be socially distanced.

The Minerva will then host a co-production of Martin McDonagh's The Beauty Queen of Leenane, presented from 3 September to 2 October. Set in County Galway and following a lonely woman living with her ageing mother, the major revival is directed by Rachel O'Riordan with a cast including Ingrid Craigie and Kwaku Fortune.

It will transfer to the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre after its Chichester season, playing from 9 October to 6 November. The production will be designed by Good Teeth Theatre, with lighting designed by Kevin Treacy, music and sound designed by Anna Clock, and casting by Sam Stevenson.

From 1 to 23 October, Andrea Levy's seminal novel The Long Song will be brought to the stage by Suhayla El-Bushra, directed by Charlotte Gwinner.

The production will be designed by Frankie Bradshaw, with lighting by Mark Doubleday, musical direction, vocal arrangements and additional composition by Michael Henry, sound by Helen Skiera, video by Dick Straker, movement by Angela Gasparetto, fights by Kev McCurdy and casting by Charlotte Sutton with Chandra Ruegg. Casting is to be announced.

Josh Roche will direct David Story's hit 1970 play Home, running from 8 October to 6 Novmber. The production designer will be Sophie Thomas, with casting by Charlotte Sutton. Further creatives will be appointed through public advertising for freelance opportunities.

Finally, the venue's previously announced festive production of Pinocchio will play from 18 December to 1 January, staged by the venue's Youth Theatre company with direction from Dale Rooks.

Carly Bawden, Ako Mitchell and Sharon Rose are among the West End stars who'll be appearing in the venue's "Concerts in the Park" programme from 3 to 6 June, while a mini cabaret season will run at the Minerva in June featuring the Black Cat Cabaret and Barely Methodical Troupe.