Exclusive: Casting announced for Ragtime at Charing Cross Theatre

Earl Carpenter (Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables) and Anita Louise Combe (Gypsy, Chicago) will lead the cast of Ragtime at the Charing Cross Theatre.

The full cast for this new actor-musician production also includes: Cavin Cornwall (Jesus Christ Superstar), Valerie Cutko (Grand Hotel), Ako Mitchell (Grey Gardens) and Gary Tushaw (Allegro).

They are joined by Simon Anthony (Wonder.land), Anthony Cable (The Phantom of the Opera), Matt Devereaux (Hitler, My Part in His Downfall), Christopher Dickins (War Horse), Tom Giles (Muse of Fire), Joanna Hickman (Sweeney Todd), Rachel Knowles (Spamalot), Kate Robson-Stuart (Betty Blue Eyes), Jennifer Saayeng (City of Angels) and Jonathan Stewart (Guys And Dolls).

Bernadette Bangura, Lemuel Knights and Seyi Omooba all make their professional debut in the show and the cast is completed by child actors Alana Hinge, Samuel Peterson, Ethan Quinn, Riya Vyas.

Terrence McNally, Lynn Ahrens, and Stephen Flaherty's musical will run for nine weeks at the London venue from 8 October. Directed by Thom Southerland, with choreography by Ewan Jones and musical direction from Jordan Li-Smith, the revival is produced by Danielle Tarento, Steven M Levy, Sean Sweeney and Vaughan Williams.

Based on the novel by EL Doctorow, Ragtime takes place in New York at the turn of the 20th Century and tells the story of three groups in America, represented by Coalhouse Walker Jr, a Harlem musician; Mother and her white, middle class family in New Rochelle; and Tateh, a Jewish immigrant who has come to America with his daughter seeking a new life.

Ragtime runs at the Charing Cross Theatre from 8 October to 10 December.