Exclusive: Sheila Hancock and Jenna Russell to star in Grey Gardens

WhatsOnStage can exclusively reveal that Jenna Russell and Sheila Hancock will star in the European premiere of the Broadway musical Grey Gardens next year.

Grey Gardens is about about two extraordinary women – the aunt and cousin of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis. Hancock will play Edith 'Big Edie' Bouvier Beale and Russell will play her daughter Edith 'Little Edie' Bouvier Beale.

The show tells the story of their lives from 1941 when they lived in their mansion on Long Island as American aristocratic socialites, to thirty years later when they had become recluses in the same, now crumbling, mansion.

The 2006 musical has a book by Doug Wright, lyrics by Michael Korie and music from Scott Frankel. The show won three Tony Awards and 12 Drama Desk awards when it ran on Broadway.

Producer Danielle Tarento and director Thom Southerland, the team behind recent productions of Titanic, Grand Hotel, and Parade, will bring the show to the Southwark Playhouse, London in January next year.

Grey Gardens will run at Southwark Playhouse 2 January to 6 February next year.

Book tickets for Grey Gardens here.

Here's a clip from the Broadway production at the 2007 Tonys: